Program Services: Modalities & Interventions
Individual Therapy
Individual Therapy is guided by integrated theoretical approaches, with the specific modality being matched to the specific needs of each resident. Specific approaches may include these: Cognitive/Behavioral, Psychodynamic, Family Systems, Narrative, Reality, and/or Play therapies. Individual therapy consists of weekly sessions with the resident’s assigned Therapist. These sessions are scheduled for the resident to focus on his individual needs.
Group Therapy
Group Therapy is held once per week and is primarily psycho-educational, and the goal is to help develop/ enhance skills with a focus in areas such as mood, impulse management, anger management, social skills, and family dynamics. Residents also participate in an Affirmation group once a day to help build self-esteem. The Affirmation Group is held in the residences and allows the residents to name something positive they did that day. The staff also names a positive for the resident.
Family Therapy
Family Therapy is held with the permission of the State Worker and for any resident who has at least one family member (or surrogate) involved in his life. Family Therapy may include biological parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, grandparents, and any other significant adult who provides parental care/support. If families have difficulty attending the sessions, sessions can be conducted by phone, or other arrangements can be made to maintain family involvement.
Sexual Treatment Offender Program
Sexual Reactive Treatment Program (S.R.T.P.) therapy is provided by a Juvenile Sexual Offender (JSO) certified therapist for those residents with sexually aggressive behaviors. This therapy can include weekly individual, group, and/or family sessions.
Independent Living Groups
Independent living groups are held for residents who are at least 15 years of age, and they are designed to introduce older residents to some of the skills they will need if they progress to independent living. This group meets twice each month for information about and practice in such living skills as budgeting, job hunting, cooking, and shopping. Although many of TLC’s residents may never be able to function independently, these skills can help make them more aware of the responsibilities of adulthood/independence and help them gain more control over life decisions.
Milieu Therapy
Milieu Therapy provides the residents with 24-hour safe, structured, routine-oriented group living experiences. Emphasis is placed on learning daily living skills, appropriate social skills, appropriate communication skills, and self-control.
Medical/Client Services
The Life Connection ensures that each resident’s health care and medication needs are monitored and addressed. All medical services are scheduled through the Client Services Coordinator with certified/licensed professionals. Medication Technicians are responsible for monitoring the usage of the medications prescribed to the residents. A Medication Technician and a Client Services Team member are on-call 24 hour a day/ 7 days a week in case of emergencies. Should emergency medical services be needed, a hospital is located approximately 20 minutes away.
Cultural Diversity Education
Cultural Diversity activities help to address the developmental needs of residents for exposure to, and appreciation for, diverse ethnic and cultural traditions, as well as provide residents with opportunities for therapeutic and enjoyable leisure activities. A Cultural Diversity activity is scheduled once per month by the Case Coordinator and may include a field trip, group discussion, an arts/crafts project, or some other activity. Residents may also attend church services on Wednesday afternoons provided by the Larue Baptist Church and/or some Sundays staff take residents who wish to go and who have had appropriate behaviors to different churches in the community.
Recreational Activities
Recreational activities help to meet the residents’ physical, emotional, and psychological needs. These activities vary and are held daily to allow the residents to express themselves, build self-esteem, improve hand/eye coordination, and develop good sportsmanship and social skills. Activities include arts/crafts, fishing, movies, bowling, eating out, board games, and team sports.
Educational Services
The Life Connection works with the Larue County Public School System to provide both on-site and off-site educational services. Residents identified as having difficulties in the classroom are screened and evaluated for learning and/or behavioral disabilities to ensure proper placement. Classes taught include Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Health, P.E., Art, and Computer Training. In addition, the school provides speech therapy and educational field trips.
Once a resident demonstrates his readiness for public school off-site, every effort is made to transition him into the off-site Larue County public school appropriate for his grade. The Case Coordinator keeps in close touch with the resident’s teachers to ensure a smooth transition and continued progress.
Residential Services
Care is provided for the residents twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by trained staff members. The staff members ensure both the safety of the residents and monitor behaviors to help assure success in meeting treatment goals. Staff members are trained in safe crisis management.
Case Coordination
Case coordinators manage residents’ cases from intake to discharge, and act as liaison between the resident and all other persons involved in the resident’s care. Case Coordinators assist with intake and provide discharge planning for the residents, and work with any involved family, state worker, and any other organization or legal process to ensure that appropriate services are secured for the resident.
Crisis Intervention
Crisis intervention techniques used at TLC are based on the system known as Safe Crisis Management. All direct care staff are required to demonstrate competency in the knowledge and skills taught in the SCM system. The SCM system requires the staff to operate from the principle of the “least restrictive alternative,” meaning that staff members are trained on a continuum of interventions from least to most restrictive and from non-physical to physical intervention techniques. (The interventions are based on the Emergency Safety Physical Interventions program.)