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OUR
MISSION STATEMENT
WHO WE ARE Therapeutic Interventions, Incorporated (TII) is an innovative program focused on helping today's children, youth and young adults achieve and maintain healthy relationships and productive lives in their communities. Foster Parents and Case Managers are vital pieces to the puzzle of success for our children, but other pieces are also necessary. We secure many community based services such as tutors, mentors, individual and group counseling services to complete the puzzle. TII utilizes trained Foster Parents, Case Managers, individually tailored case management and support services to assist children, youth and young adults in attaining a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of belonging. The puzzle of success is put together by utilizing necessary "therapeutic interventions," thus ensuring long-term, continued progress. TII recruits individuals, couples and families and provides a structured, nurturing environment in which the child or youth can experience growth and emotional support. Our staff ensures that the children receive essential guidance from professional therapeutic foster parents. Foster parents are trained using the "Parents as Tender Healers," (PATH) program. They also receive ongoing training throughout their involvement with us. Trained foster parents can better understand the behaviors of children in care and are better prepared to set goals and provide the assistance our children need to succeed. Foster parents and staff are experienced in the placement and care of children with special needs. Case managers work closely with youth and foster parents to meet these needs. TII assures foster parents and youth that support and guidance is, at most, a phone call away. We evaluate the individual needs of children, and as each child is different, so are the resources utilized to meet their individual needs. TII provides an array of treatment services to families and children in crisis. Clinical support services provided by TII. ensure that children in foster care and children reunifying with relatives receive the needed help to successfully reach treatment goals. TII contracts with public and private agencies to provide step-down therapeutic foster care, family reunification services, as well as, individualized case management services. Other services are available on an individual contract basis. We at Therapeutic Interventions adhere to basic beliefs about the children and families we serve as well as our role in their lives. The following tenets provide direction and impetus for our involvement in the lives of these people:
Therapeutic Interventions, Inc. serves youth from birth to 21 years of age who are in the custody of the Department of Children's Services and children in State provider agencies on a private contract basis. Surrender for adoption is not considered a requirement for referral or placement with TII. Therapeutic Interventions, Inc. accepts youth for treatment who have a DSM IV diagnosed mental illness or have been identified by a mental health professional as having at least moderate emotional and/or behavioral problems and are in need of treatment. Children may also have moderate substance abuse problems or have been successfully treated for substance abuse problems in a level III Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program. Children may be delinquent, be chronic runaways, display manipulative behavior, have difficulty maintaining close relationships with others, be habitually truant from school and have difficulty in accepting authority. Children with unpredictable moderate aggression will be accepted as long as the child is not a danger to themselves or others. Children with a history of sex offenses will be accepted after they have successfully completed a sex offender treatment program and/or have been deemed not to pose a serious risk to society by a recognized sex offender treatment professional. Therapeutic Interventions, Inc. will not accept youth for treatment who are actively psychotic, actively suicidal or actively homicidal. Children who require regular chemical, mechanical or physical restraint will not be accepted for treatment. Children who have been diagnosed as psychotic and have not been stabilized with psychotropic medications will not be accepted for treatment. Children exhibiting self-injurious behaviors which may result in serious or fatal injury of those with complex medical conditions which necessitate isolation will not be accepted. Children with a history or violent aggression and who have not been treated for such will not be eligible for placement. Children who exhibit predatory or aggressive sexual behaviors, or have displayed major acts of violence or aggression such as rape, arson, assault with a deadly weapon, murder or attempted murder within the past six months are ineligible for treatment at Therapeutic Interventions, Inc. CONFIDENTIALITY Due
to the nature of the clientele and services provided by TII, strict
confidentiality must be common practice among all employees. Information
regarding TII business, employees or clients will only be released to
people or agencies outside the company with written consent from TII
and/or proper authorities. Following legal or regulatory guidelines
provide the only exceptions to this policy. All
reports, memoranda, notes or other documents will remain part of the
company's confidential records. Business operations, client information
and employee records and reviews are classified as confidential. CLIENT INFORMATION All
client information, including name, address, phone number, placement
