Comment:
AVALON SPECIALIZED SERVICES ADOLESCENT GIRLS PROGRAM
HISTORY AND LOCATION
Avalon Specialized Services (Avalon) was established in 1998 for the purpose of providing residential treatment for girls who have experienced trauma as a result of abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Avalon also provides residential treatment for children whose needs are complex (mental health concerns, emotional issues, trauma, developmental delay, etc.) In 2008, the girls program moved to a new site twenty minutes North East of Guelph, Ontario. The home is a large, ‘state of the art’, and is located in a rural setting, well back from the road on 25 beautiful acres. All residents have their own bedroom and the home has superior life safety systems.
REFERRAL CRITERIA
Avalon provides medium, long term and emergency placements for hard to serve adolescent girls. Avalon has beds for both hard to serve and extremely hard to serve / high needs residents. This bed classification allows Avalon to accept youths that would normally require more secure placements or who are leaving more secure placements (YCJA or Children’s Mental Health). These residents can be accommodated at Avalon as a result of the extensive individual and group programming and the high level of staff support provided.
DAY TREATMENT
Avalon also provides Day Treatment programming for local teens who have had difficulty functioning in mainstream community schools. The smaller class sizes and added treatment components provide these students with the necessary specialized support to help them to overcome their respective challenges. The Day Treatment Program operates throughout the year (including summer months); with individual programs being modified to ensure that students receive a balance of academics, treatment and recreation.
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM
Many of the young women that reside at Avalon come from environments lacking in structure, consistency and positive reinforcement. Clear boundaries and expectations are provided for the residents at Avalon through a privilege based phase level system as well as through a positive reinforcement based check mark system. Cognitive / behavioural intervention strategies assist the residents with altering or replacing certain maladaptive thoughts with more appropriate cognitions, combined with specific skill development.
In addition to challenging how a young person thinks and reasons, the Avalon program has a strong behavioural orientation making it ideal for youth who are not ready to deal with underlying emotional issues. The program provides external structure and routines for children; the goal is to reinforce positive behaviours through the use of immediate feedback and consequences. The program focuses on reinforcing adaptive behaviours with the expectation that in time, these behaviours will become internalized ways of reacting and responding.
A significant aspect of the Avalon program includes individual programming and individual time spent with Prime Workers. Residents meet weekly with their Avalon Prime Worker to formulate goals and address relevant issues. Residents at Avalon participate in individual session time for five to ten hours per week. This time is spent in the following manner:
In Prime Time - residents are required to complete three hours per week working with their Avalon Case Worker on identified issues. Avalon has an extensive library of workbooks and resources geared to all ability and readiness levels. Resources are available to address a wide range of treatment needs and target areas such as: Anger management / awareness, appropriate personal boundaries, healthy sexuality, social skills training, coping strategies, relaxation techniques, loss and grief, communication skills, healthy relationships and readiness for independence. Each resident of Avalon has the opportunity to create and add to her personal Memory Book on a weekly basis. Planning and creating the pages for Memory Books is completed as a group activity once a week. These books include a collection of pictures, cards, certificates, awards, and various other items that are significant to our residents during their placements at Avalon. While working on their Memory Books, residents are encouraged to explore their feelings about their past, current and future relationships with others.
Out Prime Time - residents earn one hour per week of recreation time in the community with their Case Workers after completing their required individual session time. They often go out for meals, shopping, hiking, to the YMCA, etc.
Constructive Time / Community Volunteer Placements - residents are matched with appropriate community volunteering opportunities for a minimum of one hour per week. Residents who are preparing for more independent settings will likely be placed in settings that will allow them to begin to develop job skills. For others, placements are geared to fostering basic social and communication skills. All community volunteer placements are geared to the individual needs and goals of the residents, and as such, the time commitments may vary substantially. Generally, residents are supervised by their Avalon Prime Workers; however they may earn unsupervised time if appropriate. Current placement opportunities include local Veterinary Clinics, the Erin and Guelph Humane Societies, Christian Church Youth Group and Sunday school, Kids Club, Her Fitness Club, local Hair Salons, Grand River Dance Academy, Metal Works Hobby Farm and other local horse farms, Air Cadets, and local retirement homes.
EDUCATION
Avalon residents attend one of two on site Section 23 classrooms operated by the Upper Grand District School Board. Community school placements are also available for residents who graduate from the on site school, or for residents who are more suited for attendance at either vocational or academic community school placements.
GOALS FOR EACH RESIDENT / REGULAR GOAL SETTING
Avalon utilizes a goal focused, strength based approach with the residents in our care. Goals / goal areas are formulated prior to admission if at all possible, and within the first two weeks of placement at Avalon at the latest. To formulate these goals, the social history and all documentation gathered and provided by the placing agency are utilized. The goal setting process is a collaborative one; all persons having involvement with the child / youth are consulted and are involved (i.e. parent / guardian(s), program staff, agency worker, child/youth, teachers, etc.). Goals are set to ensure success is achievable and measurable; goal areas are continuously assessed and reformulated as progress is achieved.
Every ninety days (or earlier in some cases) from the date of admission, workers and guardians are invited to join the resident and Avalon staff in reviewing and setting goals. Generally two goal areas and the specific strategies to be implemented are identified for each reporting period. At these goal setting meetings, successes are congratulated and barriers to success are identified.
PROGRESS REPORTS
In addition to one to one reports for high needs residents, Avalon provides extensive progress reports every 30 days, 90 days, six months, one year, and every six months thereafter from the date of admission. These reports follow the ONLAC format and provide detailed information. In addition to information on the groups outlined above, these reports also include information relating to: Emotional and Behavioural Development, Identity, Family and Social Relationships, Social Presentation, Physical and Mental Health, Personal Hygiene and Health, Self Care Skills, Community Involvement and Recreational Activities, and Effective Behaviour Management Techniques.
STAFF TEAM
Staff members are carefully chosen on the basis of academic qualifications, practical experience and sensibility. Non-judgmental and non-authoritarian attitudes on the part of the caregivers are seen as critical components of the treatment process for these hard to serve youth. Certain groups are facilitated by individuals with more specific skills / training (Art Therapy, Expressive Art Therapy).
REFERRALS
We encourage placement workers who wish to place a youth at our facility to submit a referral package for review. If the individual will benefit from the program, a pre-placement visit including the youth’s Social Worker, potential candidate and family members (if applicable) will be arranged. If you would like a tour of our facility or more information, please feel free to contact Dawn Hunt @ (519) 855 – 4956.
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