AG 1993 05 17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 4.1 Work with families of these residents is done mainly by the DSS social worker. The social worker begins by doing an assessment of the home setting including identifying problems that contributed to the child's placement. A service agreement is then finalized between the parent and social worker identifying goals and time limits and activities to alleviate those problems. Home visits with the family as well as plan of care conferences at the home and office meetings at the DSS are held often between the social worker and the family. A visitation agreement is signed stating when the child may visit, the length of visit, and any special requirements for supervision during the visit. Community referrals are made for families needing services through Mental Health, Vocational Rehabilitation, financial services, and housing services. Counselling by DSS social worker is provided to the family in identifying problems, goal setting, problem solving, communication, reality based therapy, and parent-child relationships. Education is provided regarding parenting skills, child development, budgeting, and other identified needs within the family. The family participates in staffing and review team meetings and accompanies the social worker in assessing long-term placement plans if they do not include a return home. The Temporary Shelter is housed in the oity of Concord and is a two-story structure containing six bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room, laundry area, and office. Two baths are available for the children and five bedrooms are available for them. A separate bedroom and bath is available for a child care worker so that one is on the premises at all times. The back yard is fenced in and there is a three space carport and basketball goal outside. The facility is located in the downtown area close to Boys Club, library, shopping centers, and recreational center. The program can be very effective with children whose needs can be met by a behavior modification system. Concerns that affect the success of the program are: l] The severely emotionally disturbed child or chronic substance abuser who is unable to be served in a facility that is not treatment oriented for specific problems; 2] The lack of long-term care facilities for the child to enter after leaving the program when he cannot return home. During the past year, the problems identified by these residents have been very severe and the lack of resources for placement for treatment or unavailability of a timely long term placement facility creates concern because the child cannot move directly into continued placement. A group home specializing in working with teenagers before the court such as this facility has impact on changing a child's behavior. The child receives structure in consistent discipline, constant supervision, and can show non delinquent/undisciplined behaviors while in placement. We have found that the home has been full almost constantly. Some of the children at the home have ended up going to psychiatric care including hospitalization but none have gone to training school. We have found the problems of the children placed in the home have been severe and resources for long-term placements have declined for the severe emotionally disturbed child creating longer placement time in this facility. A burglar alarm was installed in the group home on 8/31/91, and this has tremendously decreased the number of runaways. Prior to the installation of the burglar alarm, the juvenile would crawl out the window during the night and runaway. Now, the burglar alarm goes off and the staff member is alerted during the night; however, juveniles do not attempt to run since they do know all windows and doors have an alarm activated.