Connections
Program Manager:
Kathleen Nutt
(kathleenn@oslccp.org)
The Connections Program delivers outpatient mental health treatment to Lane County children ages 5 to 18 and their families using Parent Management Training (PMT) curriculum. This validated approach works to increase parent's rate of positive reinforcement to their children, and use short and non emotional discipline and limit setting practices to alter behavior and to provide predictability in the environment through the use of structured contingency systems. These services are individualized for each child and their family, and also includes case management, school consultation and psychiatry.
Early Intervention Foster Care (EIFC)
Program Manager:
Tracy Stafford
(tracys@oslccp.org)
Established in 1996, the EIFC Program has served 100's of kids between the ages of 3 to 6 years of age. The children are typically in the program for 6-18 months. Children who qualify for services from EC Cares and are currently in foster care are considered eligible, but EC Cares eligibility is not required for EIFC treatment.
The research base concerning EIFC continues to grow and below are listed several recent publications.
Barth, R. P., Caplick, E., Fisher, P. A., Fetrow, R. A., & Green, R. L. (in press). Reentry of elementary age children following reentry from foster care. Children and Youth Services Review.
Fisher, P. A., & Stormshak, E. A. (in press). Caregiver-mediated interventions for children and families. In M. Gelderm, J. Lopez-Ibor & N. Andreasen (Eds.), New Oxford textbook of psychiatry (2nd ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Leve, L. D., Fisher, P. A., & DeGarmo, D. S. (in press). Peer relations at school entry: Sex differences in the outcomes of foster care. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly.
Smith, D. K., & Fisher, P. A. (in press). Impact of trauma on family systems. In G. Reyes, J. Elhai & J. Ford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of trauma. New York: John Wiley.
Fisher, P. A., & Kim, H. K. (2007). Intervention effects on foster preschoolers' attachment-related behaviors from a randomized trial. Prevention Science, 8, 161-170
Monitor
Program Managers:
OYA - Joel Davis
(joeld@oslccp.org)
DYS - Mary Laws
(maryl@oslccp.org)
The Monitor Program is designed to provide a community-based treatment alternative to institutionalization for males and females 12 to 18 years old who have a history of law violations and other problems, such as school failure, family problems, aggression, drug and alcohol use, poor peer relations, poor coping and social skills, minimal work skills, and low self-esteem. OCP considers those youth on a case-by-case basis who have been involved in fire setting or sexually acting out. Youth who have a low IQ will also be considered for placement as well as those youth who have a history of difficulty in public school. Youth in program attend public school. OCP takes referrals state wide from juvenile departments and Oregon Youth Authority. Youth who reside in the state juvenile correctional facilities are also considered for placement. The average length of stay in the program is 9 to 12 months with 90 days of aftercare support and services.
Participating youth are placed with the Oregon Youth Authority certified foster parents who are recruited, trained and supervised by OCP staff. Staff, foster parents, and family members together develop and implement individualized treatment programs. One or two youth are placed in each home. The program takes advantage of the natural parenting abilities of the foster parents; their stable and nurturing family relations, and treatment methods that have been directly developed for conduct problems and delinquency. Family members are encouraged to contact their child’s program manager to obtain progress reports and to arrange home visits. Individual and family therapy are provided for all participants and well as skills training for the youth. Program supervisors coordinate services for the youth in school, work, parole, and special interest areas to ensure an integrated approach.
The Monitor Program focuses on helping the youth’s natural family or aftercare placement family integrate the youth after the placement period, and helping them continue to make progress in areas where positive behavior changes were achieved during placement.
The assumptions of the program are twofold: first, that the conduct of these youth can be altered by the circumstances that influenced them, and second, that their natural or aftercare placement families can be helped to support positive social behaviors so that good community adjustment can be made, reducing the likelihood for further delinquency or institutionalization. The primary goal is to reduce recidivism.
Youth participate in a structured daily behavior management program developed by the program supervisor and implemented in the foster home. School attendance, behavior, and performance are closely monitored, and interventions are conducted as needed for youth in schools.
The goals and objectives of the program are:
- Increase youth’s normative and positive behaviors (pro-social development);
- Closely supervise youth at all times;
- Closely monitor peer associations;
- Specify clear, consistent rules and limits;
- Consistently follow through with consequences for both positive and problem behavior;
- Encourage youths to develop academic skills and positive work habits;
- Support family members to increase their parenting skills;
- Decrease conflict between family members;
- Teach youth new skills for forming relationships with positive peers and for boding with adult mentors and role models.
- Eliminate delinquent behavior (threat to community safety) as mandated by the Oregon Legislature.
- Reduce recidivism.
- Insure public safety by promoting positive change, developing and improving skills and reducing the likelihood youth will re-offend.
- Successful family and community reintegration
Nexus
Program Manager:
Ana Day
(anad@oslccp.org)
Nexus encompasses multiple programs established between 1996 and 2008 and now serves youth between the ages of 4 and 19. Children and adolescents are referred to Nexus from the Oregon Department of Human Services, who fund the program. Youth participating in Nexus are referred because of emotional and behavioral problems. Nexus reserves part of their placements for children with borderline IQs.
Individually-tailored treatment foster care, behavioral support, and mental health services are arranged for youth in these programs based on needs and strengths. The goal is to teach children how to live in families and return home to their biological families, transition to an adoptive family, or step-down into regular foster care. Typically, these MTFC placements are 9-12 months long.
