SERVICE

One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.		  
close
  COMMUNITY

A specific group of people living in the same locality and who may share a common culture, values, and norms. Communities can also be defined by race, religion, ethnicity, age, occupation, political status, tribal affiliation, interest in particular problems or outcomes, or other common bonds. The term "community" encompasses worksites, schools, tribes, residential neighborhoods, business districts, recreational areas, and health and human service sites.		  
close
  LEADERSHIP

A nonprofit organization's leadership consists of its governing body, chief executive officer, and may also include its senior management. In a public agency the term refers to the agency head and administration team. The term "leadership" is not generally applied to for-profit organizations. With respect to COA standards, in for-profit organizations the term leadership applies to the owner and board of directors if one exists.		  
close
  FAMILY

Two or more people who consider themselves family and who assume obligations, functions, and responsibilities generally essential to healthy family life. Child care and child socialization, income support, long-term care, and other caregiving are among the functions of family life. The definition of "family" will rest with an individual's indication of who plays a family member role, including current or former foster family, adoptive family, extended family members, fictive kin, or significant others. Organizations that believe family is the central constellation in a child's life, and that family attachments are of primary importance for human development, will strive to work with professional staff to develop a common understanding of "family."		  
close
  PROGRAM

A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.		  
close
  RESEARCH

For purposes of COA accreditation, all forms of internal or external research involving persons served except internal program evaluation and outcomes research, or educational projects performed by students and interns that are part of their professional training.		  
close
  OUT-OF-HOME CARE

Services for persons living in environments outside of their usual households. Foster Care Services are considered to serve persons in out-of-home care.		  
close
  SPECIAL NEEDS

A designation used in reference to conditions or characteristics of a person that reflect a need for special care, services, or treatment. When the term is used in the context of adoption services, special needs refers to conditions that make a child harder to place for adoption. This includes children who are members of sibling groups, older children, children with disabilities, children of certain racial /ethnic backgrounds, etc. When the term is used in the context of foster care it refers to the need for a higher degree of specialized case services and attention due to mental and physical disabilities. When the term is used in the context of out-of-school time services, a child or youth may have special physical, behavioral, medical, emotional, or cognitive needs that should be addressed or accommodated. The term is also used in other contexts. See also DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.		  
close
  INDICATOR

A described activity, event, outcome, or benchmark used for measurement in monitoring the quality and outcome(s) of service.		  
close
COA
USER:  PASS:  LOG IN         
SEARCH:    GO
 
Print
 
Residential Treatment Services
  
Private Org Public Agency  

RTX 11: Preparation for Community Membership

 
Services promote age-appropriate community involvement and decision-making.

RTX 11.01

 

To facilitate an individual’s ability to access all available services and become an active member of the community, the organization:

  1. remains knowledgeable about local, regional, and state resources, including networking and leadership opportunities;
  2. educates the community about the assets and needs of individuals receiving support to attain self-sufficiency; and
  3. identifies opportunities for individuals to develop positive ties to the community based on mutual interests and abilities.

RTX 11.02

 

Social and community connections are encouraged by providing opportunities to participate in:

  1. social, recreational, educational, or vocational activities in the community;
  2. religious observances in the faith group of choice; and
  3. family and neighborhood activities consistent with the resident’s ethnic and cultural heritage.

RTX 11.03

 
Individuals are helped to develop social support networks and build healthy, meaningful relationships with caring individuals.
Interpretation: “Caring individuals” may include mentors, community members, friends, siblings, and other family members. Although many youth in residential treatment programs are disconnected from long-term family relationships, research indicates that youth in out-of-home care often maintain relationships with their families and return to them upon exit from care. Residential treatment programs should be aware of any involvement youth may have with their family members and should foster supportive relationships when possible, or assist youth in coping with or avoiding unhealthy relationships.

RTX 11.04

 
Individuals have opportunities to participate in group activities where they can meet, support, and share experiences with peers.
Interpretation: Opportunities to participate in culturally appropriate social, cultural, recreational, and religious activities should be designed to expand the range of life experiences, and sensitive to the needs of indigenous groups or individuals with special needs.

RTX 11.05

 

Social and community integration is encouraged through development of life skills necessary to:

  1. navigate the surrounding environment;
  2. access community resources such as banks, employment agencies, government offices, and recreational and educational organizations;
  3. serve as a resource to the community;
  4. pursue educational and occupational opportunities;
  5. obtain housing;
  6. manage finances;
  7. access public assistance;
  8. communicate effectively and resolve conflicts; and
  9. prepare for leaving care and family reintegration, independent living, or another less restrictive setting, if applicable.
Research Note: An analysis of multi-state longitudinal change data for young adults on six domains, combined to form an Index of Community Adjustment: education, employment, residence, social support network, and youth and caretaker satisfaction. This study adds to earlier research on adaptive behavior of individuals with serious emotional disturbance. The finding that youth with poor social-adaptive skills continue to have more problems as adults, prompts consideration of how services for adolescents can improve social-adaptive skills at individual, family and community levels before the transitional period.
Research Note: A study of 500 older adolescents in out-of-home placements, though limited by lack of an external reference group, found higher satisfaction, a broader range of daily living information, higher Life-Skills Inventory scores, and higher scores on indicators of positive outcomes at age 21 follow-up for youth living in apartment and home placements, compared to youth living in group care. This study notes that empirical information on effectiveness of apartment placements is virtually non-existent and suggests the possible benefit of extending and evaluating apartment opportunities.
NA The organization serves young children for whom the development of these life skills is not appropriate.
QUICK JUMP TO
Top
 
PURPOSE: Residential Treatment Services are delivered according to an articulated philosophy that ties individual needs to specific interventions and education, and to achievement of stated goals, such as gains in measurable skills, increased productivity and pro-social behavior, improved functioning, and a stable living arrangement in the community.
 
RELATED FILES