Treatment Services — DYS Frequently Asked Questions
General | Treatment | Special Issues, Population | Educational | Juvenile Court | Employment
No, the Division of Youth Services programs are small, treatment and educational programs and facilities, often with cottages or dormitory settings. The youth have Comprehensive Individualized Treatment Plans (CITP) and continuously participate in treatment and educational services.
Treatment is individualized for each youth. However, common areas addressed include:
- Victim empathy
- Social skills
- Emotions management
- Healthy thinking patterns and coping skills
- Peer influences
- Substance abuse
- Self-esteem
- Educational and vocational programming
Much of the programming centers on group dynamics and processes, with additional individual and family counseling services.
Each residential group (10 to 12 youth) is assigned a youth group leader along with a teacher. Depending on the security level of the site, each group is staffed with a number of youth specialists to cover shifts 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
Yes, to provide continuity of services, all youth committed to the Division of Youth Services are assigned a service coordinator who becomes an advocate for the youth. Service Coordinators work with the family and treatment team to assess the needs of the youth, develop an effective treatment plan, and ensure treatment and supervision needs of the youth are met. In Fiscal Year 2023, the division had 67 service coordinators with a caseload of 12 to 16 youth.
Day treatment programs provide an alternative to residential placement for at-risk youth. Day treatment teachers develop an individual education plan to address core academics, as well as career planning and job skills. The educational program is augmented with individual, group, family therapy, and community services.