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On April 8th 2005 a young man entered Youth Care & Beyond, Inc.; head down, eye contact with no one, and indistinct mumbles for conversation. The epitome of a grunge skater, Timothy's demeanor and actions indicated that he did not care about anything, least of all rules and regulations of a group home. Conversations with Timothy were usually one sided. His response to questions would be one or two words, a head nod or shoulder shrug. At times it seemed as though he was playing charades; pointing and signing for things he wanted. Timothy was given target skills to work on throughout his stay with Youth Care, including following rules and instructions, talking with others, initiating conversation, and academic success. About a month after Timothy arrived, he began having conversations with his peers and was even witnessed smiling. Although Timothy was doing better with his peer and staff interactions, he still was uncomfortable with strangers and the large family setting. After focusing on his social skills in unfamiliar situations, Timothy began to engage in more conversations. Five months after being with Youth Care, it was apparent that Timothy was focusing on his target skills and was exercising them at appropriate times. He was consistently a positive role model for his peers, encouraging them to follow rules and accept consequences that they earned. He soon earned and maintained staff's trust. On his own, Timothy was initiating conversations with staff and peers. He started to include others in his interests by playing his music and skateboarding with staff and peers. Timothy's stay at Youth Care was becoming less and less necessary and He was told he would be leaving shortly. This young man who entered the home just 7 months ago was homeward bound. Years later Timothy continues to make the right choices in life and employ the skills he learned while at Youth Care, ensuring his long-term success. Youth Care & Beyond, Inc.'s program is specifically designed to address these unique and complex needs. It takes time, patience, love and a well-designed program to overcome the obstacles of a disability, to unravel the threads of a mental illness and to heal the wounds of abuse. We would welcome the opportunity to speak with you about how we can be of service. 402-991-9709 Follow Us on YCBinc or become a fan on facebook |
