Program Operations: Utah Youth Village Group

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Section 1:BASIC information….

Who do I call if I have questions?How should I dress?

When should I find a babysitter for my own children?

Who can be a the group home?Can I leave the group home if it’s not my scheduled day away?What do I do if my associates can’t come in to work?

What are my responsibilities?

Who do I call when I have questions?

Answer: Call your consultant if it is about the teaching model, youth, or you need assistance with a treatment issue or crisis. If it is an emergency and can’t reach them, call their supervisor. If you are an associate, contact the family teachers.

What do I wear and when?

Answer: You dress in casual clothing that is consistent with Village rules most of the time. If you have a meeting or training to attend, either at your home or the office, you should dress business casual. If you are going to court, having a guest night, or attending an event for the Village, you should dress formally, or in what we call “court clothes”. Which include dress pants, dress shirt and tie, with dress shoes for males and a dress/ skirt and dress shoes for women.

When is it appropriate to find a babysitter for my own children?

Answer: Because we are family style, this is usually not an issue. If you are attending a training, meeting or event where both are required to attend, it would be appropriate to find a babysitter so that you can get the information and participate. Small children that are not mobile are usually not an issue unless you end up missing information because you are out in the hall with them or others are distracted because they are loud or fussy.

Who can visit the group home while I’m working?

Answer: If you would like to have family visit, they can. Family get-together’s? No problem! You need to make

sure that you are monitoring the people and children in the home, do not leave the youth alone in a room with them,

and that they are not allowed to teach to the youth. If someone is spending the night, it must be in your

apartment and if longer then a week, they must have a BCI done. The youth’s families and friends may NOT spend the

night due to liabilities.

Can I leave the group home if it’s not my scheduled day away?

Answer: Because this is a “lifestyle”, the answer is yes. However, when the youth are home you need to be with the youth, and you must maintain ratios at all time. If you had a

friend come into town and one of you wanted to go to a movie, that would be okay if the ratio’s are met and is not happening

consistently, not allowing you to work the majority of the time as a team. Both family teachers should never be gone unless it

is your scheduled day off. As a general rule, make sure that you are in line with the direction given you by your consultant.

What do I do if my associate can’t come in to work?

Answer: If your associate calls and can’t come in to work and they are scheduled, if your ratios are met you just work without them and they take the time as sick time or vacation, or possibly move their hours to another day if that works for the home. If it is supposed to be your day away, then you ask them to call someone to cover for them. You manage that, you do not have them contact the consultant. They are your associate. If they are sick, you should call for them out of consideration. Associates should ask for vacation time in advance and submit for it online.

What are my responsibilities?

ANSWER: See Section II !

SECTION IIFamily Teacher Responsibilities:1. The running and maintaining of the home2. The scheduling and supervision of the associates3. Making sure that the youth are being treated

ethically and that effective treatment is occurring according to the Teaching Family Model

4. Meeting contractual licensing requirements5. Doing all required paperwork accurately and in a

timely manner.6. Maintaining contact with consumers and positive

relationships.7. Providing a positive, fun, family environment for

youth to learn in!8. Implement feedback from consumers immediately

to improve your skills so that you can become a pro!

Running and Maintaining Home

1. Daily Schedule – Youth ( through out

day ; “structured environment”

– Family teachers ( to include time for consumers, paperwork, home maintenance, one-one one, organizing etc.)

2. Weekly Schedule3. Monthly Calendar

Scheduling and Supervising Associates

• Do a schedule up by the 23rd of the previous month so that the associates can plan out their lives.

• Ask them to have days off needed turned in by then.• Try to take consistent days off. It is easier for scheduling

meetings etc. you want to be to.• Give associates holidays off and you don’t take them off. You

are the only family many of the youth have. • Plan two days away from the home side- by- side whenever

possible.• Meet with associates before and after time away and

beginning and end of their scheduled time for communication.• Required: Weekly team meeting

Working with Associates

1. Model expectations2. Praise and reinforce, build relationships3. Be flexible but consistent4. Train them and provide them with immediate

feedback so they are doing it right. 5. Set them up to be successful!6. Communicate with them and support them.

REMEMBER:

We have GREAT associates that are career focused. They may be your boss someday.

Treatment of Youth• Youth Rights ( review page)• Monitoring teaching interactions• Insuring positive to negative ratios

are occurring• Watching for sarcasm, negativity,

bullying, youth that are being ignored• Monitoring youth• Aware of goal areas, file, issues

Meeting Contractual Licensing Requirements

• Safety

• Health

• Fire

• Alarms

• DCFS, DJJS and Private Contracts

• Supervision Checklist

– Review list

Required Paperwork

• Check email daily• Keep phone on you at all

times, have calls forwarded if needed

• Medication Logs• Fire Drill Logs• Allowance Sheets• Budget/ check register• Youth Files/ Out of Home• Time Cards • Incident Reports

• Calendar of contact, events• Set up appointment, watch

CHECs, Dentals• Skills Cards, Weekly Sheets• Monthly Summarys• TPR’s ( Quarterly, YOQ’s)• Discharges• Maintenance Lists

WELL Child Checks/ Dentals

• Youth are required to have CHEC and Dental exams when they come into DCFS/ DJJS care.

• Youth are required to have WELL Child Checks annually.• Youth are required to have Dental exams Every six months. You must take a Health Visit Form with you to the visit.

The form must be filled out completely, signed by the doctor, and faxed to the caseworker/ health nurse.

A copy is then placed in the youths file and a copy is turned in to the office to be placed in the youths file.

ALL DUE THE 5th of Each Month

Maintain contact with consumers

• Contact consumers immediately if needed and at least weekly for updates.

• Communicate praise for their efforts, empathy for their situations, and encouragement for their assignment.

• Tell them the positive things too!

• Invite them over• Always have house

prepared for guests

FUN and Positive • Praise• Be Creative• Plan ahead• Bored means trouble• Get out of the house• Try new things• Trade off when you need to or when you are

reacting instead of teaching• Activities – Family, Privileged, Goals• Home Decorations• Holidays

Implementing Feedback

Different kinds of feedback:-consumers (teachers, parents, caseworkers)-associates-youth-consultant ( IH’s, OPR’s, Consultation,)

Why implement immediately? What IS immediately?

YOU ARE READY TO GO!

AREN’T YOU?

SECTION III:FIRST DAYS IN THE HOME

Don’t change anything unless your consultant told you to.Do the schedule EXACTLYSpend time talking to the youthMeet with your associatesCall your consumers and introduce yourselfMeet your neighborsDo your first effective praise in the first 10 minutesDo your first preventive in the first 30 minutesDo your first corrective the first hour Use your cheat sheets to get all the steps rightCall your consultant for anything over 5,000 and for any questionsCook at homeGo to bed on time