Overview:

(Updated 9/2016)

Hillcrest Educational Centers will periodically search students for contraband such as weapons, lighters, drugs or pornography. There are three types of searches utilized. The procedures and the circumstances under which they would be implemented are described below.

 Treatment Planning

Search plans are individualized according to clinical risk assessment and recommendations of the treatment team. They are continuously modified according to treatment progress and reassessed risk levels as determined by the treatment team. The following guidelines are to be utilized when developing and implementing a search plan:

1. Search plans will be included as part of the youth’s treatment plan and will be referenced in the youth’s ICMP.

2. Search plans must include the specific skill development and goal achievement that will result in the reduction/elimination of searches.

3. Search plans will be reviewed at length with the youth so that he/she fully understands how and why they are conducted, and how they become reduced and/or eliminated.

4. Expressions of any nature for the discomfort regarding searches must be forwarded to the student’s clinician and the shift supervisor for review and response.

5. Safety plans must include clear descriptions related to frequency of the searches. If searches are identified to occur per shift, it is important to note that searches do not need to occur on the overnight shift and a youth should never be woken up early to complete a search.

 Full Search

The room where the search is conducted must first be examined by staff to ensure that there is no pre-existing contraband or damage. Wastebaskets must be removed.Once the room check is completed, the student receives a robe and enters the room and removes all of their clothes with the exception of undergarments (bras and underwear). The student then passes out their clothes, which are searched. The student comes out of the room in the robe and the room is searched. The student is then allowed back in the room to put on their clothes. When occurring after a visit or trip, searches must be done prior to returning student to team. When coming from an off-campus unsupervised trip students must be checked with the metal-detector wand. These searches need to be logged by a supervisor.

Full Searches are for:

1. Students on High-Risk Behavior Search Lists. Students are placed on the list for unsafe behavior including firesetting, self-harm, etc. Students on list are searched at random times at a frequency determined by the treatment team.

2. Students returning from an unsupervised home visit. To be conducted by person transporting student. If no transport, then to be conducted by primary staff or supervisor.

3. Students returning from any off campus trip with parents/guardians, etc.   To be conducted by primary staff or supervisor.
4. Students that have an on-campus unsupervised visit with family member. (Until deemed unnecessary by treatment team and approved by an administrator.)

5. New Students. Students will be on full-search protocol until cleared by a campus administrator and noted in the ICMP.   New students will be searched minimally three times a week – once on each shift (day shift and the two residential shifts).

** All students must have their personal belongings searched immediately upon return to campus. Items that can be heated will be placed in a Pack-Tite. Please record on appropriate log.

 Quick Search

Students are required to pull off their shoes, pull out their pockets and/or have pockets patted by same-gender staff, pull up pant legs and reveal waistbands for inspection by staff.

Quick Searches are for:

1.    Students returning from a Hillcrest-staffed event or activity: To be conducted whenever possible by person transporting student.

2. After an on campus supervised visit with family member. To be conducted by primary staff or supervisor.

**         All students must have their personal belongings searched immediately upon return to campus. Please record on appropriate log.

 Room / Dorm searches

1. Bedroom searches should occur at least once per week on each shift (excluding overnights). This can be increased if there is suspected contraband.

Bedrooms: Dressers, closets, footlockers, toy boxes, bed linens, and mattresses are to be emptied and/or removed, searched, and replaced. Ceiling tiles are to be removed and ceilings searched. Heating and cooling vents need to be checked.

1. Searches of the following public areas will be conducted by night staff once per night. This can be increased if there is suspected contraband.

Common areas: Bookcases, toy boxes, hutches, and furniture cushions emptied / removed, searched, and replaced. Ceiling tiles are to be removed and ceilings searched. Heating / cooling vents need to be checked.

Bathrooms: Toilets under bowl and tank lids, in back of sinks, showers, paper towel dispensers etc. Ceiling tiles are to be removed and ceilings searched. Heating / cooling vents need to be checked.

Laundry areas: In and behind dryers and washers. Ceiling tiles are to be removed and ceilings searched. Heating / cooling vents need to be checked.

Please Note: Suspicion of dangerous behavior or possession of contraband can result in a student search at any time, as approved by a campus administratOR

 

 

Items that are restricted for HEC students to utilized, possesses or purchase or to bring back/possess on campus from home visits, shopping trips or campus visits.

