Pillar 03
Counseling
Children within the foster care system often need additional support systems to assist with social and emotional healing and growth. Counseling services are offered to all Hope Ranch residents and evidence-based therapies are utilized in both school and home settings.
Resident Services
As Hope Ranch residents, children and teens receive:
individual counseling sessions
group counseling sessions
social skills group meetings to help teach emotional and behavioral skills.
Services are primarily provided through the On-site Alternative Therapeutic School. Certified therapists and counselors provide the intensive, individualized counseling necessary to meet each student’s specific social and emotional needs. Daily counseling sessions are available for all students and behavior modification skills are taught school-wide.
Private Family Admissions
Children may also receive services at Hope Ranch through private family admissions. These children would not be placed at Hope Ranch through State or Local Agencies, but instead would be admitted as residents by parents or guardians who are struggling to deal with their child's behavior or mental health.
Privately admitted children would receive the same counselling services as those who were traditionally admitted, including:
individual counseling sessions
group counseling sessions
social skills group meetings to help teach emotional and behavioral skills.
Parents or Guardians of private admissions students are also required to attend sessions to help address and resolve the root issues. Services include:
Family Counseling - Parents/guardians and the child are required to attend counseling sessions to work through the underlying issues together.
Parenting Classes - Parents/guardians are required to attend classes to learn more effective parenting skills and conflict resolution.
Support Groups - Available for parents to share strategies and help others deal with the emotional stress of child rearing.
For Older Youth
Transitional and independence goals are developed for each teen to ensure they are provided the experiences – life skills training and activities – necessary to prepare them for an independent adulthood. Focus areas include:
Finances
Self-advocacy
Health Care
Household Maintenance
Childcare.
Transition plans help create a “bridge” between each child and their parents, their teachers, and other support systems to help prepare them for independence.