Forensic Program

The Forensic Program meets the needs of adolescent males ages 13-17 who have been referred by the judicial system and/or community agencies and are in need of fitness to stand trial restoration or are deemed at risk for developing legal issues due to chronic externalizing behaviors. Most adolescents have had previous treatment failures including outpatient and/or psychiatric hospitalization. The program provides comprehensive assessment, treatment, education and follow up to help adolescents and their family/caregivers effectively cope and grow. Treatment is coordinated by a multi-disciplinary team that works consistently with the adolescent, family/caregivers, and referral source from admission through discharge and afterwards.

It is fundamental to our program that the adolescents we serve are not viewed as the sum of their challenges and deficits. The program identifies strengths and assets in all areas of an adolescent’s life as well as works to have them and their family/caregivers capitalize on them.

Program Components

  • Individual, Group and Family Counseling
  • Behavioral Therapy
  • Expressive Therapies
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Academic and Classroom Instruction
  • Social Skills Training
  • Study Skill Enhancement and Training
  • Medication Monitoring and Education
  • Case Management
  • Comprehensive Multi-Disciplinary Diagnostic Evaluation, including:
    • Medical history
    • Academic history
    • The latest technologies to identify psychiatric, genetic, and physiological diseases, syndromes, and/or deficits that impact mood, cognition and behavior. These can include:
      • Neuro-chemical profiles
      • DNA probes
      • Chromosome studies
      • Screening for metabolic errors
      • Neuropsychological testing

Program Goals

  • Stabilization and diagnosis
  • Elimination of behavior that presents a danger to themselves and others
  • Reduction of post-traumatic symptoms
  • Development of a specific and complete treatment plan, primary treatment pathway and long term treatment/behavioral intervention plan
  • Provide information and ensure a practical understanding (based on the adolescent’s abilities) of their legal charges, the function of the court system and the roles of those involved in their case
  • A thorough assessment of the adolescent’s ability to assist in their own defense when legal issues are present
  • Assist the adolescent to respond more adaptively and to teach the caretakers how to elicit more adaptive behaviors and facilitate the process of reducing the traumatic effects of previous experiences