Treatment services include:
Continuous quality improvement plan ongoing, evaluation, and improvement of functions, processes and service delivery within the agency.
2 family therapy sessions monthly, or more as needed or requested.
Program staff is trained and are available to counsel clients during crisis or upon request, at any time during the day.
All clients will receive, within the first five days of admission, a diagnostic assessment and functional assessment, unless another assessment has been completed within the last 180 days prior to placement.
All clients receive treatment plans within ten days of admission. Monthly progress reviews are held to review a client’s case and treatment plans. A progress review is held 10-12 weeks after the initial evaluation to review the client’s progress and individual treatment plan with all parties involved in his care and every 10-12 weeks thereafter.
Each client is assigned an individual staff to assist him in meeting all his goals of his treatment plan.
All clients meet weekly for individual sessions with a qualified Master level therapist.
All clients participate in an average of 12 hours a week in various groups
On-Campus educational services, Hoffmann Learning Center through St. Peter School District. Hoffmann Learning Center offers full time accredited educational programs for our clients.
Life Skills educational classes are provided for all clients weekly. Problem solving is integrated into the therapeutic curriculum, which includes courses in human sexuality, stress management, spirituality, self-esteem, anger management, chemical awareness, independent living, and cognitive-behavioral interventions.
Therapeutic Milieu: a supportive living environment stresses positive, respectful interactions, daily living responsibilities, and positive peer relationships.
Therapeutic Recreation: A full-time Recreational Coordinator organizes, teaches and demonstrates a variety of daily activities for all clients. Program activities are provided daily to assist clients in acquiring the skills, knowledge, and attitude necessary for a healthy leisure lifestyle.
Psychiatric Services are provided by an on campus psychiatrist who closely provides assessment, medication management, case consultation, and on-going treatment of recognized disorders. Psychiatric services are closely integrated within the elements of treatment.
Nursing Services are available for the client’s physical and psychosocial needs.
Transitional Services are available to provide a smooth transition to a less restrictive environment.
Aftercare services for clients provide initial assistance in developing and educating further placements.
Family Therapy sessions are scheduled after the assessment period and treatment has been recommended. These sessions are scheduled twice monthly, most often biweekly, for 60 minutes or as needed. Family therapy sessions are currently offered Sunday through Friday by either the family therapist or one of the unit therapists.
The initial family therapy session includes a review of the Leo A. Hoffmann Center vocabulary; to better help families understand treatment language. This session also supports families in knowing when they can reinforce behaviors and when behaviors need more attention. Future sessions within phase one of the program include completing a family genogram, examining what was working and what was not working prior to placement and what the family would like to identify as their own personal goals.
After a polygraph has been successfully passed (generally phase one or two), the client will have several sessions to complete their full disclosure, apology/impact letters, first draft safety plan and begin planning off grounds and home visits. It is during this time frame that reconciliation and/or reunification may begin. Siblings and/or other family members are able to attend family therapy. Please note, to attend visitors children must be less than one year of age or over 16 years of age and have been placed on the approved contact list.
Generally, phase three focuses on both the client and family building skills that will be needed to reintegrate into the community, school and home. This is done through several off grounds and home visits.
During the last quarter of treatment, discharge is highly focused on in conjunction with increased home visits (when appropriate). Parents and/or other adults with who the client is discharging to will work on establishing the household rules, household expectations, and discipline plan. During this time future providers (therapist, psychiatrist, doctors, etc.) are established and future appointments are scheduled for post discharge.
FAMILIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOFFMANN CENTER
Few families ever expect to have their child admitted to a residential treatment facility; this is a non-normative event that impacts the family system in a multitude of ways. It is our goal to work with families in combined efforts to reduce risk, increase safety, and improve the quality of the parent child relationship while (when appropriate) reintegrating into the family system and community in which they came. Research supports family involvement as a protective factor that contributes to increased positive outcomes such as successful completion of treatment, improved interpersonal relationships, increased life skills and engaging in healthy habits. Services provided at our facility include, but are not limited to:
In the words of the Hoffmann Center motto, the adolescent in treatment has “come to learn, to grow, and to change...” Family Therapy assumes that parents and family members will do so, also. Expectations of participation in family therapy include:
Attendance at a minimum of two family therapy sessions monthly
Engaged and active participation in family sessions
Regular use of the Healthy Families booklet and other provided materials
Completion of homework assignments in family sessions
Cooperation in acquiring professional help for siblings and/or self, if recommended
Regular attendance at the monthly Parent Education and Support group (PEAS)
Celebrate Us! is a day set aside each year to celebrate and appreciate the importance of supportive people in our client’s lives. This celebration occurs each September for clients and family/supports who have been involved in our client’s treatment. This includes individuals whom are over 16 years of age and have been a part of one or all of the following areas: family therapy, attending the Parent Education and Support (PEAS) Group, and/or attended in person progress reviews. On this day, the Leo A. Hoffmann Center campus transforms itself into the epicenter of family-centered fun. Families/supports are invited to participate in indoor and outdoor games as well as a craft activity. There are healthy snacks and a grilled picnic lunch. Throughout this day photos are taken of families that are distributed at a later date and time. This is a positive and fun day for the boys, the families/supports and the staff. This day helps build healthy habits, provides opportunities to practice social skills/boundaries, as well as allows families the opportunity to engage in a normative family experience.
