The ARC Intensive Residential Program provides residential care, supervision and treatment services for high-risk, high-needs youth-in-care. The program is provided through a staffed facility, in the community of Westbank. The ARC House facility is a four-bed Licensed Community Care Facility. The program is approximately six to twelve months in length, depending on the needs of the youth and family participating in the Program. All youth served are in the care of the Ministry for Children and Family Development, either through a Temporary or Continuing Care Order, or an Agreement between MCFD and the family. Youth-in-care are referred by MCFD social workers to the MCFD Resources Unit for a staffed residential program in the community. The after-care component of the program provides extended care and involvement of the residential program for youth to transition to a family care environment, continuing the individualized service plan established for each youth (see below).
The primary goals of the ARC Intensive Residential Program are to intervene with referred youth to reduce behavioral difficulties, improve the youth’s functioning in the contexts of self, family and their community, and to prepare and support the youth for the transition from the program to the designated discharge placement. The planned long-term discharge placement may be the youth’s family, or another family-based caregiver (foster home), or to a semi-independent living program.
The Program provides group-based programming and Individual Counselling to address the youth’s presenting behavioral issues and build new skills to improve their functioning, through providing an individualized intervention for each youth referred. A Keyworker is assigned for each youth, to provide the case management and individual counseling services within the program. A comprehensive assessment and Individualized Service Plan (ISP) is developed with each youth, in cooperation with the MCFD social worker, the youth and family/caregivers, Mental Health clinician, Probation Officer or other service providers that may be involved. The Program may provide family support services for youth in Care by Agreement or under a Temporary Care order, as indicated by the referring MCFD social worker, and the strengths, needs, abilities and preferences of the youth and family. Referrals to community services to address the needs of the family, which may be outside of the scope of services provided by the program, may be facilitated by the Keyworker as per the agreement and planning of the case management team, youth and family.
The program will support the development of an after-care/transition service plan, as applicable to the needs of the youth and family. The transition planning process will begin as early as possible in the case management team meetings for the youth. The transition process may include the program's after-care support services to support the long-term placement.
Services Description
ARC Residential programming utilizes a comprehensive mix of services to influence the behavior and functioning of referred youth, and achieve the treatment outcomes expected for the program. The continuum of services is adjusted to meet the individual needs of residents, and has a collective/accumulative impact on their presenting issues. ARC places a strong emphasis on assisting youth to be accountable and responsible for their own decisions and behavior (and the consequences for their decisions); while supporting the development of interpersonal skills and new strategies to meet their needs. Youth and families are empowered to find their own solutions to their difficulties through the service planning process and in counseling sessions. Our programming seeks to promote a Positive Peer Culture within the facility, through group-based activities, staff interventions, and daily routines; our experience has demonstrated that youth respond well to the positive influence of their peers. The following array of service components represent the core services of the ARC Intensive Residential Program:
| a) |
Basic Care and Supervision; is provided in the facility on a 24 hour/day basis, to meet the individual needs and circumstances of residents. |
| b) |
Assessment and Integrated Case Management; will be provided for all youth admitted to the program. |
| c) |
Positive Peer Culture Group; is an integral component of the routines of residents in the facility. |
| d) |
Skills Group; is the core component of the "day program" for youth residing in the ARC House facility. ARC has identified and developed extensive resources for providing skills-development programming for high-risk youth. |
| e) |
Educational programs; will be supported on an individual basis for each youth. The School District provides and Outreach teacher to provide the educational programming for youth in the facility. ARC staff will cooperate with the youth and Outreach teacher to develop a plan for the youth's return to a community school program. |
| f) |
Behavior Management; is a critical aspect of this program for youth with challenging behavioral issues. |
| g) |
Recreational Programming is provided on a regular basis for all residents of the program. There are scheduled recreational activities included in the daily routines of the program, special programming on a seasonal basis (camping, down-hill skiing, etc), and spontaneous rec activities as residents are motivated to participate. |
| h) |
Life Skills; or daily living skills, are taught and reinforced through the daily routines of the program. |
| i) |
Individual Counseling; is provided by the assigned Keyworker for each resident, as per the goals and plans of the Individualized Service Plan. |
| j) |
Individual Projects; for residents may be supported as part of their individualized program. These projects may involve arts or crafts, silk-screening, woodworking, models, work experience, sewing clothing, ceramics, paid chores or maintenance projects in the home, computer projects, etc. |
| k) |
Service Provider Liaison; is provided by program staff in relation to meeting the needs of residents. ARC staff will work closely with other service providers involved with individual youth, to coordinate and integrate the delivery of our services with other providers. |
| l) |
Transition Planning Services; are provided by the program, in cooperation with the youth, referring social worker, case management team, and the MCF Resources Unit. |
| m) |
After-Care Services; may be provided to youth and family following discharge from the program, on a limited basis |
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