• Ipods
• MP3 Players ( Only ones issued by HEC)
• Flashdrive cards
• Palm Pilots
• Any AM/FM radio
• Any object that have glass
• Any burned/purchased music Compact Disc
• Hand held devices with photo or internet capabilities
• Any fragrance lotions/liquids in glass containers (students are allowed fragrances in non glass containers-items are secured in area away from bedrooms)
• Any cutting devices
• Computers (no internet access)
• Laptops (no internet access)
• Cameras (no internet access)
• Inappropriate reading material (sexual/alcohol/drug related) will be reviewed by admin
• Inappropriate clothing (no drug/alcohol logos)
• Sexually explicit logo clothing
• Gang related clothing or material
• Inappropriate Hip-hop or Rap music/explicitly worded songs/gang related content
• Fire devices – no material that portrays fire
• Hair dryers or heating elements, curlers etc. in bedrooms (these items have to be secured in locked area when not in use under staff supervision)
• Cell phones
• Credit cards
• Debit cards
• Baseball bats
• Golf clubs
• Tennis rackets
• Personal bicycle
• Weapons – or toys that resemble weapons
• Metal cans
• Aerosol containers/cans/bottles etc.
• Cigarettes or smoking implement
• Alcohol
• Medication-pills, even over the counter items
• Illegal substances to include marijuana
• Whiteout, model glue, permanent markers
• Food in the dorms (unless authorized by Administration or due to the fact the student is restricted or unable to go to the dining room for meals)
• Gift from other students or HEC staff
• Items /material that advertise the use of cigarettes, alcohol or drugs
• Tools (unless authorized by Administration)

 

If in doubt check with Administration regarding any items in question. Better to take it and return later then to have student in possession of any item/thing that might be harmful or restricted.

SAMPLE OF THE DAILY SCHEDULE:

This schedule varies according to team’s educational levels and other program needs.

7:00AM to 8:00AM              Wake up and ADLs

8:00AM to 8:45AM              Breakfast

8:45AM to 8:55AM              Free Time in Classroom

8:55AM to 11:30AM            Academics or Topic Specific Group

11:30AM to 12:00PM           1^st Lunch

12:00PM to 12:30PM           2^nd Lunch

12:30PM to 1:00PM             3^rd Lunch

Lunch until 3:05p                  Afternoon Classes

3:30PM to 4:45PM               Activity or free time

4:30PM to 5:450PM             Four separate dinners

Dinner to 7:00PM                 Dorm time/Chores

7:00PM to 8:00PM               Activity/Snack Time

8:00PM to 8:30PM               Quiet time and ADLs

8:30PM to 9:30PM                Bedtime (Depending on Team and Level)

ON WEEKENDS THE CLASSROOM TIMES ARE REPLACED BY ACTIVITIES / RECREATIONAL GROUPS.

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

Students attend school year round. Our school calendar has 180 days during the traditional school year and 36 days during the summer school session. We do not close for inclement weather since our students reside on campus. School hours are from 9am-3:15pm Monday through Friday. The school does have 6 weeks of vacation in a calendar year. All students are expected to follow all rules set forth by Hillcrest Educational Centers and the individual classroom setting. Backpacks, any music devices, inappropriate attire, hats/hoods, sunglasses, and toys are just some of the items prohibited from the school building. Students are permitted to listen to music in the classrooms when provided by the teachers or staff. Students are not permitted to receive phone calls during the school day. They are however permitted to contact social workers and lawyers during a free time and when staff is able to bring them to the phone. Teachers will issue homework at their discretion. When homework is given, all students are expected to complete the assignments neatly, thoroughly, and in a timely manner. Staff are available to support students with homework assignments. Our school provides all students the opportunity to take state assessments as required by their home state, such as MCAS, NY State Regents, as well as SATs if applicable.

 

DORMITORY EXPECTATIONS

 Use indoor voices at all times. Students and staff should use polite language during interactions (no swearing, sexual language, etc.)

2. Respect the common area/living room
   1. No personal belongings left out
   2. Only staff touch the television or remote control
   3. Board(s) in the lounge should be respected and changed by staff

3. You should always ask before:

1. Going in or out of the bathroom
2. Going in or out of the laundry room

4. There will be absolutely no spending time or lounging in the hallways or doorways.

5. You will be held accountable according to Skills for Life if you refuse:
   1. To do chores
   2. Complete or do ADLs properly
   3. Participate in circle up’s/student community meetings

6. Students will complete daily chores when asked by staff.

7. Students should never be in the laundry room alone.

                                                             CHORES

All students are assigned a chore that needs to be completed each day. There are assigned times when chores need to be done. If a student refuses to do his/her chore or if he/she continually refuses then he/she will be held accountable according to Skills for Life.

