Intake Process:

Prior to admission to the Safely Home the custody holding agency must complete an Intake Packet. There may be a pre-placement interview, and tour of the agency. Once these steps have been completed then a date is set for the client to be placed at Safely Home.

Admission

At admission the client, family and other team members will cover the following:

• History of aggressive behavior
• What aggressive behavior (sexual and/or physical) that brings client to Safely Home?
• The Individual Service Plan (ISP) Goals are established
• Medical Issues
• Behavior Interventions
• Client Handbook
• Tour of Agency if not done prior to admission

Orientation

• There is a 2 week orientation period. It is at this time that the client will learn the daily routine of the house.
• Chores are assigned
• Laundry day is assigned if age appropriate
• Privileges: During orientation clients are brought in at Phase 1 Tier 4. After the orientation period the client will need to earn privileges.

Level System:

Phases:

• Phases are based on how the client is progressing in all areas of his treatment. This would include their Individual, Group, and Family Therapy.
• Phases range from Phase 1 to Honors
• Phases are determined by the client’s Individual Therapist and Safely Home Team
• Clients may petition to move up a Phase however the final decision is up to the Therapist and Team.

Tiers:

• Throughout the day the clients earn points.
• Points range from 0 to 4. 0 to 2 client’s behaviors are below expectation. 3 client’s behaviors are meeting expectations. 4 client’s behaviors are above expectations.
• Points are based on the client’s behavior and ability to use the treatment techniques that they have learned in therapy.
• At the end of the week the points are averaged out and the final score determines the Tier that the client will be on for the following week.
• Tier levels begin at 1 and go up to 4.
• The higher the Tier the more privileges the client will have in the house.

Treatment:

Individual Therapy:

• Based on the ISP set at admission
• Individual therapy may focus on the following but is not limited to:
  • The client’s own victimization
  • The aggressive behavior (sexual and/or physical) that brought them to Safely Home
  • How this aggression has affected others.
  • Those whom they have victimized sexually, physically, and/or emotionally.
  • Alternatives to aggression
  • Empathy
  • Sexual Development: appropriate and inappropriate sexual behavior.
  • Family life/ behavior
  • Relapse Prevention

Family Therapy:

• This is set by the client’s individual therapist if appropriate
• For those clients that do not have family, then Safely Home helps prepare the clients for foster living, adoption, or independent living.
• Family visits (when appropriate) are also based on family therapy. Also set through the individual therapist. All passes are based on the client’s and family’s work in therapy. The behavior of both the client’s and family’s actions before, during and after the visit.
  • Visits usually begin on-grounds for a couple of hours.
  • Then move to off grounds for several hours and if those go well
  • Then next would be full day pass
  • Next would be overnight passes
  • Then next would be weekend passes.

Group Therapy:

• Clients may be involved in some or all groups based on the ISP’s.
• Groups are facilitated by Safely Home therapists
• Groups include but are not limited too:
  • Sex Aggressor Group (SA)
  • Aggression Replacement Therapy (ART)
  • Life Lab

Treatment Techniques

• During group therapy clients are introduced to many treatment techniques. Then during individual therapy these techniques are discussed in more detail.
• Some of these Treatment Techniques include but are not limited to:
  • The Cycle of Abuse:
    • This treatment model helps the client identify the steps it takes to carry out the sexual and/or physical abuse, and the steps that occur after the abuse.
    • The Cycle also helps the client understand and learn that there are Detours that if taken would stop/avoid the aggression.
  • Common Thinking Errors:
    • This focuses on 4 major areas that the client has used or continues to use to be aggressive.
    • Power, Responsibility, Poor Me, Objectifying
    • Progress is when the client avoids the use of these Common Thinking Errors:
      • Client is able to take responsibility
      • Show and understand empathy
      • Be aware of others—Does not have to use power over others
      • Shows motivation and willingness to be use alternatives
  • Triggers, Cues and Anger Reducers
    • Clients will learn, identify and internalize
    • They will need to be aware of what gets them angry
    • How their bodies react when they are angry
    • Techniques to reduce this anger
    • Identify what other emotions were hiding behind the anger
    • They will keep a daily journal to help keep track