The ABC’s of MBK
Admission
Our staffed residential programs are designed to provide the most normative experiences to young men, ages 8-18 years of age. (14-18+ for A Cut Above) Each home can house up to five young men. The environments are consistent, clean, and places where youth can feel respected and secure. Our homes take us a step beyond other residential programs in that they are a two-parent operation. We have staff members who assist with the day to day functions of the homes and the primary interactions are held with the Executive Director and the Program Manager. We take this approach because we deem it the most normative and it allows for an easier transition to long term families or return to the family of origin. Our program is community based and we partner with numerous agencies to enhance our service provision. Our goal is not to baby-sit our youth, but to provide them with the tools needed to be independent and successful. Many of our residents have never experienced the support of a parent. As pseudo parents, we set boundaries, set expectations, and challenge youth to make sound decisions as natural parents would. There are resources and activities available that are structured to provide memorable, healthy, and age-appropriate learning experiences.
Upon admission, a staff member shall provide an orientation to each new resident that includes: a tour of the home, introduction to other staff and clients, discussion of house rules and expectations, explanation of the laundry and food service schedule, review of resident rights and grievance procedures, discussion of the conditions under which residency would be terminated, and a general description of available services and activities.
Treatment
Love and Affection with Discipline and Direction are the cornerstones of our treatment philosophy. We believe that to heal from trauma, children need to resolve the unpleasant feelings and memories they have long avoided, discharge pent-up “fight or flight” energy, learn to regulate strong emotions and rebuild their ability to trust other people. Our therapeutic approaches are tailored to individual circumstances and preferences because healing is not one size fits all. We have an on site Licensed Mental Health Counselor available or children may choose the community practitioner of their choice. Our staff teams are trained to utilize daily challenges, client goal setting and treatment plans to challenge our children and promote growth.
Discipline:
The program strives for structure and consistency. Creating an environment where children have time to adapt and learn the expectations is important to their growth. Our staff teams are trained to ensure that the structure in our homes is fair, consistent, and conducive to meeting new challenges and expectations.
Desire:
Children need to experience a sense of accomplishment. The team will work with our youth to identify daily goals that will challenge them to fulfill their treatment plan expectations and to explore new activities.
Development:
The program pushes, prods and provokes all children to learn and grow. This is not a place to be idle. The young men will have the challenge of functioning in the community as productive community members as allowed by their individual case histories.
Discipline, Desire and Development are obtained through different means. All children will have the opportunity to pursue activities of interest. We encourage them to utilize memberships to the YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club and any other programs or activities of interest.
Children 14 and over will receive life skills training through our A Cut Above program. Here, children will have the opportunity to live in an environment where the children in the home are making successful behavior choices. The aim of this program is to return children not only to less restrictive environments, but to provide them with the tools to live independently when that day comes. In this program children will learn about healthy eating, meal preparation and food hygiene, to include obtaining a food handlers card. Employment counselors will teach them how to build a resume and obtain employment. In addition, they will receive assistance with college applications and applying for financial aid. All residents will have the opportunity to explore the workforce and spend time with mentors who have jobs/careers of interest. A job is an excellent way to learn from "Real World" experiences. Learning to obtain and utilize performance feedback, learning new skills and understanding what makes an individual employable are all experiences that will carry over to independence. This program is designed to give each youth every tool necessary to go into the world and thrive!
All children will be enrolled in the educational setting that best suits their needs. We have strong relationships with the schools in our area and work hand in hand with teachers and administrative staff to ensure success for our kids. When necessary MBK obtains weekly reports from teachers to assist children in areas of difficulty. All tools and resources are utilized to help our children reach their educational goals.
Retention/Discharge
Each resident is required to live their lives in a moral and respectful way. If a client is not willing to commit to the life change and live within the guidelines of the MBK family, they will be discharged from the program. There are many children who want and need an opportunity to build a new life. We prefer to make room for a resident willing and appreciative of that opportunity. Discharging a client is not a rash or easy decision. MBK staff will work with the client and all team members to communicate issues and try different approaches to engage a resident. However, the program ultimately will not be successful if the young adult chooses not to make a minimal effort.