Chores change on regular basis as determined by the team staff (usually every two weeks), so everyone gets the opportunity to all chores. This is both a learning experience so that the students know how to do all the chores and keeps students from getting “stuck” with the bad chores. Students who complete their chores at the Brookside Intensive Treatment Unit earn “ITU Bucks” for doing so, which our activities assistants keep track of. Students can then cash in their “ITU Bucks” for special ADL’s items.

Chores also help to keep the dorm clean and helps the students take responsibility for their living environment. The student’s personal belongings should not be left in the common areas when the student is not there.

ADL’S

Activities of Daily Living: Students are expected to stay clean and maintain a neat, clean living area. They are expected to shower at least once a day (sometimes Treatment Team, will require 2 showers), brush their teeth, comb their hair, use deodorant, and wear clean clothes. Some students have difficulty with their ADLs and need reminding and instructions. Make sure students have what they need when going into the bathroom (soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.). In some cases, Treatment Team will require a soap and shampoo check. That is where once the student is in the shower with shampoo and soap applied, they ask staff to check. Staff (same sex) cracks the bathroom door and the student sticks his head out the door to show the shampoo. The student then finishes his shower. Due to the number of students in each team students should try and limit themselves to 15 minutes. All showers should be completed in the morning before school/morning activity or in the evening before bedtime unless two (2) showers a day are specified by Treatment Team.

They should also shave, if needed, on a regular basis and razors can be obtained from the supervisor. While the student has the razor in the bathroom, the door will remain open with staff in the doorway. If the student needs help shaving – staff should give them instructions since they may never have had anyone to show them. Once completed the used razor should be returned to the Supervisor’s Office. Students at the Brookside Intensive Treatment Unit are only allowed to shave with electric razors.

As part of keeping their clothes clean each student is responsible for working with staff, on a daily basis, to ensure that they have clean clothing and bedding. Staff should be reminding and then if needed instructing students to get their laundry done. Brookside Intensive Treatment Unit provides all laundry and ADL supplies. However, the students may purchase their own products if they choose.

DINING ROOM EXPECTATIONS

Students should sit quietly until served.

Once served, students can speak quietly with others at their table.

 

Students need permission to leave their seats.

Students are not to talk between tables.

 

After finishing dinner, students should clean their areas.

Students should wait until the team is finished eating and the staff transitions the team before leaving the table.

 

Students should not talk at the table if there is not a staff present to monitor the conversation.

A student should eat something for dinner before eating desert or snack, even if they only eat a salad or fruit.

CLOTHING EXPECTATIONS:                

ACCEPTABLE:

Clothing should be clean, in good condition (no holes) and age- appropriate.

Baggy pants must be worn at the waist and with a belt.

Skirts and dresses must not be more than 3 inches above the knee.

Undergarments must be worn at all times.

Hats and coats are for outside use only.

UNACCEPTABLE:

Clothes that depict violence, gangs, drugs or sex.

Revealing shirts, i.e., sheer, tank tops, half-shirts, muscle shirts, or plunging necklines.

Tight clothing.

Heels above 1 inch.

Bandanas, dew rags, and/or altered clothing. (Dew rags & bandanas allowed at bedtime only)

Staff may ask students not to wear similar colors as other students

 

PERSONAL:

No new body piercing. No more than 1 earring per ear is allowed. No bigger than 1” hoops. (students can wear earrings when they are on responsibility level)

If a student comes in with body, facial or gauges, the piercings must be plugged or removed.

No facial jewelry or tongue rings.

No new tattoos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staetment of Human Rights

When a student or their family has a complaint or feels that their rights have been violated the first step is to contact the student’s clinician to discuss the issue. If the clinician does not respond in a timely manner the lead clinician for the program should be contacted.

If this informal process does not resolve the issue, the formal grievance process should be followed. There is a process for students and a process for parents/guardians.

At any time in the process, the Parent/Guardian has the right to communicate their concern or complaint to his/her attorney or a representative of his/her custodial or funding agency.

