Program Description
Fresh Start is a safe, stable and structured program, with 24 hour supervision, that encourages and supports the youth in the program. Fresh Start strives to have a home like environment that encourages relationship building, self-esteem, and addresses treatment needs. The assessment from Fresh Start is a comprehensive, functional, and goal directed to help establish the roots to permanency.
Overview
The goal of the Fresh Start program is to determine emotional, clinical, educational and environmental strengths and needs of our residents and their families.
Fresh Start utilizes all information gathered from 24 hour observations, treatment, therapy sessions and testing and complies the information into a complete assessment that focuses on strengthening the family unit and transitioning the youth back to the community.
Comprehensive Assessment
included in A&D Track, NOT included in Stabilization Track
Fresh Start provides families and guardians a thorough assessment to include:
- Clinical, medical and educational assessments
- Diagnostic impression
- Report of behavioral and emotional observations
- Insight into the strengths and needs of the youth and family
- Alternative to decrease problems behaviors
- Recommendations to transition youth into the most appropriate treatment
Each assessment is tailored to help develop protective factors, increasing the heath and well being of each youth and their family.
Testing may include Cognitive, Personality/MSE, Educational testing based on appropriateness.
- Cognitive assessments include administration of a valid IQ test (e.g. WISC, WAIS, WJCOG, DTLA), as well as supplemental testing as needed. For example this might include test of executive functioning, memory, language and fine motor skills.
- Personality/MSE assessments include a structured clinical interview, mental status examination and other measures tailored to client needs; examples include behavioral and symptom questionnaires, projective techniques (e.g. Rorschach Inkblots, Incomplete Sentences) and personality testing (MMPI-Adolescent).
- Educational testing includes administration of a valid, standardized achievement test battery (e.g. WIAT, WJ ACH) as well as supplemental testing as needed.
- Sexual Offense Assessment (i.e. J-SOAP, SAI, Phase Questionnaire, CSBI) as appropriate
- Genogram
Clinical Expertise and Treatment
Our clinical team offers experience working with children and adolescents, utilizing a variety of best practice programming.
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Substance abuse education, art and play therapies
Through the use of individual, family and group sessions, clinicians work with residents to build a solid foundation for regulating their moods and emotions and incorporating appropriate coping skills into their daily lives.
Adolescent Program
Fresh Start's behavioral programming is based upon three simple principles:
- Trust: Staff and residents work towards building a therapeutic rapport to gain trust.
- Learn: Residents learn new coping skills, complete daily living skills and appropriately interact with adults and peers.
- Practice: Residents actively practice their new skills in a therapeutic environment, thus creating a greater opportunity for success.
On-site Education
Fresh Start Academy has a VDOE approved curriculum, and also offers online courses through EdOptions Online Academy, an accredited Virginia Private School by the Virginia Council for Private Education (Authorized by the Virginia Board of Education). Online courses provide a comprehensive, flexible online learning experience for students. EdOptions' reputation as a leader in online learning is driven by their commitment to offering the highest quality online courses taught by exceptional teachers. EdOptions has a complete and broad-based curriculum content and delivery system with integrated e-mail, dual course modes and various interactive features.
Children's Program
Fresh Start for Children's programming is based on three essential elements:
- Nurturing: Treatment is provided in a supportive environment, promoting opportunities for growth. Staff and residents build a therapeutic rapport based on trust and hope.
- Family: Collaboration with family members and guardians is key to identifying each resident's strengths and needs. Family therapy and visitation is encouraged when clinically appropriate.
- Skill Building: Residents learn and practice social skills, self discipline, impulse control, confidence building, emotional regulation and healthy decision making to improve behaviors and relationships with others.
On-site Education
Educational programming is provided on-site, in a dynamic, interactive classroom setting that promotes the social, emotional, and intellectual development of each student. Licensed teachers help students learn leadership, teamwork and the ability to effectively communicate while grounding the students in their core academics. The use of a Smartboard allows the lesson to "come alive" thus capturing the attention of our students.
30 Day Stabilization
