Combining Traditional and Non-traditional Approaches
For many children with emotional and behavioral problems traditional services alone do not work. These children require a consistent adult presence in their lives – someone outside of the home who will be both demanding and loving. It can’t be done once a week for two hours. It can’t be done unless the mentor gets to know the home, school, and community environments. It can’t be done unless the mentor cares deeply.
STAR Services also can eliminate the trauma and the cost of institutionalizing children. Sending children to residential placements, hospitals or detention facilities is often avoided with early intervention of a committed STAR mentor and development of a custom-tailored treatment plan.
Consequences Out Of Love
STAR Services teaches children that behavior has consequences. The mentors form a loving relationship – a relationship that the STAR children value and that allows the mentor to effectively demand better behavior. The children set monthly goals and work hard to achieve those goals. The components of the program include educational services, mental health services, treatment plans, and special events.
Treatment Plans
After a 30 day psychosocial assessment period, each STAR child receives an individualized treatment plan. The treatment plan is created by the mentor, parent or guardian, and child working together. They review a list of 25 objectives and agree on three major areas to concentrate on.
Click here to read the 25 objectives
Next, the STAR Mentor consultant clinician, Dr. Stephaney Springer, works with the mentor to provide tools and tactics that will enable the child to reach those objectives. Each month the mentor writes a progress report to DCF. On the child’s progress, STAR Services makes adjustments in the treatment program.
