Program areas at Wesley Family Services
Education and behavioral health in schools we offer a variety of Services to youth in a school setting to meet both their educational and behavioral/mental health needs. Wesley Family Services operates two private academic licensed schools. The schools are licensed for kindergarten, elementary and secondary education along with the special education categories of autism, learning disabilities and social/emotional disturbance. Both schools also hold status as approved private schools with funding from the Pennsylvania department of education. The schools are separated by grade level: one for kindergarten through 8th grade and one for high school (grades 9-12). Within the Wesley Family schools, we offer the following:a) school-based partial hospital Services. This program weaves both partial hospital Services and educational Services simultaneously into each child's daily plan in an intentionally coordinated fashion. B) acute partial hospitalization. This program is for children and adolescents who are in crisis and need short term stabilization and referral Services. The program focuses more on the behavioral/mental health needs of the child above the educational needs during the short length of stay. C) school-based outpatient Services and therapeutic support Services. These therapy Services vary in degree of intensity based upon the needs of the child and are incorporated into their school day accordingly.d) psychological evaluations and other consultative Services. These comprehensive Services provide diagnostic clarification for mental or behavioral health concerns and recommend treatment for school aged children, young adults and their families.school-based behavioral health Services provide skilled mental health professionals to work in public schools, providing support Services that are integrated into the students' academic day, while allowing the students to remain in their community school. The program offers schools an array of trainings, speaking engagements, consulting Services, behavioral health needs assessments, and full contracts designed to meet the individual, behavioral health needs of a school and its students. We also provide team (school-based clinical home team) delivered mental health Services to a population of students in public elementary and high schools. These Services extend to the home, school and community for a defined population of students with mental health needs.during fy23, we grew our kindergarten and school readiness program where staff provide support to enable children in kindergarten to learn successfully in their regular school setting by increasing their emotional regulation skills and academic school readiness. Individualized attention and intervention is possible in this program's small, structured environment where students can receive individual and group mental health therapy and a full neuropsychological evaluation in the same location as their school.
Intellectual and developmental disabilities Wesley Family Services offer a variety of Services to adults experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities (idd) through both facility-based programming and residential group living settings. The Services include: facility based vocational rehabilitation (fbvr) is designed to develop and enhance vocational and social strengths while facilitating individual choice. We are committed to providing quality Services to persons identifying a vocational component, while assisting people in optimizing self-sufficiency and community connections. Fbvr provides pre-vocational training in a light assembly industrial setting that provides realistic work expectations, basic work concepts and monetary compensation for work performed. Meanwhile, community participation supports provide opportunities to experience social activities within the community, in a wide variety of settings to hopefully cultivate meaningful community relationships.the senior day program provides engaging group activities for seniors with idd in an on-site adult day center. Participants gain the opportunity to socialize, enjoy peer support, and receive health and social Services in a supportive environment. Our group setting promotes better physical and mental health, allowing for a higher level of functioning when returning to their community. Lifesharing is a service that allows individuals with a developmental disability to experience real in-home settings in a family-like atmosphere rather than living in the traditional community living arrangement (commonly referred to as a group home.) A Family member, close friend, and/or community member has the opportunity to create natural supports for an individual with a developmental disability. This service is meant to create close and personal relationships for the individuals in their care because they are living with the caregiver and/or Family member who is providing the support.the residential program provides long-term residential support in community living arrangements for adults, 18 or older, with a primary diagnosis of an intellectual and/or developmental disability. Clients are integrated into the community by our dedicated and caring staff by providing care following the "everyday lives" principles, promoting self-determination, and meeting each individual's unique need and lifestyle.adult behavior support Services are designed to maintain clients in their home and community setting while focusing on specific, targeted goals. Direct and indirect Services include assessment, development of a crisis plan, creation of a behavior support plan and training on the interventions and strategies identified.
