LYS Home
Mission and Values
Community Based Services (Foster Care)
Diagnostic
Residential Treatment
La-Sa Quik Residential Treatment

Specialized and Infant Foster Care
Together Families Change Foster Care
Intensive Foster Care
Intensive In-Home Services

General Information
Specialized and Infant Foster Care
Treatment Foster Care
Intensive Treatment Foster Care
Intensive In-Home Services
Functional Family Therapy
Adoption Services
Professional Staff - Behavioral Health
Client Profile
Admission Policy
Service Plan and Review
Program Crisis Intervention
Admission Policy
Program Locations
Contact

General Information
Hours: 24 Hours Per Day - 365 Days Per Year

Length of Stay:
• Specialized and Infant Foster Care:  1 to 18 Months
• Treatment Foster Care:  1 to 12 Months
• Intensive Foster Care:  1 to 12 Months
• Intensive In-Home Services:  3 to 9 Months

Population: Male/Female

Status: Delinquent/Dependent/General Protective Services

Age:
• Specialized and Infant Foster Care:  Newborn to 18 Years
• Treatment Foster Care:  10 to 18 Years:
• Intensive In-Home Services:  10 to 18 Years
   Staff to Client Ratio:
• Specialized and Infant Foster Care:  8 to 10 Youths Per Caseworker
• Treatment Foster Care:  6 to 8 Youths Per Caseworker
• Intensive Foster Care:  5 to 7 Youths Per Caseworker
• Intensive In-Home Services:  5 to 7 Youths Per Caseworker

Specialized and Infant Foster Care

Overview of Treatment Philosophy and Objectives
Specialized Foster Care (SFC) is a community-based alternative to institutionalization for youths which borrows from both traditional foster family care and treatment-centered residential care – SFC offers our most basic level of foster care. Youths accepted into this program will have varied backgrounds of abuse, neglect, and/or delinquency. All youths share the need for a pro-social family environment that will help them achieve their potential. The objective of SFC is dependent upon each youth’s court-ordered permanency goal:

Objectives
• Stabilization of behavior while preparing for possible reunification
• Stabilization of behavior while preparing for possible placement with a fit and willing relative
• Stabilization of behavior while preparing for adoption
• Stabilization of behavior while preparing for possible permanent legal custodianship
• Another planned permanent living arrangement

Population
Male and Female   Newborn – 18 Years   Consent Decree Status   Adjudicated   
Delinquent or Dependent

Program Highlights
• Treatment team: caseworker, resource parents, psychologist, outpatient
therapist, supervisor, Administrator, outreach coordinator
• Biweekly caseworker visits to the foster home, unless behavior dictates more frequent visits
• Average caseload: 9 – 11 youths
• Resource parents specifically trained to provide supervision in the home, school, & community
• Access to outpatient counseling, psychological, and psychiatric services
• Quarterly treatment team review of the youth's progress
• Collection of objective data in tracking progress toward goals
• Monitoring of post-discharge adjustment
• Access to 24 hour per day crisis intervention services

Treatment Foster Care

Overview of Treatment Philosophy and Objectives
Treatment Foster Care (TFC) is a high impact intervention program modeled after Dr. Patricia Chamberlain's Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care as outlined in the Blueprints for Violence Prevention and Family Connections publications. TFC is a cost-effective alternative to residential placement for at-risk or chronically delinquent youths whose goal is family reunification. Education, accountability, and strength-based individualization of treatment for both the youths and family resources guide the clinical components of TFC.

Objectives
• Preserve the family unit, thereby reducing the need for higher cost services
• Strengthen the entire family by focusing on their unique risk and protective factors which can be changed via family therapy, support, and encouragement
• Engage and prevent the need for siblings from also requiring services
• Decrease at-risk and delinquent behavior
• Reduce both dependence and continued reliance on other social services

Population
Male and Female   8 – 18 Years of Age   Consent Decree Status   Adjudicated   
Delinquent or Dependent

Program Highlights
• Treatment team: resource parents, natural parents, therapist, caseworker, psychologist, supervisor, Administrator, outreach coordinator
• Weekly individual and family therapy
• Weekly caseworker visits to the resource home during Level 1 and 2 phases – biweekly at Level 3
• Implementation of a three-level behavioral management program
• Resource parents specifically trained to provide supervision in the home, school, and community
• Biweekly resource parent support groups and natural parent support groups
• Parent Daily Reports (Monday – Friday) on youths' behavior
• Access to psychological and psychiatric services
• Monthly treatment team review of the family's progress
• Youths' participation in Project Service Team activities, volunteering, and BARJ education
• Collection of objective data in tracking progress toward goals
• Monitoring of post-discharge adjustment
• Access to 24 hour per day crisis intervention services

