Psychiatric Residential Treatment
AK Child & Family Residential Treatment is here to assist youth with understanding their early trauma and maladaptive behaviors in a relationship-based, structured environment with 24-hour supervision.
Our residential treatment program is housed on two campuses – Jesse Lee Campus and Maplewood Campus. There are five cottages and the ages / genders served are contingent upon the needs of the youth in the community. Please see Residential Locations for more information on the campuses.
Individualized treatment for youth is provided within the larger treatment program at AK Child & Family. AK Child & Family Treatment program includes the following:
- comprehensive assessment
- family, individual and group therapy with master’s level professionals
- psychiatric evaluation and oversight
- medications management (when applicable)
- nursing services
- nutritional assessments
- recreational therapy
- educational / school support
- highly structured milieu therapy environment
- skill building and linkages to appropriate community referrals for specialized services as needed
AK Child & Family works with families and guardians to provide the family system a healing experience as applicable. Families and youth play an integral role in establishing treatment direction. Each youth will have treatment plan that details the therapies, interventions and supports to address their specific needs as well as the projected discharge plan back to community based care, that is developed with youth and their parents and/or guardians. An initial plan of care is created that addresses orientation to the program, student rights, safety planning, and participation in the therapeutic process. Within 14 days of admission and based upon a comprehensive assessment, an interdisciplinary team will develop an individualized treatment plan that addresses presenting issues and establishes goals
Our goal is to treat youth at the most effective level of care. Youth who are accepted into the residential program must meet medical necessity criteria which support their need for a structured residential program. Our admissions department assists in determining the most appropriate level of care based upon the youth’s prior treatment history, severity of symptoms, and related problems. Many of the youth served in the residential program have histories that may include complicating concurrent disorders, high risk behaviors, destructive behaviors towards self or others, suicidal ideation, self care deficits, and other presenting problems that lower levels of care are not expected to adequately address.
The milieu provides strength-based individualized services with therapeutic relationships with staff. The milieu is one of essential components of youth’s treatment, as youth have the opportunities to practice new skills in a supportive environment with staff who are trained in trauma-informed care. Through staff relationships and daily schedule activities, youth are provided opportunities for self-discoveries and healing that will support their individualized goals.
During the school year, students may attend one of our specialized on-campus Anchorage School District classrooms or may be mainstreamed into a local community school, depending upon the individual student’s needs. Staff support and encourage each youth to succeed in school. Our recreational program provides regularly scheduled group activities in our Benson Center gym, in our outdoor basketball or skating rink or in off campus community based activities. These activities are designed to promote good physical and mental health while meeting the therapeutic, social, leisure and physical needs of youth.
Nutrition is also an important aspect of overall wellbeing and AK Child & Family follows the National School Lunch Program requirements for providing students with nutritious and balanced meals. Meals and snacks are developed in consultation with a registered dietician and take into account any food allergies and sensitivities that the youth may have. The agency has a dietician who meets with youth at least quarterly if not more frequently to support health eating.
We realize that making a family decision to place a youth into residential care is not easy and we encourage you to browse our website for additional information and we also have a Facebook page that may offer another glimpse into our agency. We encourage you to call with any questions you may have regarding admission criteria, programming or treatment philosophies. We conduct campus tours if you’d like to see the facilities before making a referral.