STUDENT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. has the legal and ethical responsibility to provide students with a procedure to follow in instances where they have a complaint/grievance that relates to any part of the program, it’s operation or staff or if they feel they have been subject to discrimination based on legally protected categories (race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability).

In the event that a student feels that their rights have been violated or compromised by a specific staff member or group of staff members, or in any other way while in the program, the student should do the following:

Communicate their complaint/grievance to their clinician in writing, if possible. The clinician will review the complaint/grievance and within 24 hours will notify the appropriate Program Manager/Director who will then conduct the investigation of the complaint/grievance.
The student’s clinician will submit the written complaint/grievance to the Program Manager/Director. The document will state the name of the student, staff (if this is a staff issue), and date and time of the incident that led to the grievance. The student will also outline the specifics of what happened which gave them cause for the complaint/grievance.

The Program Manager/Director, or designee, will meet with the student within 5 working days of receiving the written complaint/grievance. The Program Manager/Director, or designee, will communicate a response to the complaint/grievance to the student within 5 working days of the meeting or conversation.                         

If the student feels that the complaint is not satisfied, the student may send a copy of the original complaint, along with the response from the Program Manager/Director, to the Vice President of Residential Programs, requesting that the matter be further investigated. The Vice President, or designee, will meet, or have a phone conversation, with the student within 10 working days of receiving the written complaint. The Vice President, or designee, will communicate a response in writing to the student within 10 working days of the conference.

At any time in the process, the student has the right to communicate their complaint/grievance to his/her custodial or funding agency.

 

 

Parent/Guardian Grievance Procedure Purpose: To define a procedure for parents/guardians to follow in instances where they have a concern or complaint about the program or any service that they are receiving from Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. Policy Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. has the legal and ethical responsibility to provide parents/guardians with a progressive procedure to follow in instances where they have a concern or complaint that relates to any part of the program, it’s operation or staff or if they feel they have been subject to discrimination based on legally protected categories (race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability). Informal Procedure Parents/guardians have rights as outlined in the Parent/Guardian Handbook. The handbook is distributed to Parents/Guardians when a student is admitted and any time upon request. In the event that a Parent/Guardian feels that the student’s rights have been violated or compromised by a specific staff member or group of staff members, or in any other way while in the program, the Parent/Guardian should follow the steps outlined below: Discuss complaint/concern with the student’s Clinician. Should the Clinician not respond in a timely manner or should this present unusual discomfort or appear threatening to the Parent/Guardian, the Parent/Guardian should contact the Assistant Clinical Director assigned to the campus. Formal Procedure If the Parent/Guardian is not satisfied after the informal procedure listed above, they have the right to file a formal complaint/grievance. The following procedure is the mechanism provided to do so. All parents/guardians are informed at the time of student admission that they have a right and formal method for formally filing a complaint or grievance. This information is presented verbally and is also written in the Parent/Guardian Handbook. Step 1: The Parent/Guardian will submit a written complaint/grievance to the Program Director. The document will state the name of the student, staff (if this is a staff issue), and date and time of the incident that led to the grievance. The Parent/Guardian will also outline the specifics of what happened which gave the Parent/Guardian cause for concern and will also list the informal steps taken before pursuing the formal procedure. The Program Director, or designee, will meet, or have a phone conversation with the Parent/Guardian within 5 working days of receiving the written complaint. The Program Director, or designee, will communicate a response in writing to the complaint within 5 working days of the meeting or conversation. Step 2: If the complaint is not satisfied at Step 1, the Parent/Guardian may send a copy of the original complaint, along with the response from the Program Director, to the Senior Vice President, requesting that the matter be further investigated. The Senior Vice President, or designee, will meet, or have a phone conversation, with the Parent/Guardian within 10 working days of receiving the written complaint. The Senior Vice President, or designee, will communicate a response in writing to the Parent/Guardian within 10 working days of the conference.  Step 3: If the complaint is not satisfied at Step 2, the Parent/Guardian may send a copy of the original complaint and the response from both the Program Director and the Senior Vice President, to the Executive Director requesting that the matter be further investigated. The Executive Director, or designee, will meet, or have a phone conversation with the Parent/Guardian within 10 working days of receiving the written request. The Executive Director, or designee, will communicate a response in writing to the Parent/Guardian within 10 working days of the conference.  Step 4: If the complaint is not satisfied at Step 3, the Parent/Guardian may send a copy of the original complaint, along with the responses from the Program Director, Senior Vice President, and Executive Director, to the Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC). At any time in the process, the Parent/Guardian has the right to communicate their concern or complaint to his/her attorney or a representative of his/her custodial or funding agency.

