Person centered planning: Adolescence is a formative time in the development of the self (Erikson, 1968) and Turning Point staff recognizes their responsibility to help each client make significant, developmental strides while under our care. Extinguishing problematic behavior and increasing pro-social behavior is essential in providing treatment, but these aspects are only a part of the picture. When this is the only focus of clinical attention, we fall short of serving the whole person. Each client arrives with their set of challenges but also with a set of (sometimes unidentified) strengths and aspirations. These strengths and aspirations have the potential to offer a uniquely valuable contribution to their home, their family and their community. The client is the expert on their hopes, dreams and preferences. As such, Turning Point’s treatment team works closely with the client to develop individualized treatment plans. Therefore, the treatment team continually elicits the client’s input on setting long-term goals as well as designing short-term positive reinforcements to help to shape behavior and motivate them throughout their stay.

Trauma-Informed Care: Our clinical team will provide a trauma-informed environment that assumes that prior to their arrival, many of our clients have experienced trauma (Hartman & Burgess, 1993; Bryson et. al, 2017; Keesler, 2014). In an effort to reduce a child’s distress, attention is paid to reduce and soften stimulus by making mindful choices related to color, privacy, lighting, sound, hard surfaces, transitioning between activities, and visitors in the home. Additionally, our team will screening and assessment practices to help the treatment team identify individual and families’ needs early in the process and to tailor services to meet those needs. Trauma Screening refers to a tool or process that is a brief, focused inquiry to determine whether an individual has experienced one or more traumatic events, has reactions to such events, has specific mental or behavioral health needs. The following tools are also used:

● Acute Stress Disorder (ASDI)

● Child PTSD Stop Scale

● Pharmacotherapy

● Behavior Therapy

● Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

● Trauma Informed Group Therapy

● Childhood Attachment and Relational Drama Screen (CARTS)

Enhanced Support for Medical Needs: While the LPT/LVN will serve as the on-staff nurse, when additional medical care needs are present, the nurse will consult with a licensed RN to provide enhanced services for clients with needs such as G-tubes, subcutaneous medications, suppositories, enemas and any Emergency Care Training such as the use of an inhaler or Epi-pen.

Enhanced Support for Severe Behavior: The development of a behavior support plan must be consistent with the needs of the individual and when the client is exhibiting more severe behaviors, the support plan must adapt accordingly while remaining both understandable and practical. Most severe behaviors occur as a part of an emotional crisis and are indicators that the client is struggling to control their physiological reaction to some event (regulation) and/or use more socially acceptable behaviors for solving their problem. Once identified, the multidisciplinary treatment team quickly assembles to review the event, deconstruct elements leading up to the event, articulate possible triggers and then modify supports moving forward. Increased supports may include increased staff ratio, medication changes, environmental changes, changing staff assignments, increased supervision and/or teaching the client additional (proactive) coping strategies. All staff are trained in Pro-ACT and the Administrator of the home will be a certified instructor to ensure the staff respond to these behaviors in an appropriate, safe, respectful manner.

Teaching Independence: These clients often require assistance from another in order to complete basic daily tasks. As professionals we seek to provide that assistance in a way that helps them achieve the highest level of independence possible. These clients are capable and their independence is important. The Teaching Independence curriculum breaks down new or difficult tasks into multiple and master-able individual steps and helps staff learn to teach those steps one by one. This approach increases the likelihood of full task mastery and helps ensure that clients will not be entirely dependent upon others. Increased self-esteem, happiness, and a sense of power develop in part from independence and independence is achieved step-by-step over time.