DYS Beliefs and Philosophies

Treatment Philosophies

Humane Environment - Youth are viewed as the agency's most important resource. It is the responsibility of the agency to provide a healthy, therapeutic, and nonjudgmental environment within which change may take place. The uniqueness of each individual youth is recognized and valued. The basic rights to food, shelter, education, recreation, health care, and counseling provided in a safe environment are fundamental.

Least Restrictive Environment - The least restrictive environment should be provided to all youth. The movement of a child from his/her home to a more restrictive setting is considered serious and such movement is evaluated through administrative checks and balances.

Group Treatment - Group treatment is the primary method of providing treatment services within the agency. Behavior is oftentimes seen as a symptom rather than the problem, and resistance to change is considered, at times, a healthy response to an unhealthy situation. It is believed that youth behaviors exist for particular reasons, and determining the purpose of the behavior is essential in the treatment process.

Systems Approach - We believe in a systemic approach to the treatment of youth. In this view, individual behaviors are given meaning in consideration of the context in which they occur. That context includes the individual personality system, the family of origin, the community, and the greater culture of which a person is a member. Treatment plans and service delivery reflect the systemic approach.

Neutrality - All treatment activities should proceed from a stance that respects the inherent value and potential of every person. A position of therapeutic neutrality is consistent with the systemic approach and provides the basis to maintain positive regard for people recognizing that they are more than just their behaviors. Such a stance also recognizes that human processes are reciprocal and needs seeking and disallows bias, side taking, and blaming.

Family Perspective - The agency views the family unit as a system and intervenes in ways to keep the system intact and reinforce the influence of the parents. All services are coordinated with and cognizant of the family role and importance.

Individual Treatment Planning - Treatment planning is essential to the identification and delivery of services for youth while they are with the DYS. With the involvement of both the needs, determination of core issues, and strategies designed to assist the youth in dealing with these issues. Every attempt is made to individualize the student's treatment program. Youth in residential treatment facilities work at an individual pace and are released from those facilities when it is in the youth's and community's best interest.

Diversity - All programs, services, and personnel must honor and respect the diversity of the youth and families served. Emphasis on diversity awareness and education is encouraged as an ongoing process.

Case Management - A seamless case management system has been developed to provide the assessment, treatment planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of services. A needs and risk assessment assists the case manager in determining the most appropriate services for the youth. The assessment takes into account all pertinent factors involving the youth's delinquent history while identifying the general treatment needs. The case manager serves as the primary advocate for youth and their family.

Beliefs

The following are beliefs about youth, which serve as a basis for treatment programming within the DYS:

Each person is special and unique - Treatment services must be individualized. Youth within the DYS are encouraged to evaluate their strengths and needs, and activities are structured in order to enhance this evaluation. Through this process youth recognize their own value as well as the value of others

Safety and structure are the foundations for program development - Youth need to know that staff within DYS care enough about them to expect them to succeed. This is demonstrated by staff's ability to provide safety and structure and by expecting the best from youth.

It is difficult to change - People tend to be naturally resistant and fearful of change. Youth must be guided to try new behaviors, succeed, and be allowed to possibly fail before actual change occurs. Much practice and support must occur before internalization of new behaviors is accomplished.

People desire to do well and succeed - Even the most resistant youth hunger for approval and acceptance. In fact, youth within DYS have often spent a number of years camouflaging this desire. Programs and services are structured in a manner that will tap into this universal need.

People have needs - Everyone has fears, insecurities, and basic needs including safety, attention, and belonging. Programs and services are expected to attend to these needs and assist youth in learning to fulfill these needs in positive and productive ways. DYS treatment groups are designed to provide opportunities for youth to help others and be helped by them.

Emotions are not to be judged - Feelings are not right or wrong. Youth coming into the agency usually have poor communication skills and are unable to distinguish between their thoughts and emotions. They often feel very little control over their behavior and perceive feelings as controlling factors in their lives. Programs and services teach youth that emotions are a very important part of them—but not controlling agents.

All behavior has a purpose - Behavior is often a symptom of unmet needs. Services within DYS are designed to help address these needs, to help the youth investigate and understand their behavior and its effects, and to explore more healthy alternatives.

People do the best they can with the resources available to them - The youth served by DYS often come to the agency with limited behavioral and emotional options as well as limited resources. In situations they have experienced, their behavior has often seemed to them very logical and understandable. Division programming attempts to assist youth in accepting themselves and in re-evaluating and expanding their behavioral options appropriately.

The family is an important factor in treatment - All members of the family system affect each other. Services provided to youth must take into account the values and behaviors established within the family system. Family input and cooperation is an essential factor in youth's treatment plans. An understanding of system dynamics can also help facilitate system change within each youth's family.

Behavior as a symptom - Problem behavior presented by youth is symptomatic of other and more deep-seated problems. While it is necessary for the problem and delinquent behavior to stop, long-term change requires contextual issues and concerns be identified and addressed.