Admissions Criteria

• Program Facts:
  A. Program Features:
    1. Family Atmosphere within a structured therapeutic environment. Certified husband and wife team serves as "Teaching Parents" living with the residents on a 24 hour / 5 day week basis.
    2. Maximum of ten residents per cottage. Two per bedroom.
    3. Former show horse ranch. Horses are available for riding, which presents a unique therapeutic value/equine assisted therapy.
    4. Many recreational activities available on-grounds, including fishing, weight and recreation rooms, softball field, lighted outdoor basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, gymnasium, indoor year round swimming pool, and more. Resident basketball team.
    5. Activities Coordinator on staff.
    6. Wood working shop which aids in the development of self-esteem, accomplishment, interaction and teamwork, while teaching the resident an occupational skill.
  B. Services Rendered:
    1. Therapeutic Residential Group Home, and Behavioral Health care.
    2. Social casework services by a licensed Social Worker.
    3. Assessment and evaluation as required. Individual, group and specialized counseling as needed.
    4. Character development through a structured environment nurtured by a healthy balance of discipline, recreation, education, social, and work experiences.
    5. Psychological testing and evaluation provided on site be a consistent, contracted licensed psychologist.
    6. Consistent, contracted Registered Nurse on staff.
    7. Utilize local psychiatric facilities and consideration of re-admission after treatment.
   
• ADMISSIONS CRITERIA:
   A. What kind of youth are accepted?
    1. Males or Females ages 12-18 (at time of admission or will accept younger to keep siblings together with a licensing wavier).
    2. Referrals from DHHR, Courts, J.P.O's, and private sources.
    3. Neglected, Abused, Homeless, or Abandoned.
    4. Risk of harm to self or others is considered minimal (No history of harm to self or others, other than reaction to a single event).
    5. Status offenders: truancy, incorrigibility which involves mild to moderate parent-child conflict, curfew violations, petit larceny, joyriding, or other areas considered to be directly related to community and/or peer group.
    6. Sexual perpetrators on a limited basis with an evaluation indicating a minimal risk to re-offend.
    7. Developmentally disabled on a limited basis with a minimum IQ of 55.
   B. What kind of youth are not accepted?
    1. Age limitations as outlined in A-1 above
    2. Those who have been abusive or dependent on drugs or alcohol and have tested positive within the previous six months; unless, they have completed a treatment program and have shown positive progress and a negative testing since treatment program.
     3. Those with a persistent pattern of disruptive behavior (physically or verbally aggressive, defiant to authority, etc.).
     4. Chronic or recurrent runaway (Past patterns that have shown stability in the six months would be considered).
     5. Moderate to severs adjustment difficulties in school, home, and/or community.
     6. Ineligible to attend public school or requires excessive, specialized treatment.
     7. History of fire setting.
     8. Those whose CAFAS (Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale) or BPRS-C (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale for Children) scores exceed state guidelines for Level I Supportive Care. THis would indicate a need for care which is more intense than outpatient and/or which includes multiple sources of supportive care.
   
• DISCHARGE:
   A. Children returning home after treatment:
     1. New River Ranch utilizes a level system in which level one is the lowest and level five is the highest. The higher the level a resident achieves, the more privileges they earn. Each new resident begins the program on level three. It takes a minimum of five weeks to achieve level four. Once the resident is on level four, it take a minimum of eleven weeks to achieve level five. In order to successfully complete  the program, each resident must maintain level five for four weeks. Afterwards, according to the recommendations of the treatment team and the court, the resident is discharged to return home.
  
  B. Children needing long term placement:
     1. These children will participate on the above mentioned level system as well. However, once they turn 17 years of age, maintain a 2.5 GPA (if they are still attending school), and they have maintained level five for 18 weeks, they may participate in the Transitional Living Program. These residents still live in the cottage, but they receive more privileges and more responsibility.
    2. Once these children are ready to leave the program (after their 18th) birthday, (they may do so whenever they wish), New River Ranch will do everything possible to assist them in finding appropriate housing, job and/or schooling. Also, New River Ranch welcomes all previous residents to return during the holidays should they have no other place to go.
  
  C. Special Circumstances and Situations:
     1. Any referral will be given consideration due to special circumstances or situations. If the referent believes placement in Level I Supportive Care is appropriate and the interview warrants placement, usually a minimum of a thirty day trial placement is required.
  
  D. Previously Denied Placements:
     1. Any referral denied placement can not be reconsidered for a period of six months.