Wyoming Youth Services

Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home is a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF). Treatment services for youth and children at Saint Joseph’s are under the care and supervision of our psychiatrist. All residents receive a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation within the initial week of treatment. This evaluation process guides the development of an overarching treatment plan, providing direction for the resident’s course of treatment. The treatment plan is reviewed by the treatment team on a monthly basis throughout the course of a youth’s treatment.

In some instances, psychotropic medication is indicated as a portion of the recommended course of treatment. As part of the initial evaluation process, newly admitted residents are seen weekly by the psychiatrist during the first month and at least monthly in the weeks that follow. Frequent adjustments and medication changes can be made when needed in the event a resident’s difficulties pose a greater complication.

Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home residents are routinely assigned an individual therapist at the time of admission. Individual therapy sessions are held with the child or adolescent one to two times per week. The frequency of sessions is often increased during times of crisis and, more routinely, with younger residents and developmentally delayed or highly distractible residents. A cognitive-behavioral approach is most frequently utilized in the context of individual therapy and is geared to the ability, individual issues, and developmental level of the resident. Following are some of the modalities and therapeutic approaches used by therapists in working with residents in treatment at St. Joseph’s. Approaches are guided by the needs, age, and readiness of the child or adolescent. Critical to the course of a resident’s treatment is that the approach be trauma-informed whenever indicated by the resident’s history and needs.

An essential component in the child or adolescent’s course of residential treatment is family therapy. While varied issues have typically contributed to the child’s need for this intensive level of care, the family always experiences the impact associated with the child or adolescent’s difficulties. Understanding and resolution of this impact must be part of the resident’s and the family’s healing process. Tailoring the pace and manner in which this portion of treatment occurs is important for the therapist, family, and team members to determine. Based on the family’s distance from the facility, family therapy may be conducted on-site, by telephone, or by video-conferencing. In some instances, a local therapist working with a family member in the home community may participate in family therapy sessions with the resident’s therapist at Saint Joseph’s to provide better linkage with the family and to enhance the resident’s transition to aftercare following discharge.

Group psychotherapy is provided for all residents of Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home. Group assignments are based on the resident’s age, developmental level, and readiness for group therapy. At all age levels, residents typically begin in a more structured group format, learning to listen to others, take turns in sharing their feelings, offer feedback and responses to others, and begin to process their feelings and reactions to feedback provided by peers and therapists. By starting this process in a more structured format, safety can be better assured for all participants. As treatment progresses, residents typically demonstrate readiness to progress to increasingly advanced and less structured groups where they begin to take greater responsibility for maintaining a safe climate for sharing.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment proven to help individuals and their caregivers heal from the effects of trauma. It addresses a wide range of emotional and behavioral challenges stemming from experiences such as abuse, domestic violence, traumatic loss, or other distressing events.

Through TF-CBT, children can process their experiences in a supportive environment, challenge distorted beliefs, and build coping skills for everyday stressors. This therapy also equips non-abusive parents with tools to manage their own emotional challenges while supporting their child’s healing journey.

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) approach, is a research-based treatment method designed to promote emotion regulation, better tolerance of stress, better interpersonal relationships, and improved ability to live with what is happening in the moment. This approach has proven to be very helpful among many of the adolescent and pre-adolescent residents at Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home. DBT is utilized in the context of group and individual therapy as appropriate to the needs of the resident.

Play therapy is helpful with children or adolescents who may have less well-developed verbal skills, upon which conventional psychotherapy more heavily relies. A well-equipped play therapy room provides a wide variety of choices for clients to draw from as a means to express the emotional turmoil they may be experiencing. Utilizing this type of therapy, clients often find meaningful ways to express their turmoil or past trauma through their play, working gradually toward the resolution of these issues.

Substance-Related Treatment is a critical addition to the overall treatment process for many residents with these types of issues. This portion of treatment has been in place at Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home for over twenty years and has undergone continual expansion and refinement during that time. This area of treatment includes the resident’s involvement in a Recovery group, Recovery Education and specifically designed support groups, such as Alateen, AA, and NA, as determined by the ongoing needs of residents.

Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home also utilizes the TruThoughtTM curriculum (Corrective Thinking) to provide residents with this additional coping strategy. Therapists trained in this curriculum provide the training through individual and/or group therapy format when indicated by history, diagnosis, and developmental readiness. This treatment strategy aims to help clients better identify errors in their thinking and to stop themselves from acting on these errors, which might otherwise result in harm to others or conflicts with the law.

