Dear Parent or Guardian

We realize that this is a stressful time for you, your teenager, and your whole family. We hope this experience will be helpful and therapeutic to all of you. Rest assured, your child is entering the best group home program in the state, and one of the best in the country. Through our unique combination of individual, group, and life-skills counseling, we have been able to help countless troubled adolescents achieve their personal treatment goals and be reunited with their families.

Below you will find helpful information about our team, methods for visiting and maintaining contact with your child, and descriptions of some of the specific services we provide through the MFP program. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact <link to “MFP Locations Page”>your child's group home</link> or e-mail the MFP clinical director, Dr. David Hackney: dhackney@kobainstitute.org.

Individual Service Plan
Treatment Team

Individual Service Plan
The Individual Service Plan (ISP) is the Mansion’s unique method of determining your adolescent’s emotional and therapeutic needs and identifying his or her treatment goals. The ISP helps us to tailor our treatment program to your adolescent’s individual needs, resulting in a much greater chance for success.

As a parent or guardian, you are an integral part of the ISP process. You will work with the group home staff and case workers to create this treatment profile when your child is first admitted to the program. After this initial meeting, you will be kept up to date on your adolescent’s progress towards goals outlined in the ISP, and you will consulted regarding any changes that might need to be made.

Mansion at Focus Point Treatment Team
Your adolescent’s treatment team members are responsible for providing direct care. These are the key people you will need to know. You can check with any nurse in your child’s group home to find out specifically who these people are.

Psychiatrist – The psychiatrist leads the treatment team and gives direct care to your teenager. If needed, the psychiatrist will prescribe and monitor medications for psychiatric problems.

Social Worker – The social workers provides social assessments, individual, group, and family therapy, and community linkage. They also leads therapeutic Multi-Family Group meetings each week and acts as liaison between the family support group and its staff.

Nursing Staff – The nursing staff is composed of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, mental health associates, and direct care workers. Nursing staff members participate in group meetings, hold one-on-one sessions with the adolescents, and provide support and encouragement as the adolescents address personal issues and problems. If your adolescent becomes ill or needs medical attention, the nurses will contact a physician for medical services. Each adolescent will be assigned a Primary Counselor who will work closely with the Primary Clinician to provide the adolescent with support and guidance in his or her daily activities and in coping with the challenges of residential living.

Psychologist – The psychologists conduct psychological testing, evaluate the results, and lead group and individual therapy sessions. They also serve as psychological consultants to the treatment team.

Occupational Therapist (optional) – The occupational therapist leads activities at the group homes, focusing on social skills, training, and group building (hobby groups).

Primary Clinician/Treatment Coordinator – Your teenager will be assigned a Primary Clinician, also called the Treatment Coordinator (TC). The TC will follow your teenager throughout his or her stay at the group home and will implement the treatment plan designed for your adolescent. More generally, the TC provides individual, group, and family therapy, forges links with the community, and takes care of discharge planning.

Activity Therapist – The activity therapist organizes recreational activities for your teenager. Activities include team sports that will teach your teenager cooperation and teamwork and physical fitness and challenging activities that will promote positive self-esteem.

Substance Abuse Counselor – The counselor provides therapeutic support to adolescents dealing with drug and alcohol abuse issues.

Maintaining Contact with Your Child
Teenagers at Mansion group homes may receive visitors during the following hours:

• Weekdays: As scheduled by the Treatment Coordinator
• Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Allowed visitors:

• Immediate family members may visit. Those who are between the ages of 13 and 18 must be accompanied by the parent or guardian.
• In general, visitors aged 12 and younger are not permitted. Exceptions will be made only for those who are participating in a Multi-Family Group meeting and/or who have made specific arrangements with the TC prior to visiting.
• Attorneys and clergy members for residents may visit at any reasonable time.
• Individuals meeting with residents at the request of the treatment team, in consultation with the parents, may visit at any reasonable time.
• Visitors may be restricted by court order or for medical reasons.
• Due to limited space, we can only allow three visitors per adolescent at any one time.

Home Visit Reports
The Mansion and the resident’s parent or guardian must document all home visits on a Home Visit Report Form. The form’s purpose is to provide a constructive method of evaluating the visit, to determine whether or not it was successful, and to note any problems that occurred. Home visit reports are used in conjunction with a resident’s ISP to gauge his or her progress towards his or her treatment goals.

Visitation Policies
Please respect the following rules while visiting your teenager:

• You may bring food or snacks for your adolescent to be eaten at visiting time. All leftover food will need to be taken home at the conclusion of the visit.
• Smoking is not allowed in the building.
• To maintain a safe and therapeutic environment the following items are not permitted: alcohol and drugs, smoking materials, and any dangerous objects that pose a safety risk to the members of the community. The staff will inspect all packages and items brought in. We ask for your help in maintaining a safe environment.

MFP is designed to help our residents develop a respectful and supportive relationship with peers and adults. We try to maintain a quiet and calm atmosphere and ask that you participate as a supportive parent or family member. If issues arise during a visit that frustrate you or make you angry, please remain calm and seek assistance from the staff. If you have questions about visitation policies, please contact your child’s TC.

Telephone Privileges
Incoming and outgoing calls can be made during specified hours to and from a pay telephone in the dayroom. Telephone times are planned to provide as many hours as possible without disrupting the teenager’s daily routine.

When calling in, be sure to say who you are and ask for your teenager by name. If you have concerns about telephone calls, contact your child’s primary clinician.

Family Counseling
When your adolescent’s ISP recommends it, social workers and staff will help work with you and your teenager in a therapeutic family counseling session. The objective of these meetings is to provide a therapeutic, positive environment in which parents and children can begin to understand their differences and work toward a more functional relationship. Meetings will take place as often as is deemed appropriate.