Overview
The Fresh Start Initiative Program (FSI) is designed to meet the needs of youth and young adults who have Level III (High Risk Intervention) mental, emotional, or behavioral issues. Our programs utilize a clear structure with consistent supervision as a means of support to achieve the most effective treatment. The programs provide 24-hour awake HAB-Tech staff supervision for residents.
Our Goal
The primary treatment goal is stabilization of the individual to prevent the need for more restrictive levels of care. To support this goal, our approach provides individualized program planning and treatment for each participant. We consider recreational as well educational activities, as they are an important part of growing up. Children also assist with chores that would normally be expected of them in family settings.
Our Vision
We focus on the formation of quality relationships among the residents and adult staff. The staff is intentionally composed of various ages and backgrounds in order to provide residents with social experiences similar to those found in society. We hope that through our program, participants will learn new and healthier ways of processing feelings and interacting with others so that they can return home and be successful.
Program Components
• Behavior Modification – Youth benefit from a program where we implement positive behavior reinforcement, appropriate behavior is rewarded, and inappropriate behavior is confronted and redirected, with recourse actions given. Expect high standards, meticulous supervision, and opportunities for motivation and encouragement from an effective program.
• Psychological Services – Functional behavior assessments to guide the design of behavioral interventions and provide individual and group therapy to youth. The focus is upon the educational development of individual children,their skills and abilities, and the social and emotional factors which affect their learning process in the classroom and society.
• Academics – Youth can earn high school credit while they attend an accredited treatment program. Enrolling in a treatment program with an academic component provides educational advancement and encouragement.
• Recreational Activities – Effective programs offer a balance of enriching activities. This may include recreation, exercise, learning, personal development and social opportunities.
• Personal/ Emotional Development -Youth should have opportunities to participate in introspective activities that help them make changes in their lives.
• Family Involvement – Effective treatment programs provide opportunities for parental education as well as opportunities for families to rebuild.
Our staff is intentionally composed of various ages and backgrounds in order to provide residents with social experiences similar to those found in society. CPD’s goal is to make sure that during the 6 to 18 months program, FSI provides the participants the necessary assessments and training to transform and develop new skills and coping techniques so that they can and will be re-united with their families or transition to independent living. Fresh Start Initiative Begins in the Mind (Inward) and Flows Outward
1. REALITY CHECK: A clinical assessment of the youth participant will be done to determine needs, problem areas, dreams, goals and aspirations.
2. TAKING CONTROL: Assertion of goals and life plans are created for the youth.
3. ACTION: Participating youth begin to take the steps necessary to create a life plan via our programs. (Counseling, Housing assistance, Life Skills training, Vocational/Career development, Skill Building, and Recreational activities)
4. REUNIFICATION: Participating youth completes and masters each program phase and is successfully reunited with family.
• FSI PROGRAM DEFINITIONS & PHRASES
CLINICAL LIFE COACH: An educated and qualified professional with a degree in the human service field (Clinical Therapist or Case Worker)
LIFE SAVER: FSI Staff member such as the Executive Director or an experienced HAB-tech, with great relate-able life experience, and possesses a desire to help youth to improve their lives by sharing their relate-able life experiences.
MENTOR: Provides advice, support and guides the men-tees development.
FSI TEAM: Consists of staff and mentors working in unison to improve the youth’s mental health, social skills and motivation with the goal of ultimately reuniting him/her with their family. The youth are always in the center of the circle.
LIFE PLAN: Developed and monitored by participating youth, parents/guardians, Clinical Therapist, HAB-techs and Executive Director throughout the course of the program. It includes documentation from assessments and counseling sessions, realistic goals, objectives plans, problems & solutions phases, a plan of action time line.
Program Philosophy: FSI is a philosophy not just a program, many programs come and go; FSI is a way of life. The meaning of FSI relates to 360 degrees; the complete measurements of a full circle. In order to be complete, you must possess certain components within you. Youth entering the FSI program may enter incomplete; however, they will not leave the way they came.
