Children ages 3 to 12 with difficult to manage behaviors receive specialized treatment in a therapeutic environment at Kāhi Mōhala’s Children’s Residential Treatment Program. Appropriate referrals are children who are unable to maintain stability in school or at home and require a comprehensive, behavior-focused inpatient treatment setting.
The Children’s Residential Treatment Program is a 24-hour treatment environment that provides consistency, structure and a learning environment. The foundation of the treatment program is the development of age-appropriate social skills, group and family therapies and daily educational and therapeutic interventions.
The treatment team, led by the psychiatrist, facilitates a dynamic and flexible mixture of therapies, activities and education that have proven effective in treating children in residential care at Kāhi Mōhala. The treatment team develops ongoing strategies for each child and provides a safe place to learn and change. Although the environment is highly structured, continuous adaptations occur to maximize the ability to achieve desired treatment outcome.
Family involvement is strongly encouraged and has proven to be beneficial to treatment outcomes. Family therapy is a crucial element of post-inpatient treatment. Therapists assist the family in working through problems that may have precipitated the need for their child’s hospitalization. Families who live on neighboring islands participate in therapy through long-distance communication.
The positive behavioral model is a privilege-based level system form of treatment. Based on sound behavioral principles and patient strengths, the privilege-based level system incorporates techniques that teach children how to learn to modulate and regulate their own behavior over time. The level system provides for frequent and consistent feedback while also providing reinforcement as the child demonstrates improved self-management skills. Emphasis is placed on creating “learning opportunities” for the youth to develop positive coping skills.
The children develop improved boundaries, appropriate expression of feelings, increased self-esteem, improved anger management and acceptable social skills. Families are also asked to participate in the privilege-based level system through the use of therapeutic passes. We assist the children and families in identifying strengths and building on them. Our system creates leadership opportunities that will increase confidence, self-esteem, responsibility and accountability. Family members set therapeutic pass goals with their youth and therapist and then assess success in achieving the goals.
The treatment program provides a highly structured environment along with a variety of planned therapeutic activities designed to shape behavior through practice, feedback and reinforcement. Children admitted to the Residential Treatment Program receive individualized treatment based on their specific needs. Individualized goals are developed, integrated and evaluated through treatment plans and treatment plan updates. The child and the child’s family are key in developing and implementing a treatment plan.
A typical day consists of a variety of scheduled and individualized services that might include:
Discharge planning begins on the day of admission when both the discharge criteria and estimated the length of stay are determined. Throughout the child’s stay the treatment team evaluates progress made and determines what setting is needed following residential treatment to maintain therapeutic gains.
Aftercare plans are coordinated with the referring professional from the child’s home community. Transition plan components may include home behavioral management plans, community support groups, day treatment services and individual and family therapies on an outpatient basis.