information, documented material in the client file as well as any case
discussion/staffing regarding client situation is to remain strictly
confidential and can be released only upon receiving proper approval. Written
approval must be obtained from appropriate State officials prior to the
release of any information to the media. This includes name, photo, video,
taping, etc. EMPLOYMENT RECORDS Employee
information including name, address, phone number, employment and salary
history as well as other information will only be released to people or
agencies outside the company with written consent from TII and/or proper
authorities. Following legal or regulatory guidelines provide exceptions
to this policy. Employee
information is to remain confidential and should not be discussed between
employees. Hiring, dismissal, salary, transfer, demotion, reprimand and
all other sensitive and adverse information regarding employees is of a
strictly confidential nature. All
employees are expected to abide by this confidentiality policy. A
confidentiality agreement is to be signed by all employees and kept on
file. Employees not practicing the confidentiality policy will be subject
to disciplinary action up to and including termination. INTAKES Children who are accepted for placement at Therapeutic Interventions, Inc. will be evaluated to determine placement needs by the Intake Committee. Children deemed to need foster care services will be matched with foster parents by demographic information, foster home location, clinical needs to the client and the foster parents' ability to meet the clinical needs of the client. The preferences of the foster parent and of the client will always be considered. Whenever possible, pre-placement visits between the foster parent and the client will occur, especially when placing teens. The formal intake will be conducted at Therapeutic Interventions' administrative office when possible. All information regarding the client must be available at admission as outlined in the Department of Children's Services Level II Continuum of Care Programs Scope of Services. DISCIPLINE Discipline of youth in the program must be
reasonable and responsibly related to the child's understanding, need and
level of behavior. All discipline shall be limited to the least
restrictive appropriate method and foster parents should consult with
program staff prior to disciplining a child in a manner, which might be
construed as unorthodox or inappropriate. Encouragement and praise of good
behavior will be stressed in training and working with all foster parents.
Discipline will be determined on an individual basis and be directly
related to the child's inappropriate behavior. Natural consequences of
inappropriate behavior will be utilized whenever possible and appropriate.
Any discipline, which may affect a child's health, physical or
psychological well being is strictly forbidden. All clients and foster
parents will be given information regarding this disciplinary policy and
will be asked to sign a statement at the time of the child's placement
indicating that this policy is understood, providing the child is old
enough to understand and sign such documentation. This statement will include a description of the client's rights and the grievance procedure. The program rules will be explained to all clients at intake and each client will be given a copy of the consequences for not doing so will be clearly outlined in the program rules. A committee of foster parents and Therapeutic Interventions' staff will review client grievances and discipline of youth in the program as well as appeals for children. This committee will be an advocate for the child. In order to protect the children in care from exploitation, Therapeutic Interventions, Inc. requires written permission from State officials prior to release of any information to the media regarding clients. CLIENT RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, OBLIGATIONS AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE TII explains to each client his/her rights, responsibilities and obligations at intake to the program. A form indicating that this has been done is signed by the client and on file in the client's file. Each client is informed of the grievance procedure and given a copy of the process one must utilize. Clients sign documentation of acceptance of this informatiom and this form is included in the client file. CHURCH POLICY TII recognizes attending church is a personal decision. TII respects and caters to the decision of the client. All TII clients should be presented with the opportunity to attend the church of their choice and that decision should be respected. TII clients are free to attend the church of their choice and observe the religious beliefs as they choose. Clients wishing to attend church services should inform TII employees as far in advance as possible so that arrangements can be made. Church buses may be available for transportation. TII stresses the fact that the decision to attend church or watch televised ministry should be strictly voluntary on the part of the client and not be used as a punishment or required activity. FAMILY CONTACT Families of children in care must be allowed to have contact (visits and phone calls) with their children when appropriate and approved by the State. However, family circumstances may vary greatly. With cases where family contact may be detrimental to the child's progress or welfare, contact will not be permitted. Families will be allowed to send gifts or
mail as long as the State is aware and approves. This policy will be shared in writing with families of children placed with
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