Eye-Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR^TM) is a specific therapeutic skill developed to assist traumatized individuals in resolving their PTSD symptoms. Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home therapists with Level II training in EMDR provide this technique as a meaningful adjunct to individual therapy sessions with many residents whose referring issues include past trauma. In this fashion, EMDR has been utilized with carefully selected residents of all ages and both sexes for many years.

Equine-assisted psychotherapy is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach utilizing horses to engage the child and/or family in an experiential learning environment that fosters collaboration and effective conflict resolution. Through this process, relationships are formed not only between the child and horse, but between the child and Therapist/Caregiver/Authority Figure, as well. In the context of this approach, children who are emotionally disturbed and behaviorally challenging are often able to learn effective coping strategies, develop appropriate social skills, and develop self-worth in a safe, non-judgmental environment in which they have the opportunity to learn about themselves. In turn, the children learn an appropriate approach, learn to manage emotions in a healthy manner, and develop confidence in themselves.

Equine-assisted psychotherapy is a seasonal program.

Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home Residential Program consists of five living units. Each living unit serves a distinct population based on the age, sex, and acuity level of the youth. The living units provide an atmosphere of comfort, warmth, and learning. The facility is staffed by employees who are extensively trained to work with emotionally and behaviorally challenged youth in a nurturing and highly structured manner.

ALPHA UNIT: This unit can house up to twelve girls that typically range between the ages of 6 to 17 years of age.

DELTA UNIT: This unit can house up to twelve boys and provides a living environment for our youngest male population, ages 6 to 11.

OMEGA UNIT: This unit can house up to twelve boys ranging in age from 11 to 14 years of age.

GAMMA UNIT: This unit can house up to twelve boys, typically between the ages of 14 to 17.

NEWELL CHILDREN’S CENTER: The Newell Center is a facility with monitoring and security capabilities. This unit has a higher staff-to-resident ratio than the other units.

Good nutrition is essential, and studies show that well-nourished children perform better. We provide healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and after-school snacks to our residents. Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home employs very talented cooks who are educated in food service standards, food safety, preparation, USDA, and school guidelines.

Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home is participating in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program and will be offering free breakfast and lunch to all students.

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home Wellness Policy and Triennial Assessment is available upon request. Please send your request to info@stjoseph-wy.org. 

Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home is an agency of social ministry in the Catholic tradition. Spirituality plays a very important role in the healing process. As a Christian facility, Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home introduces residents to Christian values and incorporates Christian spirituality into the treatment program by offering ecumenical services and activities to all residents. Our youth minister is available on the grounds to assist residents with this aspect of their treatment. A youth choir, theatrical performances, and chapel services are available to residents who wish to participate. Arrangements can be made for youth to attend services of their own faith if feasible within the youth’s individual treatment plan.

Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home recognizes the importance of providing daily social skill instruction in combination with intervention strategies.  The youth are taught and expected to utilize the Basic Social Skills.

As the youth are able to master the basic social skills and advance through their treatment, intermediate and advanced social skills are added to their skill set.

THE BASIC SOCIAL SKILLS INCLUDE:

• Following Instructions
• Accepting “No” Answers
• Engaging in Conversations
• Greeting Others
• Accepting Criticism
• Accepting a Consequence
• Disagreeing Appropriately
• Showing Respect
• Showing Sensitivity to Others

Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home has a long and rich tradition in agriculture. In the 1930s, the children of the facility were involved in raising purebred sheep, dairy cattle, and poultry and growing fine vegetables. The older children enrolled in 4-H, raised 4-H animals and vegetables, helped to care for the dairy cows, poultry, and hogs, and tended the garden.

Today, the youth of Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home continue to participate in the 4-H program. The Saint Joseph’s Lone Star 4-H Club raises goats, sheep, pigs, and rabbits. The residents of the facility care for the animals throughout the summer and show them at the local county fair each year. The proceeds from the sale of the animals are awarded to the residents. The children of the facility are also involved in gardening and grow a mixture of flowers and vegetables each year.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home residents are offered after-school activities that promote health, confidence, and proper use of leisure time. These activities include a 4-H club, playground time, choir, and swimming. They also can participate in weekend outings, such as sporting events, going to a movie, going to the zoo, or having a picnic at one of the area parks.  Swimming lessons are a seasonal program.