The Parent Education and Support group is offered the third Sunday of each month for approximately 60 minutes. This group is designed to assist family members in understanding concepts of treatment as well as provide emotional support. Eleven of the twelve sessions offered throughout the year are adult only sessions. This gives various families the opportunity to discuss thoughts, emotions and experiences related to having a child in treatment. Each December the clients are invited to attend the PEAS on play therapy with experiential components (games, activities, etc.). The Leo A. Hoffmann Center recognizes families may not be able to attend PEAS on a regular basis. To provide informed parental support, a handout will be available upon request. To earn partial participation/attendance credit, families complete the five questions that will be attached to the handout and return to the family therapist either in person, via e-mail, or through the postal service. Handouts will need to be returned prior to the next scheduled PEAS group to earn credit.
A dedicated clinical team, who have a combination of over 130 years of experience, ensure that clients receive cutting-edge, individualized, and outcome-based treatment services. Our program staff are trained to provide a safe, therapeutic and homelike environment that promotes a true sense of healing, belonging, and ownership. The safety and caring aspects of the environment allow clients to practice, internalize, and generalize (self-regulate) healthy thoughts, feelings and behavior.
Our clinical team supports our program staff by providing clinical oversight and coordination of each client’s individual treatment plan. This includes:
Supportive emphasis on a positive staff culture
Training in diagnostic-based treatment interventions
Attunement to the importance of family involvement
Attunement to caregiver attachment dynamics
Hoffmann Center strives to provide professional, personal, and effective treatment for the adolescents and families we serve. Clinical specialty areas include:
Cognitive behavior therapy
Play therapy
TF-CBT (Trauma Focused – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
Group Skills DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
Experiential therapy
Empowerment Group
Psychotropic medication is defined as medication prescribed by a person who may lawfully prescribe (according to a child’s diagnosis), to treat mental illness and associated behaviors or to control or alter behavior. The major classes of psychotropic medication are antipsychotic (neuroleptic), anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, anti-mania, stimulant, and sedative/hypnotic. Other miscellaneous classes of medication are considered to be psychotropic medication when they are specifically prescribed to treat a mental illness or to alter behavior based on a child’s diagnosis.
The Leo A. Hoffmann Center has strict protocol for prescribing and monitoring psychotropic medications. An initial assessment is to be completed upon admission to our facility. This assessment includes an evaluation of indications for previous evaluations and apparent response to psychotropic medications. Once the client is in treatment the physician will provided the following in dictation format diagnosis, target symptoms, expected response for each target symptom, method for establishing the minimum effective dosage, criteria for decreasing or discontinuing medications, including time frame, expected side effects, and method for monitoring. Informed consent is required for all non-emergency use of medications. Written informed consent is obtained for all medications newly prescribed as well as for all medications previously prescribed which are being continued.
Response to psychotropic medication, including impact on target symptoms, plus side effects are monitored and documented at least weekly for the first six weeks after a client begins taking a new psychotropic medication or a significant increased or decreased dose of a currently used psychotropic medication, and at least quarterly thereafter. Primary Counselors are trained to monitor psychotropic medication and record side effects on assigned clients under the supervision of the registered nurse. Standardized data collection methods, such as the Psychotropic Medication Monitoring Form, DISCUS, and MOSES are used. Target symptoms are identified at the time of the assessment. Others may be added later as indicated. The physician must review the results of monitoring at each appointment, in addition to any physical or laboratory assessments determined to be appropriate as a monitoring tool.
Responses to psychotropic medications are reviewed by the physician at least monthly for the first six months after starting a medication and then quarterly thereafter. When reviewing the monitoring forms the physician my requests a dosage change. The Registered Nurse will notify the client’s guardian and therapist, make the necessary changes on the client’s medication record, include dose change in monthly and quarterly reports and record a note of the change in the Unit Log Book.
Psychotropic medication will not be administered as punishment, for staff convenience, as a substitute for a behavioral or therapeutic program or in quantities that interfere with learning or other goals of the Individual Treatment Plan.
The Nursing Department is responsible for coordinating the day-to-day medical concerns of all clients, including assessing their medical needs, assisting the psychiatrist, and scheduling required medical examinations and treatment.
The following services are provided:
Therapeutic Recreation Program:
Therapeutic recreation is a skilled service that is offered to clients on a group basis as well as an individual basis. All clients are evaluated and individual recreation plans are set up for each client. The purpose of therapeutic recreation is to improve health, well-being and replacement opportunities for old negative behavior through leisure-based activities and recreational skill building opportunities. These activities are designed to provide wholesome recreational/ leisure opportunities and experiences that replace unacceptable sexual, self-abusive, and delinquent behavior.
