Ok being out of the loop for the day forces me to quote some stuff that was way back in the thread, however I will post my take on it. Do with it what you will.
The program at Three Springs was designed to prevent "manipulation". It promoted group contact and enforced consequences that were not desireable. Not only were the consequences undesireable, but the alternatives was equally as distasteful. Some kids acted out just to get on consequence because it gave them privacy of sorts. They didn't have to deal with the group. If they acted out long enough they might even get discharged to a RYDC - Regional Youth Detention Center. Most of the kids I spoke to in the program in my area (Georgia) were begging their Probation Officer (PO) or their DFCS - Department of Family Children Services - Caseworkers to "Please take me anywhere but here". One girl's convo with her PO had her showing him her blisters on her hands that she had recieved while working and doing yard work around the facility. When the kids were not in school, they did yardwork outside. Mowing the lawn, weeding the walkway, gathering wood, and other such "housekeeping" procedures.
Not to mention there were ALLIGATORS around the facility that were known to live in the ponds on campus and come up on the grounds while the kids would be on site. How safe is that? I didn't think so!
Expounding on the interventions TSW had set up descriptions for earlier in this thread are my own views on what we did.
GI or Group Ignore: The resident has proven so troublesome he or she is placed on group ignore. The resident is required to cook their own meals, stay at least 10 feet away from the group at all times, and carry their personal effects in a backpack. The resident showers after the group, and does everything after the group does without any of the rewards for timely behavior. The group is prohibited from speaking to the resident, and likewise the resident is prohibited from speaking with the group and counselor.
Primitive: A resident who has acted so innappropriately that it is felt they no longer deserve any of the benifits of group or campus are put on primitive. The resident sleeps in a tent off the campus under the supervision of a counselor. The counselor on converses with the resident on items of importance. The resident is required to complete work projects, follow all instructions, shower daily, and cook their own meals. The resident must show a certain number of days of consistency in order to transition off primitive.
This intervention was used quite extensively at my facility. It was combined with the Campsite intervention (or as TSW put it "primitive") While they wouldnt sleep in a tent, they had to cook their own meals outside. I had some wonderful french toast with the kids that were on my campsite intervention. More on that later.
If an entire group showed complete troublesome behavior or disrespect for the facility, the entire group could be placed on "Campsite" which ineffect, since all things were opened with keys from the outside, their building would be locked and they would only be allowed in at night to sleep and shower. Portapotties were on campus across a field and about a quarter mile walk from wherever the group would be "Campsited" and were frequently used as toileting areas. The kids were made to stay outside from 6 in the morning until approximately 9 at night when they would come inside for showers and sleep. During this time, they were made to cook their meals over an open fire and stay outside in either extreme cold or sometimes blistering heat of approximate 105 during the day, with little or no shade.
Trek: The group as a whole had demonstrated inappropriate behaviors. The group is removed from their campsite and given back packs. They are made to walk 6 to 10 miles a day carrying their own equipment. They cook their own means and are required to walk in silence. They must have a certain number of consistent days in order to return to use of their cabin and campus. During this time they are not allowed the privelage of attending school or eating in the dining hall.
I had only heard of trekking used once in an intervention for an individual resident who had poor behavior. They made this resident carry approximately 40 lbs of rocks in her backpack and walk around the entire facility repeatedly while staff followed her in a golf cart. Because each group we had made their own meals in their own cabins, the individual could be excluded from the cabin mealtimes. I'm sure the trek distance was approximately 10 miles or so around the entire campus. If one were to walk the entire campus up and down for the entire day it could entirely reach 10 miles. This person was also put on primitive at the same time as she was put on trekking.
Stage Suspension: The resident has of course acted contrary to the norms of the program in such a mannner they loose their currently attained stage. The resident's current stage is suspended and the resident is required to re-earn that stage and privelages with the exception of privelages involving home visits.
In our cases, we could even suspend homevisits and refuse a child their home visits.
Run Risk: A student has either attempted to or expressed the desire to run away. They are immediately placed on run risk. This includes loosing their shoe laces and belt. They are not allowed access to their personal area, and must have their clothes for shower time carried by another resident. They are only allowed to speak with certain members of the group, and the counselor. They are required to be kept on link, a length of rope, with the counselor at all times. They undergo a body search at least 1 time a day, and must take their showers under the supervision of a counselor.
Run Risk was also followed at my facility. They were stripped to all but shorts and a teeshirt and their personal underwear. They werent allowed shoes and had to wear flipflops. They had to stay within 5 feet of a counselor at all times, and they were sometimes put on "contact buddy" where a counselor had to be touching them/holding on to them at all times. They were made to wear orange reflector vests so that neighboring groups and counselors could identify them as run risk. In extreme cases they were stripped of all rights to wear clothing but their undergarments and were made to wear an orange jumpsuit. They MAY be allowed a teeshirt for under the main part of the jumpsuit.
I wish we could have used a rope to hold them.
TSW -- you missed one!! SUICIDE RISK-- I think you confused suicide with run...
Suicide Risk: A resident would indicate or attempt suicide. This could be done in a myriad of ways. From verbally expressing it to actually making advances to doing it, the suicide risk would be placed as an intervention. Suicide risk were also not allowed laces or belts. They were either allowed to wear their shoes with no laces or had to wear flipflops. Suicide risks were not allowed near their personal areas/lockers, and had to have all their personal effects taken and carried by a counselor. The counselor had to search them for anything they might be hiding. They had to be monitored during the showers by having part of the shower curtain down so the counselor could see the head and neck of the resident. The counselor had to hand the resident shampoo and other such effects during their 5 minutes timed shower. If the resident had to use the bathroom, the resident had to be stripsearched each time they went to the bathroom. They werent allowed to lock the door to the stall and they had to have a hand in plain view of the counselor and had to count or sing or make noise to let the counselor know they were still alive.
Moving on! Everybody with me? Next stop!!
Parents get a weekly update from their family service worker and other than that they can email with questions and they will get back with them when they can. Conferences are usely scheduled monthly and are done either on campus or over the phone. If they have a conference other than that there is usually a problem.
That never happened at my facility. Also phonecalls between residents and family were monitored.
What would be considered being manipulative? If they have complaints about how they're being treated are they allowed to discuss those with [the parent]? What is involved in the parent training days?
Manipulative behavior can be anything from "begging" to come home, to telling the parent or person on the phone they are being mistreated in some way. IF they have complaints, at my facility they were allowed to file a private "Grievance" which the nurse or assistant nurse would view and decide if its something that should be taken care of by administration or not.
Parent training days was a sarcastic remark used to describe the monotonous activities we used to do when parents would visit. It would give the illusion that the place is beneficial to kids actually being there. The kids were never allowed any alone time with their families and counselors were encouraged to eavesdrop and alert admin or a supervisor if a child was trying to be "manipulative".
ALL ABOARD<<< NEXT STOP>>> COUNSELING AND THERAPY
The bulk of the so called therapy is run by bachelor's degree holding counselors. The facility psychologist met with the kids maybe 1 time a month for 20 to 30 minutes. This was most of the time to assess the need to increase or decrease medications. Bachelors degrees in any field, and most often very little to no experience working with children. The unit directors and program administrators are recruited from within the ranks of the program staff and work their way up the chain of command from Counselor 1 to Counselor 4(supervisor) and then to Unit Director and up to Program Administrator.
Yes, the same was at my facility. I, too, am not a licenced psychologist. One of the main guys who headed up the big facilities was a guy who was retired from the military. He had a semper fi bumpersticker. I am pretty sure he wasnt licenced.
So that is my take on alot of things, all in all a big bunch of bullshit.
