|
|
Hanover Ancillary Services
|
|
CLINICAL DEPARTMENT
Cardinal Cushing Center at Hanover employs a full-time Licensed
Clinical Psychologist who acts as the Clinical Coordinator
for the various on-campus programs and supervises the work
of the Clinical Department.
In addition, Mental Health Clinicians, Behavior Specialists,
Crisis Workers, and a Human Development Coordinator provide
full-time services to the students of the facility. A Consulting
Psychiatrist provides four hours per week of psychopharmocological
consultation on campus. Services provided to students and
staff by the Clinical Department on campus include the following:
1. Clinical case conferences for service coordinators, academic,
vocational, and residential staff on a weekly basis.
2. Clinical case reviews with psychiatric and neurological
consultation when appropriate.
3. Psychodiagnostic evaluations of students.
4. Prescription and monitoring of psychoactive medications.
5. Behavior management and treatment planning, including individualized
behavior plans based on applied behavior analysis.
6. Consultation to non-clinical program departments.
7. Individual and group counseling based on individual need
and appropriateness, including human development and sexuality
training.
8. Family case work and outreach; family therapy, including
home-based behavior plans and contracts.
9. Crisis intervention for academic, vocational, and residential
programs, including use of the crisis center and time-out
rooms when individually appropriate.
10. Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training and restraint
coordination.
The philosophy of the department is eclectic in that behavioral,
psychodynamic, psychoeducational, and biologic psychiatry
are all utilized as appropriate to a student's individual
needs. The only services not provided on campus involve dispositions
for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. Individual, family,
and group modalities are all used when appropriate.
Frequency of therapy is dependent on various factors such
as phase of therapy, type of therapy, client motivation, and
client mental status. Frequency may vary from student to student
and is highly dependent on the student's status in relation
to individual goals. Frequently, referrals are made to agencies
in the area of meaningful tie when travel distance presents
a significant barrier to treatment.
HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT
The goal of the Health Services Department at Cardinal Cushing
Center at Hanover is to promote and maintain the good health
of our students. In order to meet the needs of the students
on a
continuing basis, the Health Center provides, on-site nursing
coverage, with the exception of
Friday and Saturday overnights. These hours are covered by
an on-call Registered Nurse.
A nurse practitioner is employed on a part-time basis and
is also available for consultation and a medical doctor serves
as the consulting physician.
Clinic hours are available during the day and evening to
address students' concerns. In the course of the clinic visit,
the nurse on duty assesses the condition of the student according
to the presenting complaint, and formulates a plan of treatment
according to approved protocols. When necessary, ill students
are referred to the nurse practitioner or primary care physician.
When a student has been seen by the physician or is acutely
ill, the parent/guardian will be notified by the nurse on
duty.
STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Student Services Service Profile
The Student Services Department provides students and their
families with case management and ancillary services. Upon
admission, students are assigned a Student Services Coordinator
who will act as the primary contact for the student and his/her
family. The Student Services Coordinator also assists in negotiating
systems within our organization as well as with outside agencies,
and is responsible for the student's educational program and
future planning.
Ancillary services provided by the Student Services Department
include Occupational Therapy, Speech/Language Services, and
Social Skills Training. These services are integrated into
all program areas. The philosophy of an integrated model of
instruction includes meeting the needs of students within
the context of natural settings, while incorporating the goals
of their Individual Education Programs. On-going communication
and collaboration among specialists ensures a consistent team
approach in assisting students toward achieving their individual
goals on and off campus.
The School Psychologist, also a member of the Student Services
Department, provides advice regarding appropriate classroom
placement upon admission. The Psychologist tests students
in preparation for their Individual Education Program meetings
and administers other tests related to determination of eligibility
for services by outside agencies.
Speech/Language Services
The speech and language team is involved with students
across all settings. In collaboration with the teaching,
residential, clinical, nursing and specialist teams, they
address communication/hearing, swallowing, and social skills
challenges that students are faced with in the context of
natural settings, on and off campus. Given the needs of the
student, as determined by the Team, his/her educational
program may reflect inclusion within our integrated model
and/or more specific involvement within our Therapeutic
Tracks of Service. To that end, a student’s plan may include
a therapeutic trial of service, individual and/or small
group therapy, consultation to all areas of his/her program,
mealtime monitoring, and Activities of Daily Living, which
may include meal preparation, cooking, hygiene, vocational
and/or community skills.
Occupational Therapy Services
The aim of Occupational Therapy is to promote independence
in functional skills, such as self-care, fine motor skills,
and visual/perceptual skills. Through the use of therapeutic
equipment and techniques, strategies are incorporated into
all areas of a student's program to promote self-regulation,
calmness and body organization.
Social Skills Services
Social skills are the verbal and nonverbal components of
social behaviors that help people interact successfully in
different environments. Our Social Skills Coordinator works
with direct care staff in teaching the following skills areas:
basic interaction skills, conversation skills, relationship
training, problem solving skills, coping skills, feeling recognition
and empathy, work related social skills, refusal and assertiveness
skills, etc.
|