<br />families to respond to initial contacts for assessments. The Home Based Counselor recognizes that families
<br />need to be committed to working on their issues and not totally focused on having someone else "correct or
<br />resolve" the child's behavior. This program seeks to find effective, affordable resources in the community to
<br />facilitate and enhance our level of work with families, such as more drug treatment options, appropriate
<br />counseling opportunities, and anger management options. We welcome the opportunity to have supplemental
<br />services to offer families through this program such as a mentorltutor for juveniles as well as parental supports
<br />and tools for parents.
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<br />The program maintains budgetary information regarding revenues and expenditures of DJJ funds.
<br />Documentation of staff time involved in the program is maintained through the Department of Social Services
<br />Information System. Client files contain the following information: Referral Form, Social History from the
<br />refening agency, an initial assessment, service plans, documentation of efforts to reduce truancy and other
<br />school problems, case dictation that documents every contact, monthly progress reports, and a closing
<br />summary at termination. Client Tracking Forms are also included in the file. In addition to client files, Home
<br />Based workers also maintain case logs that track all assigned cases, documentation of referrals that were not
<br />served due to client refusal to participate, and follow-up contacts with clients who were served in the program.
<br />Follow up contacts with families and Juvenile Services will be logged and documented.
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<br />The Home Based Social Worker/Counselor will work with the juvenile weekly in the home, and at school when
<br />necessary, to gauge and monitor the child's behavior, by addressing issues that are affectinglimpeding
<br />success. The Home Based Counselor will offer feedback and guidance to help the child make behavioral
<br />changes, make better decisions, enhance self-esteem, and move towards obtaining goals. By giving the child
<br />an outlet to express their issues, the goal is to redirect inappropriate behavior or thought processes. By
<br />utilizing Home Based Services, the Home Based counselor will be able to address the needs and issues that
<br />affect not only the juvenile's ability to move forward and be productive, but needs and issues of the parent as
<br />well. Better communication and listening skills will be encouraged to facilitate building a safer environment to
<br />express needs and concems of all family members. One of the primary objectives of Home Based is to help
<br />build structure and consistency within families. Children need to understand the expectations set forth by
<br />parents and believe that there will be consequences for noncompliance. The consequences that parents
<br />impose must be appropriate and meaningful. Parents must follow through and stand firm. At the same time,
<br />parents must give positive feedback to children and establish a close bond. Home Based counselors help
<br />parents set boundaries and improve discipline methods while resolving family conflicts in a less threatening
<br />way. Communication and anger management skills are enhanced. They are able to communicate in a way that
<br />helps improve awareness, and this helps prevent problems from occuning. In addition to this, the parenting
<br />skills that are taught in Home Based provide an understanding of the impact that parental behavior has on
<br />children. I n other words, children leam more from a parent's example than from their words. Home Based staff
<br />encourages families to view crisis situations as an opportunity for change, and that change no matter how small
<br />should be recognized as success. As previously stated, working with the family in the home, our program has
<br />the opportunity to redirect behaviors and offer feedback readily. Additional techniques may include
<br />confrontation, modeling, clarification, exploratory questions, role play, reframing, reality therapy, use of
<br />analogies, negotiation, universalization, and mirroring. Often it is necessary to allow clients to vent anger and
<br />frustration briefly but then they must be re-directed into a problem-solving focus. Since the success of the
<br />intervention depends on the family's willingness to change, the intervention goals are family driven. The Home
<br />Based Counselor must possess knowledge of racial, ethnic, and cultural factors and understand how these
<br />factors may impact the case dynamics. In essence, Home Based Services are very Family Centered in nature
<br />utilizing a strengths based approach in helping families resolve conflicts and issues.
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<br />F-16
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