MYS Programs:

The Williamson Planning and Assessment Program is a six-bed community home providing a functional assessment, care, and planning services to adolescent males between the ages of 12 and 17. It is a sixteen-week program, with an assessment report reviewed with the youth, their family, and the Social Worker at week 12. The final four weeks of the program allow for successful transition to a new placement.

The youth that attend this program are referred by a mandated Child and Family Services Agency, and have no long-term plans or identified placement resources. They are referred with the purpose of:

• Gaining an understanding of the youth on a variety of levels including social/emotional, academic and behavioural.
• Identifying strategies for caregivers to encourage success in the next placement.
• Making recommendations regarding the placement environment that will allow the young person to develop healthy strategies and abilities, enabling him to take charge of his life.

The staff team is comprised of skilled and experienced Youth Care Workers, who are able to engage and stabilize youth quickly, while managing a wide range of challenging behaviours. This team also includes a Youth Care Worker whose primary role is to focus on engaging the youth in Workforce Venture, our work experience program. A Program Manager and Therapist work together to support the team, and offer leadership and direction in working with the youth and their families.

Integral to the program is the belief in the value of the young person’s voice. This is reflected in the assessment report which is a compilation of the information collected from interactions and a variety of other sources including the youth, his family, past placements, support workers, and other professionals involved with the youth. The report presents recommendations for placement, and outlines the youth’s level of functioning in five areas: physical, educational, cultural/spiritual, social/emotional/behavioural, and family. It also highlights interventions and strategies implemented by the team that were seen to be successful in addressing behavioural issues with the young person.

The assessment report is reviewed by the youth, his family, and his Social Worker at a planning and implementation meeting. Out of this meeting, realistic, practical, and action-oriented long-term plans are established. These plans are based on the results of the functional assessment, and address the reasons for referral to the program. The report also identifies long-term placement needs, and includes recommendations for family involvement.