Program areas at Northwood Children's Home Society
Northwood Children's services operates a 24-hour residential treatment facility that provide children with a safe, well-maintained living environment. Within an assigned team of 8-12 students - grouped according to treatment needs, diagnosis, and age - children learn to live with others in a family-like atmosphere. A comprehensive development plan is prepared for each student that outlines specific treatment goals that are scored and evaluated on a daily basis using a life skills model. Northwood also operates a psychiatric residential treatment facility (prtf), the first such facility in Minnesota, with 1 to 3 staff to child ratio in assigned teams of up to 8 students and 24 hours medical staff on hand. Additionally, Northwood operates a diagnostic and assessment center that provides 24-hour Children's residential facility solely for diagnostic purposes. During 2022, Northwood provided over 21,000 child care days of service.
Northwood operates five corporate foster care(cfc) homes, which is a federally funded program for persons with emotional and mental disabilities. The mission of these cfc homes is to provide a safe, attractive and nurturing home-like living and learning environment for children and youth. The program, taking into account the unique needs and capacities of each student, promotes positive experiences, opportunities, and the acquisition of developmental assets needed to become responsible, successful, and caring adults.
Northwood operates nine intensive day treatment programs which serve children with behavioral, emotional, or learning problems. Day treatment addresses the needs of boys and girls who need more intense services than public schools provide, yet do not need out-of-home, 24-hour care. Northwood also operates the little learners enrichment center, which is an early intervention program for toddlers and preschoolers, and in-home treatment services, which provides home-based programs designed to preserve and strengthen families in crisis and to assist children when they are discharged from residential or day treatment programs.
Northwood operates a diagnostic and assessment center that provides comprehensive evaluations, diagnoses, and family assessments for children referred to the program. Northwood also provides therapeutic foster care, which is an individualized program for young people whose special needs cannot be met in their own families, but who do not require the care of a residential treatment center.