Leisure Education Program:
The leisure education program provides psycho-educational groups sessions to identify risky behavior. The goal is to learn new leisure activities to replace old behavior. Recreation Coordinator, Therapist and Youth Counselors and Primary Counselors coordinate activities specifically connecting children and adolescents with resources and activities during placement to provide these more appropriate replacement activities.
Recreational Opportunities:
The Recreational Coordinator designs activities of non-competitive style to assist clients in learning to develop cooperation skills and achieve a sense of accomplishment in a groups setting. These activities provide resources and services that assist client in acquiring the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for health lifestyles upon transition back into the community. A comfortable and safe environment is created where residents feel protected and encouraged to develop significant / attachable relationships with peers in order to practice these skills.
Recreation/ Leisure Components:
The therapeutic recreation program is designed to assist clients in overcoming and managing behavior such as impulse control, making appropriate decisions, developing healthy images of self-body and abilities. Through experienced Youth Counselors, Therapists and Recreation Coordinator clients are experience various leisure activities and reactional opportunities. These activities promote physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development. Just a few of the program components are self-image/ self-esteem, focusing skills (concentration), physical development, anger management, fine motor/ gross motor skill development, social manners, relationships development, problem solving, sportsmanship, self –directed leisure behavior, leisure counseling, community participation and family leisure involvement are just a few areas clients have the opportunity to improve and prepare themselves for reintegration back into their communities.
New Horizon Foods Mission – “Providing a professional service of uncompromising value to our customer and peers. Growth through meeting customer expectations of our services rendered. Our goal is to increase our client’s reputation and, in return, build on our reputation."
New Horizon Foods “Built on Customer Satisfaction”
New Horizon Foods provides Hoffmann Center clients three meals a day/seven days a week. They have a corporate dietitian whom oversee and implements the latest trends in the schools food service and child nutrition programs.
New Horizon Foods understand that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for students of all ages so they have developed a wide variety of breakfast menus to fit the needs of our facility. They have a variety of lunch and supper ideas available to fit our dining needs. Another specialty is by having the managers create excitement and add variety to the menus by promoting special events which are held on a monthly basis. Special events range from holiday parties to Super Bowl to Resident Choice. Residents always look forward to Special Events!
New Horizon Foods provides Resident Satisfaction Surveys to ensure service, quality and consistency.
Civil Rights Statement
School Nutrition Program – Leo A. Hoffmann Center Inc. participates in the National School Lunch Program and is an equal opportunity provider.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov
Mission
The mission of the Oshawa Learning Academy is to facilitate the progress of children with identified mental health needs toward healthy, positive, and responsible functioning in a school setting.
We strive to provide the opportunities for children in an atmosphere that is inviting and inclusive regardless of disability, behavior, or cultural differences and that is responsive to each child's strengths and needs. Our goal is to have all students experience success by providing opportunities for students to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. We are fortunate to have a committed staff of professionals who offer a comprehensive elementary, middle and high school curriculum in areas such as reading, writing, social studies, science, and physical fitness/wellness.
Objectives
Program Description
Educational programming is individualized to the students educational and mental health needs but based on the curriculum and standards used at the other Saint Peter Public Schools buildings that serve students in the same grades. Core subjects of math, science, social studies, and English language arts are delivered each day. Students in grades 9-12 earn credit towards graduation for their classroom achievements. Students receive educational and career planning services through counseling services appropriate for their grade level. Students participate in benchmark and state assessments (MCA’s) that other students in Saint Peter Schools participate in.
All teachers are licensed and every effort is made to hire highly qualified licensed teachers in the content area they are assigned to. District 508 employs four full-time and special education teachers who serve as case managers and instructors. Additionally, there are four part-time content area teachers that travel to Oshawa Learning Academy to enhance instruction in core academic subjects. Four teaching assistants are employed to help teachers provide the individualized instruction and behavior management that some students need.
The Oshawa Learning Academy works in close collaboration with the Minnesota Valley Education District (MVED) to ensure access to all services outlined in student IEPs, including but not limited to a speech/language clinician, an adaptive physical education teacher, and a licensed school psychologist. All available records are evaluated when students enroll and special education team meetings are held when students are enrolled to review accommodations and services to ensure they are receiving a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
The school calendar will mirror the calendar used by the Saint Peter School District and includes approximately 175 instructional days during the school year. Additionally, the Oshawa Learning Center calendar will be expanded to include 18 days of ESY and summer school to meet the needs of students with IEPs and those receiving treatment in a PRTF facility.
The continuum of services, designed to be responsive to the behavioral and emotional needs of the student, is as follows:
Student attends classes all day at Oshawa Learning Academy, including physical education. Student does not attend classes at Saint Peter High School.