DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT & RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT

Services are available for boys and girls, ages 4-13, who exhibit emotional disorders or behavioral problems.

Length of diagnostic assessment period:  30 days
Average length of stay for residential treatment:  12-14 months

Assessment components include:

Medical examination	Psychiatric evaluation	Psychological evaluation
Educational testing	Abuse assessment	Recreational assessment
Family assessment	Social assessment	Speech & language screening

                

Treatment Philosophy:

It is the belief of Children’s Home Society that building and maintaining healthy relationships is the most significant factor in healing children with emotional and behavioral problems. 

The setting at CHS could best be described as a therapeutic milieu.  This “milieu” is a total, planned environment that creates a therapeutic atmosphere for troubled children.  It is a coordinated effort by the counselors, teachers, cooks, custodians, nurses, secretaries, night counselors, volunteers, and every individual at CHS, to provide an environment that demonstrates to children the healthy interactions of adults and children.  Every person brings his/her special expertise to the positive resolution of a child’s difficulty. 

The milieu focuses on enhancing the child’s feeling of self worth.  This is based on the premise that a child must feel good about him/herself as a prerequisite for learning.  As a child develops mastery in areas of socialization, self-help skills, and independent functioning, the feelings of self-worth are enhanced.  In a loving, caring, nurturing environment, children will become emotionally healthier, and will eventually be able to succeed in a family, in the classroom, and in the community. 

Treatment Components:

• Milieu Therapy - Individualized treatment plans are created to address therapeutic goals.
• Special Education - Developmental and academic functioning are evaluated.  Individualized Education Plans (IEP) are created to address individual goals.
• Individual Therapy - Children’s individual issues are addressed in a one-to-one therapeutic setting.  
• Group Therapy - Children are given an opportunity to give and receive support to each other, with assistance from a therapist.  Groups focus on socialization, cooperation, assertiveness, problem-solving skills, chemical dependency issues in families, sexual victimization, appropriate sexual behavior, and permanency planning.
• Family Therapy - Family sessions are used to teach and promote healthy parent/child relationships, to assist parents/caretakers in meeting the needs of children, and to address any family issues relating to the child’s need for placement.
• Psychiatric Services - Services include complete diagnostic assessment, medication monitoring, treatment, and discharge planning.
• Recreation Therapy - Physical Education sessions focus on agility, balance, bilateral & upper limb coordination, response speed, visual motor control, speed, and dexterity.

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For further information, please contact:

Sue Andrews
Phone: (605) 343-5422
Fax: (605) 343-1411
Email: sue.andrews@chssd.org