Community-Based Residential Treatment and Aftercare: Reducing Length of Stay While Monitoring Positive Outcomes

The Girls and Boys Town (GBT) will integrate its Family Home Program with Ecological Family Based-Services to determine whether or not the same positive outcomes can be achieved in a cost efficient method using a shortened six-to-nine month residential stay with the application of a family-based service during placement, engaging the family and continuing for approximately six months following treatment. The blending of these two programs will, in effect, incorporate the common characteristics and factors that predict post-discharge success i.e., well planned reunification efforts; involvement of treatment and aftercare staff throughout the process; and thorough re-integrative services linking families to community supports. The study-group will include six sites located in cities that have a demonstrated need for services directed at evaluating and improving systems serving juvenile offenders. This project will be evaluated by the Center for At-Risk Children's Services at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln as an independent evaluator. Findings from this evaluation will serve to improve program practices and influence the incorporation of these pivotal elements in programming for juvenile offenders.NCA/NCF