The Juvenile Residential Center treatment practices are built upon Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It is a well-researched and validated treatment modality. Most aspects of the program are rooted in CBT, which provides structure and consistency. Group curriculums, and interventions that staff utilize with the youth in placement are modeled in CBT. From a larger perspective, CBT is designed to help youth become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking so they can work to view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way.
CBT can be a very helpful tool, either alone or in combination with other therapies, in treating mental health disorders, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But not everyone who benefits from CBT has a mental health condition. CBT can be an effective tool to help anyone learn how to better manage stressful life situations and aid in better problem solving and decision making. CBT generally focuses on specific problems, using a goal-oriented approach.
Additional more specific outlines of treatment services offered to youth in placement are listed below.
JRC utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Substance Abuse (CBI-SA). Elements of the curriculum are also used throughout individual counseling sessions. This curriculum was created by the University of Cincinnati and is specifically designed for youth who with substance use treatment needs. The material is designed to provide interventions related to the cognitive restructuring of the brain by utilizing skill building. There are six different modules within the material.
The modules include Motivational Engagement, Cognitive Restructuring, Emotional Regulation, Social Skills, Problem Solving and Relapse Prevention/Success Planning. Throughout the curriculum, residents learn how a situation triggers a thought, thoughts influence feelings, and feelings influence action. With each action comes positive and negative consequences. The goal of utilizing Cognitive Restructuring using the CBI-SA curriculum is to learn awareness of thoughts and the strategies to effectively address the negative thought process that typically leads to poor coping mechanisms. After gaining awareness and practice of skills, residents learn effective ways to help solve the problems they experience in a positive way. The curriculum focuses on how to appropriately address a problem by creating a goal and how to find the best solution to the problem using different options.
After building a foundation based off addressing the thought process, implementation of appropriate coping skills, and developing an understanding of how to effectively problem solve, the material finishes with the relapse prevention/success planning module. Within this module, residents are challenged to design individualized success plans by identifying their life history and lifestyle factors that have influenced their engagement in substance use. The success plan reviews high-risk situations and challenges the residents to select skills they have learned within the material that will help manage the high-risk situation. Residents also identify pro-social activities, their support system, and how they can get back on track if a lapse does occur. Prior to the completion of the success plan, residents are required to complete a timeline, offense cycle and a relapse prevention plan. All assignments are presented to parents/guardians of the resident. This creates a better understanding of their behavior in the community and builds honesty in all areas. It is also an important aspect of creating a healthy support system for the resident.
JRC utilizes the Pathways workbook as the basis for Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) treatment. Beginner Sexual Behavior Treatment group covers chapters one through five, addressing topics such as consent, managing initial reactions, learning sex offense laws, identifying thinking errors, and addressing why they chose to offend. Advanced group addresses chapter six through the remaining chapters of the book, which include grooming and maintenance behaviors, controlling and expressing sexual feelings in a healthy way, generalizing steps to personal accountability, completing clarification, identifying how previous life experiences impact current and previous behavior, and completing a STOP plan. Youth in PSB programming are also provided information in presentations about Sexual Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) requirements, Sexual Education, Porn Education, Healthy Relationships, as well as healthy Technology Consumption.
Youth that are engaged in PSB programming complete a timeline, offense cycle, relapse prevention plan, and success plan to demonstrate knowledge across all areas of living. Group participants are encouraged to provide feedback to other youth and appropriately challenge thinking errors within the group setting to increase knowledge of all group members. This opportunity often presents itself when group members are presenting timelines and offense cycles in the combined group setting. Group also encourages a variety of participation, including bookwork, discussion, and presentations.
JRC is certified through the State of Ohio Problematic Sexual Behavior Treatment Board as a certified treatment program.
The CBI-CY group is a semi-open group format with a foundation in cognitive restructuring and skills training. The beginning modules taught in orientation to cover motivational engagement to build motivation toward change. In addition, how decisions are made, values that people hold and how values are impacted by criminal behavior, and goal setting. Next, an introduction to cognitive behavioral interventions where the link between thinking and behavior is discussed and youth begin to examine risky situations that impact delinquent behavior. Youth are also taught about high risk thinking and introduced to tools to directly link and combat problematic thinking and relationships that influence choices. The lessons shift gears in module four to emotional regulation techniques and personality traits conducive to high-risk thinking, coping skills, and the use of self-control to reduce impulsivity. Module five introduces new behaviors to improve communication and interpersonal relationships. Module six tackles effective problem-solving skills, while the last module of success planning is completed with the youth's assigned counselor in session using work completed in group sessions.
Thinking Error group is provided to youth once per week. This group is designed to provide residents knowledge of common thinking errors that can lead to criminogenic thinking. Residents learn the thinking errors of Unique and Superior, Victim Stance, Closed Channel Thinking, Power and Control, Criminal Pride, Mirror of Self Disgust, and Criminal Masks. This group also provides examples of the distorted thought process and encourages residents to apply new thinking to avoid antisocial behavior going forward. Overall, residents are encouraged to challenge their thoughts to more pro-social ways of thinking, which mirrors Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a whole.
Options to Anger group is for youth identified with clinically significant anger. Throughout the curriculum, participants will be taught how to identify invitations to anger and understand that they have a choice in how to react. Additionally, they will learn about early warning signs our bodies give us before becoming angry and develop skills to begin to interrupt the anger cycle and decrease anger outbursts. The overall goal of this group is to help youth make more positive decisions when faced with frustrating situations.
Skill Streaming group focuses on different social skills youth can utilize in situations while at JRC and within the community. For example, Understanding the Feelings of Other, How to Have a Conversation, How to Ask a Question, and How to Manage Frustration, along with many more. While a youth is in the group, they will be given the opportunity to practice the skills they have learned. The group typically selects a skill and then they go over the steps involved to successfully complete the skill. After they have all vocalized an understanding of the skill, they will select a situation from either the present time or the past where they could utilize the skill and then complete a role play, either individually or with a partner. This provides the youth with practice in preparation for the community.
Education at the Juvenile Residential Center of Northwest Ohio is provided in conjunction with the Wood County Educational Service Center. The Teachers and Education Coordinator are employed by the WCESC and work as part of the JRC team. The cooperation and teamwork between agencies continues to be a positive asset to the overall success of the program. Three highly qualified, Secondary Certified Teachers, an Intervention Specialist and a Secondary Certified Principal provide the education for the students at JRC. All of the education staff have a minimum of a Masters of Education Degree. We provide three tracks for the students as appropriate:
A Track grades: 7-8
B Track grades: 9 - 10
C Track grades: 11-12
Students who have an Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan follow the goals in cooperation with their home school and JRC. School administration maintains an open communication with the home school and special education staff. End of course testing can be proctored at JRC at the request of the home school district. The home school remains the district of record for the Ohio Department of Education. ACT and SAT testing is coordinated and administered by the home school district designated staff.
The overall goal of the educational staff is to assist the youth in becoming more organized, efficient, and increase academically age appropriate knowledge and skills.