by J. Steve Hamm, MA , LCPC NEXUS - Indian Oaks Academy

1. Essential components to meeting the needs of Sexually Abusive Youth & their Families in a residential treatment setting by J. Steve Hamm, MA , LCPC NEXUS - Indian Oaks Academy California Coalition on Sexual Offending conference May 12-14, 2010

2. Indian Oaks Academy the largest of four Nexus treatment facilities • We are a 112-bed community-based residential center for youth from ages 12 to 21. • Licensed by the State of Illinois, and certified to provide services by other states including New Jersey, Tennessee, Nevada, Iowa, Connecticut and Kentucky, Utah, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C. • Certified to provide Medicaid services, accredited by the Council on accreditation. • Located 50 miles south of Chicago, we enjoy a rural setting close to state parks and other recreational amenities. Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

3. For more than 30 years, • Department of Children & Family Services, • Department of Corrections, • Mental health workers, • Social workers, • Probation officers, and • Judges and attorneys • Families • … have relied on Nexus to provide quality treatment for youth. Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

4. Six Residential Treatment Programs • NFL Zone – JSO Boys ages 12-16 • All Stars – DD JSO Boys ages 15-21 • NCAA – JSO Boys ages 16-21 • Phoenix – Non-JSO Girls ages 12-21 • Sound Waves – JSO Girls ages 12-21 • Opportunity Zone – DD Girls ages 12-21 • Girls Acute Psychiatric @ Riverside Hospital • Boys Acute Psychiatric @ Riverside Hospital Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

5. Future goals… • Expand the behavioral school services into community (currently have two day students). • Open group homes How are we able to thrive in the current Economy? Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

6. Instead of asking the question… • Can we meet the needs of this child whose acuity level if off the chart? • We ask the question, “How do we adapt treatment to meet this child’s needs?” • Take calculated risks • Visualize and achieve success! Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

7. Nexus Treatment Philosophy • Rooted in our “Cornerstone Values” • Responsibility • Honesty • Courage • Care& Concern • Growth • Treatment tied to symbolism within each program Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

8. Structure? • Young people crave structure and with an absence of substantial structure, will re-create an environment very similar to their past. • Clients served in residential programs typically come from environments where chaos stands in the forefront, and structure is a foreign concept. Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

9. Structure? • It is imperative, as milieu managers, that we establish and maintain a structure that offers a sense of safety and opportunity for our young people to grow. • If a young person doesn’t feel safe, how do they respond? • What helps them to feel safe? • Rules, expectations and boundaries that are enforced. (Follow through) • Established rules…, expectations…, boundaries that are enforced… Doesn’t that sound like structure? Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

10. Structure? • Tight economy and budget cuts result in increased acuity in the clients being referred into residential programs. • To remain competitive, programs must adapt to meet the needs of these most difficult clients. • An agency’s success is largely attributed to the structure embedded in its programs. Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

11. Elements of structure • Programmatic language (Program Theme) • Facilitates “buy in” • Symbolism connected to healthy values • Promotes an avenue for unity • Program pledge • Rituals • The term “family” used to promote brotherhood / sisterhood • A sense of belonging to something “bigger than me” • Value driven where clients are presented with healthy responsibility • Clients have a voice Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

12. Opportunity Zone All Stars Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

13. Elements of structure • Schedules • Should be developed with a goal to provide consistency • If developed and followed, will create a healthy routine • Help position the balance point more to the side of stability • Groups – Structured events where good things can happen • Process struggles and give members a voice in finding solutions. • Teach members to give feedback that is positive and supportive, and accept nothing less (Strength Based) • Therapy / Counseling / Educational /Recreation / Self Esteem • Seating assignments • A simple fix to introduce an element of structure and take out the chaos Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

14. Daily Schedule

15. Point Sheet to coincide with the schedule

16. Incentives • Points are weighted to address key areas of treatment • Areas that need attention i.e., transitions, are assigned a point value • Incentives are offered to promote adherence to the structure • Weekly off campus outing requiring 85% or above points average • Special recognition “All Stars Player of the Week” • Tangible prizes for achieving a certain level of success • Certificates • Stickers • “Sprite resident of the week” • Honorable mention • Most Improved • Scholarship – School recognition Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

17. Curriculum • Clients need a sense of direction and accomplishment in their treatment to keep them motivated to move forward. • The marriage of treatment expectations to behavior expectations gives everyone a sense of where the young person is in their treatment, and provides a fairly accurate means to measure overall progress. Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

18. Treatment checklist • A treatment check list can provide clients with a sense of direction and accomplishment as treatment objectives are signed off by their therapist. • When preparing reports on a client’s progress, a treatment checklist is a good tool to reference what a client has accomplished, what they are currently working on, and what is anticipated to be accomplished during the next reporting period. • Clients take pride in showing parents, DCFS Workers, Court etc… what they have accomplished. Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

19. Minor League Rookie Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

20. Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

21. National Cornerstone Athletic Association Score Card

22. Boundary Packet Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

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25. Creating or Enhancing Structure • Look at the indicators • Identify what change is needed • Establish a detailed plan to facilitate change • Expect resistance and push through • Put the elements in place that are necessary to keep structure intact. • Keep an eye on the dials and gauges Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

26. Sometimes we try the same thing over and over again…. Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

27. If what you try doesn’t work… • Stop doing it! • More of the same is not the answer • Try something else! • Ask the kids what will work! Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

28. The importance of team integrity and accountability to meet program goals • Communication • Trust • Accountability • Support • Cohesion Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

29. We have discussed how to get “buy in” through structure . • Structure developed through the use of a unique Program Theme, Language, Symbols, and rituals. • Establishment of a culture within the treatment environment. • Expectations made clear through the use of Boundary Packets, schedules and consistency in routines. • Alignment of treatment and behavioral expectations into a treatment outline, with tools to support. • Treatment Check list • Scorecard • Boundary Packet • We have discussed team integrity and accountability as the glue that holds it all together. Indian Oaks Academy Manteno, Illinois

30. For more information about this presentation, contact J. Steve Hamm at hammj@nexus-ioa.org Indian Oaks Academy 101 Bramble Manteno, IL. 60950 (815)802-3700 Phone (815)468-2310 Fax www.nexustreatment.org “Changing lives through our cornerstone values.”