Youth and Family Services Finds Success with Creative Services and Solutions Built Around the Individual Child

Often traditional therapies may not be a fit for children who have intense behavioral issues and are at the intense end of the spectrum, so the staff at Youth and Family Services finds creative ways to find solutions for these youth and their families End Quote

Phoenix-Mesa, AZ (1888PressRelease) June 28, 2011 - An autistic child with diabetes and other medical problems was acting out. He had tantrums three to five times a day which was difficult to manage by his grandmother and grandfather who are raising him. After Nicole Johnson from Youth and Family Services worked with this child, he had a 30 day period without any tantrums and without anyone having to restrain him.

"At Youth and Families First, we create a model of services around the child," said Program Coordinator Nicole Johnson, BHT. "We create therapies and solutions that work with the families."

"We got him to use his words to express how he felt and also encouraged him to do productive physical activity such as using his trampoline, said Nicole who taught this child's grandmother and grandfather how to hug him with a light touch and then applying more pressure to address his motor integration needs. "Now when he is anxious, he tells his grandparents, 'I need a hug.' Previously he was acting out to get the result of the restraining because that was his way to feel safe when he was unsure about his environment. Now he is verifying his safety with a hug."

Often traditional therapies may not be a fit for these children who have intense behavioral issues and are at the intense end of the spectrum, so the staff at Youth and Family Services finds creative ways to find solutions for these youth and their families.

Nicole oversees the provision of independent living skills at Youth and Family Services. Nicole teaches youth how to process their feelings of anger or anxiety, problem solve and even budget their finances. The goal is to increase the emotional intelligence of the youth while collaborating with the family members and teaching parents and guardians how to cope. Youth and Family Services also assists these families in identifying additional natural services for the child.
"There is hope," said Nicole "There is not a single behavior that they can exhibit that we will kick them out of the program for. From the intake to service plan we work with the family to creatively problem solve and create an environment of successful for these children."

About Youth and Families First
Youth and Families First is a newly formed non-profit, Direct Services Provider. We provide intensive direct support services to youth and families who are at risk and may have multisystemic involvement. We partner with youth with a variety of different needs and in the locations that best fit the youth and their family. Some of these include, but are not limited to the following: youth with mental and behavioral health issues, those who are part of the Juvenile Justice system, youth who are in out of home placement or are returning to their home or community from out of home placement, and youth that struggle with behavioral issues at home, school, or in their community.

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