Intensive Foster Care

Overview of Treatment Philosophy and Objectives
Intensive Foster Care (IFC) is a high impact intervention program modeled after Laurel Youth Services' existing Treatment Foster Care Program. The concept for IFC grew out of referring agencies' requests to work with high-risk youths who either lack a viable family resource to whom they can be reunified, or the potential family resource's involvement would be severely limited due to geographic location – both of which are required criteria for participation in Treatment Foster Care. IFC incorporates the structure, philosophy, and clinical components of the TFC Program. All emergency referrals accepted for admission will be admitted to IFC for a minimum of 30 days. This will allow the treatment team sufficient time to appropriately identify treatment goals as well as whether there is a need for the intensive structure of this program. The objective of IFC is dependent upon each youth’s court-ordered permanency goal

Objectives
• Stabilization of behavior while preparing for possible reunification
• Stabilization of behavior while preparing for adoption
• Long-term foster care
• Preparation for independent living

Population
Male and Female   8 – 18 Years of Age   Consent Decree Status   Adjudicated   
Delinquent or Dependent

Program Highlights
• Treatment team: caseworker, resource parents, psychologist, outpatient therapist, supervisor, Administrator, Outreach coordinator
• Weekly caseworker visits to the resource home during Level 1 and 2 phases – biweekly at Level 3
• Implementation of a three-level behavioral management program
• Resource parents specifically trained to provide supervision in the home, school, & community
• Monthly resource parent support groups
• Assessment of natural family resource(s)
• Access to outpatient counseling, psychological, and psychiatric services
• Monthly treatment team review of the family's progress
• Youths' participation in Project Service Team activities and BARJ education
• Collection of objective data in tracking progress toward goals
• Monitoring of post-discharge adjustment
• Access to 24 hour per day crisis intervention services

Intensive In-Home Services

Overview of Treatment Philosophy and Objectives
The In-Home Program (IHP) serves as an intervention modality wherein the family unit provides the basis for intervention. Each family participates in utilizing strategies that are particular to its individual needs. The intent of the program is to provide the family in crisis an intense level of support, supervision, and opportunity to practice new skills.

Objectives
• Stabilize the family unit, thereby reducing the need for higher cost services
• Empower the family with appropriate coping skills and protective factors
• Reduce both dependence and continued reliance on other social services
• Decrease at-risk and delinquent behavior
• Engage and prevent the need for siblings from also requiring services
• Assist with youth's reintegration into the home and community

Population
Male and Female   Birth – 21 Years of Age   Consent Decree Status   Adjudicated   
Delinquent or Dependent   General Protective Services

Program Highlights
• Treatment team: caseworker, psychologist, supervisor, administrator
• Weekly caseworker visits to the home
• Weekly contact with school officials
• Independent living skill development
• Average caseload: 8 – 10 youths
• Access to outpatient counseling, psychological, and psychiatric services
• Quarterly treatment team review of the youth's progress
• Collection of objective data in tracking progress toward goals
• Monitoring of post-discharge adjustment
• Access to 24 hour per day crisis intervention services

Functional Family Therapy

Overview of Treatment Philosophy and Objectives
Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is a high impact Blueprints for Violence Prevention Program. FFT is recognized by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency as a proven, research-based prevention/intervention model program designed to work with targeted high-risk youths and their families. FFT is designed to be a short-term program (approximately 90 days) that can be delivered by one or two-person teams in any available community setting.

The Functional Family Model lays out a clear and sequential, three-phase framework from which therapists refer throughout the entire treatment process. The FFT model provides both structure (in the form of Analysis of Intervention model) and the flexibility (techniques are based on the characteristics of each family) necessary to provide effective therapy to an array of cross-cultural populations. FFT uses alliance-based motivation strategies to engage all members of the family living in the home.

