Day Treatment JR
The Day Treatment JR Program is a therapeutic service for children and youth between 6 – 12 years of age who are experiencing significant emotional, social, and/or behavioural challenges that are having a significant impact in their home school setting despite other supports and interventions.
In partnership with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, this program combines a supportive school environment with therapeutic and skill-teaching activities designed to foster healthy development and the attainment of treatment goals.
Location, Hours, and Length of Program
The Day Treatment JR program operates out of Lutherwood’s Children’s Mental Health Centre at 285 Benjamin Road in Waterloo, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 2:00 pm.
The length of the program varies and is based upon the child’s individual needs and treatment goals. The Day Treatment team works collaboratively with staff from the child’s home school to help the child successfully transition back upon discharge from the program.
School Day and Classroom Structure
The Day Treatment JR program follows the nutrition break schedule. School day activities vary and include:
- academic work
- physical activity
- social-emotional skill development
- indoor and outdoor recreation
- aquatic programming
- supported chances to socialize with peers and practice skills
- mental health treatment appropriate to the child’s developmental stage and individual needs
Each classroom has a low staff to student ratio with one Teacher and one Child and Youth Counsellor in each classroom with up to 8 children. This ensures children are supported through guided activities to help them practice the skills and strategies they are learning.
Our Treatment Model
The Day Treatment JR program has been designed using best practices and evidence-based treatment approaches for children under 12 in day treatment settings.
Components:
- The focus of the Day Treatment JR program is social emotional learning and the development of emotion regulation and problem solving skills
- Two treatment skills groups are used to achieve increased emotional and social competencies: DBT-I (Dialectical Behavior Informed Therapy) and PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies)
- Involvement and participation from family to transfer skills and strategies to the home environment and provide opportunities for collaboration is a key component of the Day Treatment JR Program
- The program draws on research clearly demonstrating that interventions for children have more positive outcomes when caregivers are involved
- Caregivers are involved in treatment planning, ongoing communication and information sharing with program staff. Parent groups and one to one family work help caregivers support their child at home with the skills being learned at school
- Teachers and staff will use developmentally appropriate techniques from evidence-based approaches for supporting and working with children with mental health or behavioural struggles, including CPS (Collaborative and Proactive Solutions, also known as Collaborative Problem Solving); DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy); Trauma-Informed approaches
- An individual treatment plan will be developed for each child to identify their unique strengths and areas of need based on prior and ongoing assessments
- The program is supported by an interdisciplinary team including: Teachers, Child and Youth Counsellors, Intensive Family Support Worker, Clinician, Psychologist, Nurse Therapist, Music Therapist, Recreation Coordinator, Program Supervisor, Clinical Supervisor, Program Manager
How to Access
This program is accessed through Lutherwood’s Front Door by calling 519-749-2932 Monday to Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. The Assessment and Referral team will help determine if this program is right for your family.
To make a referral, please visit Information for Community Partners.