Psychologists, psychiatrists, peer counseling specialists, psychiatric social workers, occupational therapists, and DBT specialists provide mental health treatment at secure residential facilities.
In addition to JR’s RNR Needs assessments, the agency uses an evidence-informed approach called Measurement-Based Care to assess symptoms and diagnoses and measure progress in symptom improvement and healthy functioning over time. Young people will work with DBT Specialists and/or other clinical staff depending on the type and severity of mental health needs identified in their assessments.
Structuring the Environment
There are different educational, cultural, and vocational opportunities at our various locations in addition to skills groups and other treatment programs. Providing safe, therapeutic, and trauma-informed living environments where young people can practice and learn new skills is a top priority in all JR living units.
Environmental Adherence
JR administers a process in all residential programs that measures the safety and therapeutic focus of living units and group homes. Programs receive a score each time they are observed that indicates how well they appear to be doing with respectful communication with young people, skills coaching, problem-solving, and structured pro-social activities. Several years of research show that a young person’s exposure to highly therapeutic environments, based on the scores of the programs they resided in, has a strong link to reduced future offending.
Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Treatment (TARGET)
TARGET is a skill-based intervention designed to teach skills and practices for understanding the brain and body’s response to chronic or traumatic stress. JR partners with Advanced Trauma Solutions for TARGET training, consultation, and quality assurance. TARGET teaches a set of tools called the FREEDOM steps (focus, recognize triggers, emotion self-check, evaluate thoughts, define goals, options, and make a contribution) that can be used by trauma survivors to regulate extreme emotional states, manage intrusive trauma memories, promote self-efficacy, and achieve lasting recovery from trauma.
WISe
Wraparound with Intensive Services (WISe) is a voluntary mental health service offered statewide to Medicaid-eligible young people up to age 21. WISe provides support in the home and community from a team consisting of the young person, their family, and other supportive people in their life, as well as a team coordinator, peer counselor, and therapist. Together, the team works to identify the strengths and needs of the young person and their family to develop a culturally relevant, individualized plan that emphasizes family voice and collaboration. The team supports the family in working toward their goals and connects the family with supportive resources in the community. For more information, please visit the Health Care Authority website. DCYF JR arranges with community WISe providers to conduct eligibility screening with interested young people and families before the young person returns home.
Treatment for Sexually Aggressive Behavior
All young people in JR who are committed for a sexual offense receive sexual behavior treatment that draws from current and evolving best practices in the field. JR uses cognitive-behavioral/relapse prevention informed by DBT as a primary approach to building skills to manage impulsive or aggressive sexual behavior, increase appropriate boundaries, and reduce risk factors. Treatment targets are also prioritized using principles of Risk, Needs, and Responsivity, as measured by the Integrated Developmental Evaluation & Assessment (IDEA).
Counselors, specialists, and clinicians at secure facilities provide treatment. Additionally, JR contracts with Certified Sex Offender Treatment Providers (SOTPs), who are advanced clinicians with specialized training. SOTPs provide treatment to young people in community facilities and those released to parole supervision. JR also contracts with SOTPs at each secure facility to provide direct services, staff consultation, and coordination of services with SOTPs in the community.