The Adolescent and Family Sexual Health Services Residential Treatment Program (AFSHS–RTP) is a state and county certified therapeutic treatment program offered at the Hennepin County Home School (HCHS), a non-secured juvenile facility located in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
The AFSHS-RTP is a family-centered, sexual offense specific treatment program for the assessment and treatment of adolescent males who have offended in sexually inappropriate or harmful ways. AFSHS-RTP offers a comprehensive therapeutic approach including psychosexual and psychiatric evaluations, sexual health education, chemical dependency treatment, and individual, family and group therapy.
The AFSHS-RTP focuses on the need for corrective care and guidance to stop sexually abusive patterns, drawing on the resilience of youth and their abilities to achieve rehabilitation. Through caring and specialized treatment, youth can return to a healthier and more adaptive path of development.
Treatment theory
The AFSHS Program uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as the core component of its treatment program. DBT is a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that is effective with youth who have borderline personality tendencies, self-injurious and self-harming behaviors, or difficulty regulating their emotions. DBT also addresses symptoms of trauma/PTSD. The four key skills taught in DBT are mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. In addition to DBT, skill-based individual, group, and family sessions are provided. All staff are trained in coaching DBT skills daily in the living unit.
Short-term (120 days) residential program
How the short-term residential program works
This 120-day structured intervention in the County Home School works with referral agencies, schools and families to design a client-centered treatment process to assist youth in returning to the community and outpatient services.
The program focuses on:
- Stabilization
- Short-term intensive intervention
- Engagement of family and community resources
- Development of a comprehensive safety plan
- Transition or return to the community with individualized treatment goals
- Chemical dependency treatment
Eligibility criteria
- Youth who are adjudicated of a sexual offense who have a stay of adjudication for a sexual offense (felony/gross-misdemeanor/misdemeanor) or who have a continuance in place with the potential to be granted the stay of adjudication for such offense.
- Youth at least 14-years-old but no more than 17 years, 6 months at the date of disposition. (Exception: Extended Jurisdiction Juvenile who must enter the program by 18 years, 6 months as defined by guidelines for dispositional recommendations with an indeterminate disposition.)
- First-time or repeat offenders
- Youth who are failing outpatient services
- Youth who have completed treatment but are violating probation expectations and failing to follow through with after-care plans
- Youth who don’t have a stable living environment and need community placement and stabilization services in a residential setting
- Youth at risk if they stay in the community
- Youth with significant chemical abuse concerns, especially if tied to sexually harmful behavior
- Youth who are currently in school working towards earning their high school diploma or GED.
Youth ineligible for placement
- Youth who are actively suicidal or demonstrating psychotic behaviors/symptoms
- Youth who do not have an adjudicated sex offense
- Youth who act out violently, including a history of assaultive behavior
- Youth who have a history of fleeing from placement
Long-term (14-16 months) residential program
How the long-term residential program works
This 14 to 16-month program in the County Home School includes comprehensive clinical services; psychosexual assessment; sexuality education; and individual, family and group therapy.
The program focuses on:
- Community safety
- Long-term intensive therapy
- Psychiatric consultation/monitoring of medications
- Engagement of family and community resources
- Sexual health
- Chemical dependency treatment
- Development of a comprehensive relapse prevention and safety plan
- Transition or return to the community with individualized treatment goals and aftercare services
Eligibility criteria
- Youth who are adjudicated of a sexual offense who have a stay of adjudication for a sexual offense (felony/gross-misdemeanor/misdemeanor) or who have a continuance in place with the potential to be granted the stay of adjudication for such offense
- Youth at least 14-years-old but no more than 17 years, 6 months at the date of disposition. (Exception: Extended Jurisdiction Juvenile who must enter the program by 18 years, 6 months as defined by guidelines for dispositional recommendations with an indeterminate disposition.)
- Youth who have completed a psychosexual evaluation, are identified as moderate to high risk and are recommend for long-term residential sexual offense specific treatment
- Youth who are at risk if they remain in the community because of safety concerns or behaviors that requires out of home placement
- Youth who have failed to complete an outpatient program or other residential programming
- Youth demonstrating significant sexual deviancy, sexual aggression or patterned offending behaviors
- Youth who are currently in school working towards earning their high school diploma or GED
- Minimum IQ level of 80
All AFSHS referrals will have a psychosexual evaluation completed within the last calendar year prior to admission.
Youth ineligible for placement
- Youth who are actively suicidal or demonstrating psychotic behaviors/symptoms
- Youth who do not have an adjudicated sex offense
- Youth who act out violently, including a history of assaultive behavior
- Youth who have a history of fleeing from placement
Out of county referrals
Must meet referral criteria provided by the Hennepin County Home School – by contacting (612) 596-0550. Inquiries will be directed to the intake staff as needed.
Questions
Dennis Franckowiak, AFSHS in-patient program director
Phone: 612-596-0550
Fax: 612-321-3443
dennis.franckowiak@hennepin.us