Services Offered:

• Case Management: Advocacy and Referral Services

The appointed residential counselor in conjunction with the staff case manager teams with the youth, his or her family as well as the Department of Children and Family Services in order to link the youth and his or her family to available resources within the family’s particular community. (See “Youth Services”)

• Culturally Relevant Intake Assessment Services

Rather than focusing on the youth and his or her family as the “risk-factor,” the assessment services yield a foundational platform for the youth and family to observe “the problems” that the family unit faces as being external to them. This assessment approach allows the youth and his or her family the opportunity to experience support mechanisms that is reflective of their culture as well as their perspective of what should be done differently to create stability for their family unit.

• Life Skills Building Therapeutic Day and Evening Programs

These programs brings to life in an interactive prevention focused format a system that allows youth to build their capacity within their specific developmental assets i.e. family connection, self- empowerment, etc. Additionally, with the possibility of future partnerships that are currently pending, these programs are enlisting the support of People of Color Against Aids Network, Arts Corps, and Pioneer Human Services’ Chemical Dependency Staff and Mental Health Professionals to create and implement intentional program activities that aim to reduce risk behavior.

• Multidisciplinary Team Meetings for Youth and Their Families

The multidisciplinary team meeting is initiated at the discharge of a youth in residence. This is a component that provides critical care in family intervention with the intent of promoting safe and stable families and early reunification. This program offers families a unique continuity of programming that bridges home; the family unit, school; an influential school official (when available) and community; mental health provider, probation officer, chemical dependency specialist etc. This interaction within this intervention optimizes the reunification effort for the family. Due to representatives from these various entities participating in the Multidisciplinary Team and constructing a plan to connect and continue teaming with the family outside of the Spruce Street Secure Crisis Residential Center, the family unit is better prepared to remain intact.

• Bridges Program Services

Bridges program services are intended to support Spruce Street Secure Crisis Residential Center clients by assisting them preserve, strengthen and reconcile their families. The services created in collaboration with the families served are aimed to develop skills and supports within the family system to hinder the adolescent from within the home from running. The ideal outcome for the Bridges Program Service is reducing the level of conflict with the family served, preventing out of home placement or assisting the runaway youth reenter his or her family. Participation with this program is voluntary. (See “Bridges Program”)