Program Description

Mission Statement

Empowering Futures, Enriching Lives: Youth Essential Service Group Home (LLC) is committed to providing a nurturing and supportive environment for children with behavioral disabilities and those in need of emotional support as they transition to permanent residency. Our mission is to cultivate a safe haven where every child is valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential. Through personalized care, holistic interventions, and compassionate guidance, we strive to foster emotional resilience, social skills, and self-confidence. With unwavering dedication, we aim to be a beacon of hope, fostering growth, stability, and lifelong Success for every child in our care.

Philosophy

At Youth Essential Service Group Home (LLC), our philosophy is rooted in the belief that every child deserves a nurturing and supportive environment where they can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. We recognize the unique strengths and challenges of each individual and are dedicated to providing personalized care tailored to their specific needs.

Central to our philosophy is the promotion of resilience and empowerment. We believe that by fostering a sense of belonging, trust, and self-worth, we can help children develop the skills and confidence they need to navigate life’s challenges and achieve their goals. Our holistic approach encompasses not only the physical and emotional well-being of the children but also their social and educational development.

We are committed to creating a culture of inclusivity, respect, and understanding, where diversity is celebrated and differences are embraced. Through open communication, collaboration, and continuous learning, we strive to create a positive and supportive community where every child feels valued and accepted.

At the heart of our philosophy is the belief that every child has the potential to succeed, and it is our privilege and responsibility to provide them with the tools, resources, and support they need to realize that potential. We are dedicated to making a meaningful and lasting impact in the lives of the children we serve, empowering them to become confident, resilient, and successful individuals.

Goal/Purpose

1. Increase Emotional Well-being: Implement a comprehensive emotional support program focused on individualized counseling sessions, group therapy, and mindfulness practices. Goal: Achieve a 20% reduction in self-reported emotional distress levels among residents within the first year of implementation, as measured by pre- and post-intervention assessments.
2. Enhance Social Skills and Peer Interaction: Develop and implement structured social skills development activities and opportunities for positive peer interaction. Goal: Increase the average peer interaction score by 25% on quarterly assessments over the next two years, indicating improved social skills and comfort in social settings among residents.
3. Implement a personalized academic support program tailored to the unique learning needs of each child, including specialized tutoring, individualized educational plans, and accommodations needed. Goal: Achieve a 15% increase in academic progress, as measured by individualized educational goals set in collaboration with educators and guardians, within the first academic year of program implementation. Additionally, aim to have 80% of children demonstrate improved confidence and self-efficacy in their academic abilities, as evidenced by pre- and post-program self-assessments and teacher feedback.

Target Population

We review applications for male youths, ages 11 to 17, diagnosed with a developmental disorder, and who may have a co-occurring mental health or behavioral health disorder in need of residential services in the foster care system from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. YES also reviews referrals for youth who identify as male, including transgender male youth and youth experiencing gender dysphoria, provided the youth otherwise meets the program’s established admission criteria and residential service requirements.

These youth may not qualify for a regular group home because they have a propensity for aggressive behavior and require additional “critical support,” i.e., highly trained/specialized security protection to ensure their safety and the safety of others.

We will provide 4 beds for the youth.

Program Description

The best type of environment that Youth Essential Services LLC can provide for its juvenile group home, consistent with the mission statement, philosophy, and goals, is a holistic and supportive environment that prioritizes the well-being and individual needs of each child. An environment that is:

Nurturing and Supportive: Creating a nurturing and supportive atmosphere where children feel valued, respected, and safe is essential. Staff members should be empathetic, compassionate, and trained to address the unique needs of children with behavioral disabilities and emotional challenges.

Individualized Care: Implementing personalized care plans that cater to the specific needs and strengths of each child is crucial. This includes tailored emotional support, academic assistance, and social skill development to empower children to reach their full potential.

Structured and Positive: Providing a structured daily routine with clear expectations and positive reinforcement promotes stability and a sense of security for children. Structured social activities, educational support sessions, and therapeutic interventions should be integrated into the daily schedule to promote growth and development.

Inclusive and Diverse: Fostering an inclusive and diverse community where differences are celebrated and embraced is vital. Children should feel accepted and supported regardless of their background, abilities, or challenges, promoting a sense of belonging and self-acceptance.

Collaborative and Continuous Learning: Encouraging collaboration and open communication between staff, educators, guardians, and children promotes a sense of teamwork and shared responsibility for each child’s Success. Continuous learning and professional development opportunities for staff ensure that best practices are implemented and tailored to evolving needs.

