The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) provides a framework for achieving positive outcomes for youth and families served in residential and community programs. Founded on core principles, an emerging evidence base, and acknowledged best practices, the BBI emphasizes collaboration and coordination between providers, families, youth, advocates, and…

Much controversy exists regarding the effectiveness of residential treatment. Recently, emerging research has demonstrated that community-based residential treatment has more positive long-term outcomes for youth. This article describes a community-based program that was implemented at a residential treatment agency serving youth. Targeted…

This paper chronicles the exploration and development of a residential program of the child welfare authority of Renfrew County in Ontario, Canada. Recognizing that virtually its entire population of youth in care was failing to achieve positive outcomes in education, Renfrew County Family and Children Services embarked on a program development…

This paper describes an effort to bridge research and practice in residential care through implementing a program model titled Children and Residential Experiences (CARE). The strategy involves consulting at all levels of the organization to guide personnel to incorporate CARE evidence-based principles into daily practice, and fostering an…

Describes an alternative to traditional residential care for children with behavior disorders, neuroses, bizarre behavior, or immature personality designed to maintain the child in his or her own rural community and to provide a family-type experience. (RH)

Key questions in outcome evaluation involve outcomes to be measured, differentiation of institutions, and the evaluation criteria-professionally derived or community-derived. (Author/SDH)

Describes the development and evaluation of a community-based program that provided an alternative to residential care by providing "wraparound" services to children with moderate to severe emotional difficulties. Program goals were preventing admission to residential care, maintaining children in the area, and assisting in early…

Describes a behavior modification program that has proved effective with boys with learning and behavior problems. (SB)

A preliminary report on a year-old pilot project attempting to formulate protocols for measuring goal achievement in residential treatment. (SS)

Several states and providers have embarked on initiatives to reduce using restraint and seclusion in residential programs. Restraint and seclusion are associated with harm to youth and staff, significant costs, reduced quality of care, and less engagement of youth and families. Successful reduction/prevention strategies have been identified,…

In this article on state-organized programs to reduce rates of juvenile delinquency, programs such as truancy prevention, day treatment, specialized foster care for emotionally disturbed, handicapped, and/or mentally retarded children, community resources projects, and residential treatment are briefly described. (Author/SE)

This article identifies some of the practical issues related to program evaluation in a residential treatment center for adolescent girls. (GO)

Describes a pilot staff development project at Christie School, a residential center with a capacity for 38 emotionally disturbed children. (RH)

Describes the development of community-based group homes for adolescents operated by a child care agency in affiliation with hospitals in New York City. (SDH)

Outlines a group-oriented residential treatment model for emotionally disturbed adolescents, aged 13-18. Key features include use of therapeutic language and value systems, delineation of developmental expectations, formation of a positive peer culture, and emphasis on the group process for both therapy and decision making. (Author/BF)