 

 

Pets on Campus It is Hillcrest’s policy to provide a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees and visitors. In accordance with this, pets are prohibited from all Hillcrest program sites with the exception of licensed/registered service and/or therapy animals. “Service Animals” refers to animals (primarily dogs) used to guide or provide assistance to persons with disabilities in the activities of independent living. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines service animals as any animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. If an animal meets this broad definition, it is considered a service animal. Applying The Policy This policy provides for the health and safety of students, employees and visitors by restricting animals at our programs/campuses as follows: Unauthorized animals are not permitted at any program/campus site, including the parking lots and grounds. Employees and visitors are reminded that bringing a pet and leaving them in a car is neither appropriate, nor safe and is prohibited. In order to accommodate individuals with disabilities, service animals are permitted to assist the individual who is disabled. All individuals including staff and students are reminded not to touch, feed or pet a service or therapy animal when the animal is working as it potentially distracts the animal from the task at hand. It is the animal owner’s responsibility to ensure that animals are promptly cleaned up after.

CONTACT POLICY:  Telephone, Mail, Electronic Communication, and Visitation Policy for Family Members and Community Resources

Hillcrest Educational Centers (HEC) believes that ongoing connection, contact, and visitation must occur between the students in our care and their family members and important community resources.   In order to provide the most beneficial treatment, students’ families must be collaborative partners with HEC and the student themselves in the treatment process.

Overview
Ongoing contact with family members of students in support of treatment and permanency goals must be prioritized. Any restrictions on contacts with family members/community resources, or type of contact, must be prescribed by the student’s guardian, the court, and/or by the HEC treatment team or treatment policy, due only to therapeutic or safety concern. When restricted by HEC, the rationale and specific restriction must be discussed with the student’s guardian, documented in the student’s treatment plan (CTP) and the student’s contact sheet, and the family member(s) affected by the restriction must be notified. If it is believed that an immediate safety or treatment concern exists, an immediate restriction may be made to address it. The rational and specific restriction must then be clearly documented on a student contact sheet, and any resulting restriction of future contact must be documented according to this policy. No restrictions are allowed for the purpose of punishment or creating motivation.

Mail

• Students may send and receive mail to and from all approved parties as indicated on the student’s contact sheet.
• Student’s incoming and outgoing mail must go through the student’s clinician or designee to help ensure that the proper support is provided to the student reading it, and to be sure that the mail is according to the student’s contact sheet and contact restrictions.

• Mail is not to be read by staff unless invited by the child to do so, or there is documentation authorizing staff to read the student’s mail.
• Boxes and packages, or envelopes that seem to have items enclosed in them will be required to be opened in the presence of staff and may be searched by staff to ensure that no contraband items are enclosed.

Telephone Calls

• Students may call and receive calls from all approved parties as indicated on the student’s contact sheet.
• Students must have the opportunity to make outgoing phone calls on a daily basis.
• Students may call and receive calls when the student or phone is available.
• We encourage families to make calls after school so as not to interrupt their academic instruction. We do recognize that there may be times when a service provider or family may need to speak to them during the school day about an urgent matter, or to help the student cope with a pressing issue.
• There are some times when it may be difficult for a student to get to the phone. These include times such as after bedtime, while off campus on a community trip, when another youth is using the phone, or in the midst of a severe behavioral problem. Efforts should be made for the student to make contact as soon as possible after any period of unavailability.
• Student phone calls may not be conferenced (listening to both sides) or monitored (listening to one side) unless invited to by the student and the family member to do so, or the treatment team has considered it necessary.
• When conferencing is necessary, the family member must be aware that their conversation is being conferenced.
• Staff will provide supervision of the student’s behavior, emotional state, voice tone, and volume during all phone calls.
• Staff will dial the phone for all student calls.
• Staff will document all phone contact, including the family member contacted, the length of the call, and any observations of note (from above) on a student telephone contact sheet.
• If a student or their family would like special privacy for a phone call, the program will try to make that possible.
• Because of the number of students needing to use the phone and the limited amount of time to make calls, staff may limit the number and length of phone calls made by students. Students and family members are asked, as a general rule, to aim for calls of approximately fifteen minutes, in order to allow others the opportunity to make calls as well.
• Staff, students, and their families are asked to use problem-solving, social/interpersonal, and teamwork skills to negotiate the struggles with sharing phone call times and resources on the campuses.