By creating an environment that embodies these principles, Youth Essential Services LLC can effectively fulfill its mission to empower children with behavioral disabilities and emotional challenges, providing them with the tools, support, and opportunities they need to thrive and transition to permanent residency successfully.

Scope of Services Offered

Youth Essential Services LLC. will provide residential care 24 hours a day and active treatment 7 days a week. Each day will include activities designed to meet the needs of each youth. We will utilize the trauma-informed care treatment model to provide trauma-informed care treatment services according to the personal needs and interests identified in each youth’s person-centered individual service plan.

Trauma-Informed Care Approach

As a trauma-informed organization, Youth Essential Services LLC supports and facilitates trauma-informed care through our policies, procedures, and practices that recognize and respond to the traumatic events children have experienced. Specifically, this involves ensuring that staff are trained to:

1. Understand what trauma is and how it impacts all individuals within the system and the system itself (i.e., children, families, staff);
2. Recognize when behaviors and patterns reflect the children’s and staff’s past or present trauma experience;
3. Know how to avoid re-traumatization by responding to and interacting with children and families in ways that convey safety, trust, support, collaboration, and autonomy, and
4. Be sensitive to children’s unique perspectives and circumstances.

Critical Support Services

Our current company, Echelon Protection, has been trained by Children and Youth Services and Lehigh Valley and Berks County Children and Youth Services to provide protection service. We currently provide 24/7 support within a Philadelphia-based group home, including school and all activities involving children in care. The need for critical support services is normally documented in the youth’s individual service plan.

Methods of Treatment and Therapeutic Interventions

We will provide an array of treatment services directly, through contracted providers and through community-based care providers.

l. Services provided directly:

A) Aggression Replacement Training — Provide group or Individual Aggression Replacement Training with a focus on Cognitive Re tooling through skill streaming.

B) Independent living skills services — We will be using Phillip Roy’s evidencebased, computerized, online life skills program to provide a curriculum of 77 life skills that will be taught on a weekly basis to prepare youth for adulthood. Example lessons are budgeting, consumerism, renting an apartment, grocery shopping, car shopping, and credit. There will also be face-to-face life-skill lessons for skills such as cooking, grocery shopping, house cleaning and maintenance, and budgeting.

C) Skill-building activities — Communication, nutrition, self-advocacy, activities of daily living, and emotional regulation activities.

D) Community integration — Community integration will be provided through recreation and social activities, when appropriate.

E) Social activities — See the policy on recreational activities.

F) Recreational activities — All residents will be provided with the opportunity to participate in indoor, outdoor, community-based, and after-school activities, clubs, and sports.

G) Discharge planning — The Program Director will work directly with the service planning team to provide discharge planning.

H) Family-based aftercare supports for six months — Will be coordinated by Program Director, family, and remaining service planning team.

2. Services provided by contract:

A) Individual counseling/psychotherapy — We will provide each youth individual psychotherapy through a community service provider on an as-needed basis according to each youth’s needs assessment and treatment plan. Individual psychotherapy will be provided by a licensed therapist.

B) Group counseling/therapy — We will provide group counseling through a community service provider on an as-needed basis according to each youth’s needs assessment and treatment plan.

C) Whereas individual psychotherapy, group counseling, and informal group counseling meetings describe a majority of the psychotherapeutic services offered to the youth, there may be instances that would indicate the need for additional protocols. Additional protocols may include the incorporation of an additional therapist, family therapy, substance abuse treatment, clinical supervision and case consultation, and crisis intervention. In addition to these types of psychotherapeutic services, the youth will typically receive an initial assessment/evaluation and ongoing treatment, consultation, and medication management by a licensed psychiatrist.

D) Registered Nurse — The nurse will provide medication administration log reviews, medication error report reviews, medical referrals, on an as-needed basis.

3. Community-based services provided by referral:

A) Substance abuse treatment — We will provide substance abuse treatment through a community service provider on an as-needed basis according to each youth’s needs assessment and treatment plan. The needs assessment shall specify if inpatient or outpatient services are needed. The therapist is responsible for collaborating with the substance abuse counselor to ensure wraparound services for the resident are provided and to follow up on the progress of treatment. Substance abuse treatment goals shall be stated in the treatment plan when needed.

B) Adjunct therapies — Play therapy, art therapy, occupational therapy, equine therapy, music therapy, and other expressive arts therapies.

C) Psychoeducation — Wellness, recovery, resiliency, and employment.

D) Spiritual activities — Provided through local churches in the surrounding community.