Objectives
• Preserve the family unit, thereby reducing the need for higher cost services
• Strengthen the family by focusing on their unique risk and protective factors which can be changed via family therapy, support, and encouragement
• Engage and prevent the need for siblings from also requiring services
• Decrease at-risk and delinquent behavior
• Reduce both dependence and continued reliance on other social services

Population
Male and Female   10 – 18 Years of Age   Consent Decree Status   Adjudicated   
Delinquent or Dependent

Program Highlights
• Treatment team: therapist, psychologist, FFT consultants
• 3-phase systemic framework outlining distinct phases of treatment with goals unique to each
• Weekly family therapy
• Access to psychological services
• Weekly team review of the family's progress
• Collection of objective data in tracking progress toward goals
• Access to 24 hour per day crisis intervention services

Adoption Services

Overview of Treatment Philosophy and Objectives:
Adoption services within Laurel Youth Services are to provide permanent, secure homes to children who have an identified need. These children exist in the community as members of natural families who have chosen to relinquish their parental rights or dependents in the Child Welfare System whose parent's rights have been terminated by the court. Services will be provided with a strength-based focus.

Objectives
• Stabilization of behavior while preparing for adoption
• Promote stable adoptions
• Education and counseling will be provided to families in order to help determine the most appropriate match for their family
• Placement of a child into a nurturing family unit

Population
Male and Female   Newborn – 18 Years of Age   Adjudicated Delinquent or Dependent

Program Highlights
• Treatment team: caseworker, resource parents, psychologist, outpatient therapist, supervisor, administrator, outreach coordinator
• Biweekly caseworker visits to the resource home, unless behavior dictates more frequent visits
• Average caseload: 9 – 11 youths
• Resource parents specifically trained to provide supervision in the home, school, & community
• Access to outpatient counseling, psychological, and psychiatric services
• Quarterly treatment team review of the youth's progress
• Collection of objective data in tracking progress toward goals
• Monitoring of post-discharge adjustment
• Access to 24 hour per day crisis intervention services

Professional Staff - Behavioral Health

The Laurel Youth Services Community-Based Programs utilize a licensed psychologist. This psychologist is responsible for the clinical direction and monitoring of the individualized service plans, quarterly treatment reviews, court testimony, and discharge planning.

The Williamsport site is a licensed Outpatient satellite of Laurel Behavioral Health. This allows Laurel Youth Services to provide individual and family counseling, psychological assessments, and access to psychiatric services, which are reimbursable through Medical Assistance and private insurance.

Client Profile

Youths considered for Specialized Foster Care, Treatment Foster Care, Intensive Foster Care, or In-Home Services have presenting problems such as sexual assault, theft, incorrigibility, truancy, chronic running away, DSM-IV classified, etc. Generally speaking, youths with these profiles have demonstrated an ability and willingness to function in a community setting as a result of having successfully completed evaluation/ treatment in a structured setting or are first-time offenders. Ideally, Specialized Foster Care services are for youths who need a transitional setting whether returning to the natural family or to some other form of permanency.

Individualized Service Plan and Review

Community-Based program staff, in conjunction with the referring agency and natural and resource families, develop a comprehensive, goal-oriented, individualized service plan designed to meet each youth's identified needs. The caseworker reviews the appropriate areas of the plan with the resource family on a weekly basis. The progress of each youth is reviewed weekly in staff meetings and a monthly report is forwarded to the referring agency. These reports identify the youth’s progress and safety.

In addition, a multidisciplinary team of professionals formally review each service plan on a quarterly basis (determined by length of placement). The review includes all parties who have responsibility for completing tasks on the service plan, including family members and the referring agency.

Program Crisis Intervention

Crisis intervention is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The crisis intervention team consists of Community Based program caseworkers and the administration team.

Admission Policy

Referrals to Community-Based programs are accepted by the Administrator or supervisor. All referrals are carefully reviewed by the Administrator, supervisors, and outreach coordinator to ensure that youths are applicable to the program. A packet of placement information is required and will be sent to the referring agency for completion. Pre-placement visits are strongly encouraged to facilitate appropriate matching with the resource family.

Program Locations/Contacts

Laurel Youth Services – Community-Based

Administrator, Sherry Clausen
1965 Lycoming Creek Road 6
Williamsport, PA 17701-1276
(570) 326-0532
Fax: (570) 326-7301

Laurel Youth Services – Community-Based

Administrator, Sandy Stratton
1011 Old Salem Road, Suite 208
Greensburg, PA 15601-1034
Fax: (724) 838-9599

Contact: lys@laurelhs.org

Locations:

Blossburg Laurel Youth Services P.O. Box 8, Blossburg, PA 16912 570-638-1210 1-800-808-5287 Cogan Station La-Sa-Quik Residential Treatment 651 St. Michaels Road Cogan Station, PA (570) 998-9261 Greensburg 1011 Old Salem Road, Suite 208 Greensburg, PA (724) 838-7790 Williamsport 1965 Lycoming Creek Road Williamsport, PA (570) 326-0532 800-734-8291