Electronic Communication

• Hillcrest’s policy for use of electronics is found under a separate heading.       Please refer to the full policy for information about use of electronic on the campus.
• For purposes of supporting contact, clinical staff can work with families to explore a variety of options including Skype and email communication.

Visitation

• The student, approved family members, and the treatment team should determine a visitation plan for the student with family members for the first 6 weeks (through the diagnostic period) of placement.
• Visitation during this time is usually on-campus and supervised as a part of the assessment and acclimation process for students and family members to campus rules, expectations and procedures.
• Visitation planning should continue at CTP and Treatment Team Meetings, and should be planned in a minimum of 6-week periods to ensure that the needs of the student, the family member(s), and the program are being met.       Visitation can take a variety of forms including on campus, off campus in the local community, off campus in the home community, and off campus in the home. Visit types are determined based on safety and treatment needs.
• Hillcrest provides travel support once per month for all students who are safe for a visit to their home or home community and have approved family resources to visit.
• People on the student’s sheet may visit on campus. We recognize that families sometimes cannot plan far in advance. We as that whenever possible, the visitors provide 1-2 weeks’ notice to ensure that the student is not off-campus on a trip, to ensure that we can provide any required staff supervision, and to ensure any medical treatments (i.e. medication passes) can be accommodated. If adequate notice is not given, and we cannot provide the needed staffing, we will have to ask the visitor to reschedule the visit.   Visits can be scheduled by contacting the clinical staff assigned to the student.
• If a family or visiting resource can’t afford to visit, the Hillcrest agency may be able to help. Ask the student’s clinical staff

 

 To the family: HEC believes strongly in the practices of the Building Bridges Initiative. This means that your treatment will be based on your strengths and the strengths of your family. It also means that we will be looking to you and your family to guide your treatment in every way. We will be working with you and your family, utilizing strict standards for ensuring that you have timely and individualized treatment plan meetings and documents. Your opinions, ideas, wants, and needs are very important in this process. We want treatment to be something you find useful and something you believe will help you reach your goals for your life.

To the youth: You will be encouraged to participate in all parts of your treatment planning and to attend your treatment plan meetings. In preparing for treatment planning meetings you can help make a list of agenda items, work with staff to set up for the meeting, greet people as they arrive and even lead the meeting if you are comfortable with it. Your clinician and staff will help you with this preparation. You will have regular treatment planning meetings with staff and your family to talk about your goals and objectives, to identify which skills you think are working and which ones are not, and your plan will be adjusted to match these discussions. In addition to having your family at your meetings, you will have the opportunity to tell us which community resources and HEC staff you would like to attend your meetings with you.

To the youth & family: Throughout the treatment process, you will be asked about how well you think interventions and skills are working. We will offer a wide variety of skills and techniques based on your input, because we know not all skills and techniques work for everyone. Our goal is to help you figure out which ones work for you. We want you to leave our program feeling like you have skills and techniques that will work for you wherever you go. To that end, we won’t just be practicing these skills with you in therapy. We will be practicing them with you in school, in the dorm, in your home, and in your community. That way you can have a really good sense of which skills you want to keep in your “toolbox”. We will also be looking to you to identify specific life goals for the near and distant future and ask you to participate in important searches for resources, tours of schools and/or treatment provider locations, meetings, and interviews as you prepare to move on from our program. If you find it hard to speak up for yourself, we will work with you to find the best way to communicate your wants and needs for your treatment.

 

When students are involved in situations and behaviors that are disruptive or dangerous, we have a set of steps we take to ensure safety and to help students learn skills to manage these situations more effectively in the future. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, staff will assign processing tasks that focus on making repairs for any harm to others or to the program. Here is a list of these steps and a description of when and how they are used.

Taking Space

Students can request to take a brief break from the current task when feeling overwhelmed or triggered. Students can simply ask staff if they can take space. Staff will talk with students to understand their needs and work with students to support them, including taking space if appropriate. Most of the time, staff will be able to take students for space. Sometimes a staff may ask students to wait while he/she makes a plan for the supervision of the rest of the students on the team. If a plan cannot be worked out for taking space, the staff will work with students to figure out an alternate plan. Sometimes a staff may encourage students to try a skill right in the area, if they have been working together on skills that can help the student stay in program. The goal of taking space is for the student to use a skill to manage their emotions and behaviors and to have them rejoin program as quickly as possible.

