Program
What happens here, day to day
Care around the clock in one house, built on relationships, trauma-informed, and connected to family. The behavior that brings a girl into placement is most often an adaptation to what she has lived through, not a flaw in who she is.
What we provide
- Awake supervision and care around the clock, with a check on each girl at least every hour, day and night
- An individual service plan for each girl, with monthly progress notes and a review every six months
- A health and safety assessment within 24 hours of admission, and a written protective plan where a risk is found
- Coordination of medical, dental, vision, hearing, psychiatric and behavioral health care
- Medication stored, logged and given by trained staff
- Three meals and at least one snack a day, with alternatives for health, religious or vegetarian needs
- Transportation to school, appointments, family visits and community activities
- Independent living and life skills
- Discharge and transition planning, discussed with the parent or guardian before any move
What we arrange
We employ no clinical staff and are not a treatment program; therapy is provided by outside licensed providers.
- School through the Pocono Mountain School District or a Department of Education approved program, including IEP and 504 plans
- Outpatient behavioral health, psychiatric evaluation and medication management
- Primary and specialty medical care, dental care, vision and hearing services
- Substance use assessment, and care where it is needed
- Trauma-specific therapy, provided by outside licensed providers
- Faith and cultural community, as each girl chooses
What we do not provide
- Locked care or detention
- Psychiatric inpatient care or partial hospitalization
- Medical detoxification
- Drug and alcohol residential care
- Nursing on site
- Care for anyone under 12 or over 18
Referrals that need these are declined, and we say where else to look.
A school day
Weekends, holidays and summers keep the same shape, with the school block given over to work, community service, recreation or more time with family.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:30 a.m. | Wake, personal hygiene, room care |
| 7:00 a.m. | Breakfast; medication; morning check-in circle |
| 7:45 a.m. | Leave for school |
| 3:00 p.m. | Home, snack, time to unwind |
| 3:45 p.m. | Homework and academic support |
| 5:00 p.m. | Life skills, chores, or a community activity |
| 6:00 p.m. | Family-style dinner |
| 7:00 p.m. | Recreation, family calls and visits, goal work with staff |
| 8:30 p.m. | Evening reflection circle; evening medication |
| 9:00 p.m. | Hygiene and room time |
| 9:30 p.m. | Lights out, ages 12 to 15 |
| 10:30 p.m. | Lights out, ages 16 to 18 |
| Overnight | Awake staff on site; each girl checked at least every hour |
The parts of the program
Check-in and reflection circles
Short morning and evening groups, voluntary, for settling, reviewing goals and repairing conflict.
Life skills
Budgeting, meal planning and cooking, laundry, hygiene and health, transportation, digital safety, getting and keeping a job, and renting a home, sequenced by age and plan.
Academic support
Supervised study, contact with the school, and advocacy for IEP and 504 plans.
Recreation
Indoor activity space, regular time outdoors, activities in the Pocono region, and art, movement and journaling.
Culture and identity
Hair and skin care that suits each girl, food from her own culture, and her own faith community if she wants it.
Family
Scheduled contact, help with visits, and family in the service plan where that is appropriate and allowed.
House meeting
A weekly meeting the girls run, on house rules, meals, activities and grievances.
Her own plan
Each girl has an individual service plan within 30 days of admission, written with her, her parent and, where there is one, her guardian or custodian, the people they invite, our staff and the placing agency. It sets measurable goals, covers family, school and the expected length of stay, and plans for discharge. It is reviewed and revised at least every six months.