A critical element of treatment is the building of positive
relationships. The staff sees their principal job as creating a
supportive environment, encouraging patients to learn and
experience trust, and serving as positive role models. Treatment
programs are geared toward ego building and adoption of coping
strategies that promote self reliance, personal responsibility,
and problem solving. Patients are encouraged to utilize all
facets of the therapeutic programs to strengthen interpersonal
and family/guardian relationships, as well as assess and
evaluate behaviors and attitudes toward themselves,
families/guardian and peers. The program provides patients with
an array of resources and support to actively engage in a
self-evaluation process to strengthen their self image,
accomplish age-appropriate developmental tasks, and adjust to
meet healthy societal expectations. The program model is a
medical model with a cognitive behavioral approach, which
includes individual and family group therapy.
Involvement of the patient's family/guardian in the treatment
program is essential to the treatment process, when family
reintegration is possible. Since the family is the primary
social unit in which the youth is nurtured, socialized, and
supported, the program works with the family/guardian to enhance
its functioning in these roles, and to re integrate the youth
into the family/guardian systems as soon as possible, unless
clinically contraindicated. Where family re integration is not
possible or not seen as a positive goal, the staff works closely
with the patient and family/guardian to choose an alternative
placement which will meet the needs of the patient.
Patients will attend school at The Ridge during the academic
year. The educational program at The Ridge is provided by the
Fayette County School System and is staffed by certified
teachers. Teachers are in contact with the patient’s home school
to ensure continuity of their educational needs.
Well-balanced and nutritious meals, approved by a registered
dietician, are provided in the cafeteria and/or on the unit
three times daily. Between meals, snacks are provided twice
daily for each patient.