 Skill Coaching Exercises

• Skill Coaching Exercises will be assigned when students exhibit repetitive, disruptive behavior that signals the need for skill development.
• Examples: swearing, refusing to complete tasks, provoking, horseplay, non-dangerous contraband, excessive yelling
• Steps:

1) Identify what skill is lacking

2) Identify a way for the student to practice this skill

3) Coach and/or rehearse the skill with the student

If skill coaching exercises are not successful and the student continues to use the inappropriate behavior, student can be placed on the next level, Support Level.

Support Level

• Behavior that is disruptive to programming or is concerning for the students’ safety and well-being.
• Minimal potential or intent to cause harm to self or others
• The student is not considered to need increased supervision and/or counseling as a result.
• May prevent program from occurring as scheduled.
• These behaviors indicate the need for increased staff support to complete skills and tasks.

Because of this need for increased staff support, processing will be assigned and the student’s privileges will be suspended. When all processing is complete and behavior is stable, the student may participate in regular programming (regaining use of privileges). Processing is considered complete when it is approved by staff and supervisor.

Safety Level

• Behavior that caused, or was intended to cause potential significant harm to self or others.
• Student is considered to need increased supervision and counseling as a result.
• Safety Level behaviors indicate the need for increased staff support to complete skills and tasks.

Because of the significant safety concern and need for increased supervision, privileges will be suspended. When all processing is complete and safety is restored, indicating that the student no longer needs increased support and supervision, the student may participate in regular programming (regaining use of privileges). This occurs at start of next circle up period if processing is approved by staff and supervisor.

Individualized Programming

In very serious situations, where a student’s behavior has put themselves or others in very serious risk of harm, and where remaining in regular programming will not reduce this risk, Individualize Programming may be used. Individualized programming means that the treatment team makes a plan for the student to receive programming in a way that is different than the other students. This may mean having extra staff supervision, participating in some part or all parts of program from a different location, having separate transitions from the rest of the team, or other interventions that are designed to keep everyone safe and ensure that the student continues to receive programming. Individualized programming always includes skill practice, processing, and intensive support for the issues that resulted in the dangerous behaviors.

Community Board Review

Community Board Review involves a group of staff who meet weekly to discuss any serious incidents from the week that had a significant and serious impact on the community. When such an incident happens, the Board places the student on Board Review Status and meets with the student to discuss the incident. Students who are on Board Review Status will not have access to their privileges. The focus of Board Review is around safety and accountability.

The following incidents would require Board Review:

• Assault
• AWOL or Major Off-Location
• Serious Sexual Behavior
• Fire Setting Behavior (including pulling fire alarm)
• Interfering with a restraint
• Continual Disruption to the HEC Community Values

The Board will assign tasks to the student that focus on restoring safety, taking responsibility for her actions, and making plans for eliminating this behavior in the future. Each week, a student’s board work will be reviewed with the student at Board Review. Once all Board Work is complete, the student will no longer be on Board Review Status.

Individualized Crisis Management Plan 

The Individualized Crisis Management Plan is a very detailed plan for ensuring the safety of the child and managing high risk behaviors is completed upon admission. This plan, entitled the Individualized Crisis Management Plan or ICMP, is rooted in utilizing a trauma informed approach to treatment. The ICMP is a component of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI). Hillcrest’s ICMP is a 2 page document that incorporates input from the student, the student’s family, guardian, funding agencies, and the HEC treatment team. The first page is completed with the student and clinician within 24 hours of admission. The second page will be completed by a program administrator with 24 hours of admission, with a review of the full document by the campus management team and/or the treatment team within 7 days of the student’s admission. All parts of this process will utilize the input of the family, guardian, and funding agencies as well as student records as current interactions with the student.

The goal of the first page of the ICMP is to ensure the student’s input is immediately utilized in his/her treatment. It utilizes questions posed to the student to identify the student’s goals, strengths, and interests. It includes questions posed to the student that help identify the student’s triggers, sore spots, and situations that overwhelm their coping skills. Page 1 also identifies skills, resources, and interventions that the student finds helpful or not helpful.

