Young people who have chronic psychiatric, truancy or legal problems may be better served by long-term treatment program away from home. The Adolescent Residential Treatment Program at at Kāhi Mōhala offers a less restrictive and less costly alternative to multiple short-term hospitalizations for adolescents ages 13 to 17, or 18 if they’re still enrolled in high school.
The treatment services at the Adolescent Residential Treatment Program are delivered using an individualized, comprehensive positive behavioral approach. Emphasis is placed on creating “leadership and learning opportunities” for the youth to develop appropriate life and coping skills. A strong focus is placed on a positive therapeutic community. The patient participates in a full range of psychotherapeutic and classroom modalities with a family-focused treatment orientation.
Patients help determine treatment activities and are encouraged through a positive therapeutic environment to accept group and personal responsibility for their behavior and progress throughout treatment. If a specific method is not benefiting the patient, strategies are evaluated and the individual treatment plan is altered.
The positive behavioral model is a strength-based system with strong cultural and family components. Based on sound behavioral principles and patient strengths, the system incorporates techniques and skills that teach adolescents how to modulate and regulate their own behavior over time. The system provides frequent and consistent feedback while also providing reinforcement as the youth demonstrates improved self-management skills.
The patients will develop improved boundaries, appropriate expression of feelings, increased self-esteem, improved anger management coping skills and acceptable social skills. Adolescents and families learn to improve communication, develop clear expectations and also how to benefit from strengthened family bonds.
Through comprehensive evaluations and individualized treatment planning, the Adolescent Residential Program addresses the patient’s significant problems simultaneously. Depending on the patient’s needs, a variety of treatment techniques are available to be incorporated into his or her individualized treatment regime. Components of each treatment plan may include some of the following services:
The Adolescent Residential Treatment Program at Kāhi Mōhala is committed to providing the least intensive level of care clinically appropriate and to promoting intensive family involvement. During treatment, adolescents remain connected to their families by participating in treatment team, clinical meetings and case conferences. Families who live on neighboring islands participate in therapy through long distance communication.
Families are also asked to participate in the privilege level system through the use of therapeutic pass. Family members set therapeutic pass goals with their youth and therapist and assess success in achieving them. Through all these therapies, patients learn skills that enable them to function more effectively in the community.
For every patient, discharge is an important period of growth and adjustment. Discharge planning begins at the time of admission and continues throughout the course of treatment. The clinical therapists coordinate aftercare planning with the patient, family members, public and private mental health services, social services and community-based agencies, and providers. By establishing networks in the community before discharge, patients can transition smoothly into healthy living environments and maintain their positive growth.