Therapy and Aftercare
Individual & Group Therapy
Each student is involved in weekly therapy sessions with her assigned therapist. Students also participate in regular meetings with our school Psychologist and Psychiatrist.
Positive Behavior Support plans, medication adjustments, and other modifications to a student’s treatment plan are addressed during various weekly clinical meetings that include the:
- Clinical Team
- Child Study Team
- Staff
- Supervision
Group therapy occurs weekly as well and includes discussions on self-exploration, the impact of trauma on development, self-regulation, emotional management, art therapy, and equine therapy.
Family Therapy
The faculty and therapists at The Charlton School know that placement here is a difficult transition for the entire family. That’s why the family is expected to be involved in the change process while the student is residing at The Charlton School. Family therapy usually includes bi-month family sessions on campus with encouragement to continue to resolve past issues and strengthen family relationships at home.
If the family cannot participate in family sessions on-campus, arrangements are made to conduct family sessions via Skype videoconference or telephone.
Aftercare
Students and families are encouraged to participate in Charlton’s one-year, voluntary AfterCare Program. Aftercare planning begins prior to discharge and is designed to provide support, assistance, and feedback to former Charlton students in managing both daily living tasks and crises after discharge.
This intense, one-year program is divided into four quarters and includes weekly phone calls and face-to-face visits in a variety of settings and circumstances—from home, school, Charlton, and job-hunting to court appearances, probation, and medical appointments.
AfterCare workers maintain contact with involved parents, guidance counselors, OCFS workers, probation officers, therapists, and other people who are working with the student to maintain open communication and a healthy support network for the families.
AfterCare workers also refer students and families to necessary services in their communities such as:
- Education Programs
- Medical Appointments
- Employment
- Financial Services
- Housing Assistance
- Legal Services
- Counseling
- OCFS Services
They also help plan for transportation and payment when these services are needed.
Contact with AfterCare workers is gradually reduced over the course of the year depending on the needs and wants of the student. Even after students are discharged from the program, they are encouraged to periodically provide updates to their AfterCare worker to assure that they remain on track. Students can call at any time for further support or assistance in a crisis situation as long as they understand that there may be a limit to how much Charlton’s AfterCare program can help them.
For more information on the AfterCare program, contact Sue Luke at 518-399-8182 (Ext. 414), or email us at aftercare@charltonschool.org.