The second page of the ICMP provides important information about the student’s current and historical high risk behaviors and high risk situations. Important safety information such as medical concerns, trauma triggers, current diagnoses, and current medications is included. This page then identifies individualized interventions to utilize when the child presents at different stages in the stress model of crisis. Page 2 also identifies very specific parameters for the use of physical intervention and what types of physical intervention are permitted.

Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) 

At the core of the HEC treatment model is the belief that problematic behaviors are displayed as adaptations to situations where coping skills and resources are overwhelmed. In order to intervene effectively, we must help individuals understand and recognize the impact of their own behavior, identify the related skill/support deficits, and assist the individual to develop needed skills and resources to manage the situation more effectively in the future.

The primary intervention approaches guided by the CPS philosophy are skills assessment, skills development, and a collaborative problem solving process that leads to a mutually acceptable plan for working things out. HEC community members must practice the steps of collaborative problem solving in their interactions with others. This process involves three steps: 1) empathize, 2) define the problem, 3) invite the other person to problem-solve. Potential solutions that are complex, affect others in the community, or are long standing, must be brought to interdisciplinary team meeting for discussion and approval prior to implementation.

In order for the collaborative treatment approach to work, the student, and as approved, the family or community members connected to the well-being of a student, as well as HEC staff, must understand behavior from a skills perspective, provide formal and informal opportunities to develop lagging skills, and have collaborative input into all aspects of the treatment and problem-solving process. Students should attend, or if unwilling/unable, have input into the CTP, special and emergency team meetings, as well as other venues when important decisions/problems are being considered.

Trauma Informed Care (TIC) 

When the environment is very overwhelming, as is often the case when a person experiences trauma, attachment disruption, loss, domestic violence or abuse, the result can be significant impact on the development of the person’s skills and resources. Exposure to those who have experienced these events has impact on others in the community. A trauma informed environment requires an understanding of trauma and considers its effects, at the personal, individual, and societal levels.

As trauma and loss are, at their core, violations of interpersonal connection, the HEC community focuses on developing healthy relationships with others. Within these healthy relationships, motivation, healthy sense of self and connections to others and the community are developed. Other primary intervention approaches from the TIC philosophy include psycho-education about trauma/vicarious trauma and its effects, understanding the influence of individual trauma histories, making meaning from these difficult experiences, developing self-awareness, developing skills and resources to manage more effectively, and proactively planning for safety.

THE TCI SYSTEM

Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) is the crisis prevention and intervention model currently in use in all Hillcrest Educational Centers programs. It teaches care workers about the impact supportive adults can have on students’ lives and how to interact with sensitivity to help de-escalate situations where young people may be experiencing difficult feelings or displaying troubling behavior. TCI includes many of the concepts of Collaborative Problem Solving and Trauma Informed Care.

Even though the TCI system is focused on verbal interventions and de-escalation, the use of physical intervention with our students is still sometimes necessary. Use of physical intervention is only used as a last resort and only in emergency situations to keep everyone safe. The use of prone, or face-down, restraint is prohibited in our state unless it is the only restraint that may keep a young person safe and we have gotten permission from the parent. Supine, or face-up, standing, and seated restraints are included in the TCI system and used by Hillcrest Educational Centers.

Every student that we work with has an Individual Crisis Management Plan (ICMP) that is made with their input when they first arrive and is updated frequently. It includes information like goals the student has for the future, things that may make the student upset, medical issues the student may have, and types of things staff can do to help the student when they are upset. The ICMP also includes which types of restraint are appropriate for use with each student if restraint must be used in an emergency situation.

TCI also makes sure that students and staff alike learn from difficult situations when they occur. After any incident staff will use a TCI tool called the Life Space Interview (LSI) to talk to the student and try to understand what the student was going through, what may have contributed to the difficult situation, and how similar situations could be handled differently in the future to prevent troublesome behaviors. Furthermore, behavioral incidents, including physical interventions, are often debriefed by staff and supervisors afterword to ensure that we are handling them as safely and effectively as possible.

We are always trying to reduce our use of restraint as an emergency intervention, and each of our programs has a Student Treatment and Intervention Committee and an Improving Organizational Performance committee that meet frequently to review restraint data and discuss ways to reduce its use and make sure it is being used carefully and properly. As vital members of the treatment team parent/guardian input on ways to reduce the use of restraint with their child/client is always welcome.

For more information visit the website: http://rccp.cornell.edu/tcimainpage.html or http://rccp.cornell.edu/assets/TCI SYSTBULLETIN.pdf