Family and children's behavioral health and autism Services family-based mental health therapy and support Services include case management, assessment, communication enhancement, parent education and crisis intervention. These Services focus on the needs of the Family unit and attempt to prevent out of home placements of at risk children and those with mental and emotional diagnosis.family preservation and stabilization is short-term intensive program that provides Family and individual therapy, case management support, and crisis management to children and families who are actively involved in and refereed by the juvenile justice system. Therapists work collaboratively with families to set goals that will create stability at home and address safety concerns.additional Family and child-welfare Services include: functional Family therapy and aggression replacement training (art).the following autism programs provide high quality Services tailored to meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders. 1) ibhs (intensive behavioral health Services): provides intensive, behavior focused consultation, therapy and interventions. These Services can take place in the home, school, or community. This short-term service promotes independence by transferring the skills and expertise of ibhs staff to the Family, school, and/or other involved child-serving systems. It is our hope that we can improve the quality of life for children and families. Each client will receive an individualized treatment plan and crisis plan that will be developed, implemented and monitored in partnership with the child and Family. The intensity of the service depends on the individual child's needs and all of our clinicians utilize data-based decision making and positive, proactive strategies throughout the course of treatment.2) wonder kids (wk): offers children on the autism spectrum the chance to learn social skills. With small, therapeutic groups, children are able to learn how to interact with their peers in appropriate ways. Wk teaches the subtleties of communication such as eye contact, gestures, jokes, and initiating and sustaining conversation. 3) creative arts: offers an innovative approach to therapy. Our creative arts program has redefined the typical therapeutic group to include not only children, but their families as well. Children with or without a diagnosis are welcome, as our certified music therapists will work to assure that each child benefits individually. Our certified music therapists offer private, group, and Family instruction in the following areas: rhythm, movement, vocal, and instrumental.4) specialized outpatient Services to the asd population and to parents and children through parent-child interaction therapy (pcit).
Behavioral health wellness and recovery serviceswesley Family Services offers Services that provide treatment and rehabilitation, some in a residential setting, for adults suffering from various emotional, mental health and/or substance abuse disorders. The major programs in this category are: 1) assertive community treatment team provides 24/7 crisis Services to adults 18 and older suffering from serious mental illness. These Services include psychopharmacology, individual psychotherapy, supported employment, psychiatric rehabilitation, integrated dual-disorder treatment, peer support, and case management Services. 2) adult diversion and stabilization (das) provides immediate crisis-oriented Services for adults 18 and older with a primary mental health diagnosis in a short-term residence while diverting hospitalization. This 24 hour residential program, designed to have a home-like environment, provides psychiatric assessments, medication monitoring, individual crisis counseling, group counseling focused on crisis stabilization, and service linkage to mental health and substance abuse competent programs. Family support and prevention serviceswesley Family Services offers placement Services, such as foster care and adoption, to ensure that our children and youth are living in a safe and healthy environment and that their needs for permanency in a living situation and in relationships are met. The adoption Services include post-permanency Services to prevent disruptions of adoptive placements.wesley Family Services also offers empowerment programs such as:1) foster grandparents are volunteers who help, guide, assist, and act as positive role models, sharing their time and talents through one on one attention to school-age children who are at-risk or have special needs. 2) parentwise (education classes) offers wisdom, insight, support and encouragement through an evidence-based curriculum to children, parents, families and communities to eliminate child abuse, neglect, and Family and community violence and support parents and caregivers in their roles as nurturing adults.3) batterer's intervention program is a series of 24 classes taught to male inmates in jail or in the community. The program uses the duluth model and works with the participants to understand the violence and abuse they have committed and how to change their behavior to prevent future occurrences.outpatient servicesoutpatient behavioral health Services offer treatment that considers behavioral and mental health problems in a holistic way by identifying an individual's strengths and talents to help them acquire knowledge and skills for real and sustainable changes. This program provides Services to address mental health disorders through intensive outpatient (iop) and outpatient levels of care. Services include mental health assessments, psychiatric evaluations, individualized plans of care, medication monitoring and therapy options. Outpatient Services are offered at several locations in both clinic and school settings and by a mobile medication team provided in the home or community setting.aging (older adult) serviceswesley Family Services provides support to seniors in the community. We coordinate volunteer caregiving, care management, and provide support for better understanding of medicare. Services to older adults include: 1) options care management - the primary goal of options care management is to provide the assistance necessary to keep seniors living independently in their homes and communities. Care managers create a personalized plan based on an initial needs assessment and periodic re-assessments in order to fit the participants' changing strengths and needs. 2) in service of seniors: pittsburgh and open your heart to a senior are programs that provide Services with a mission to maximize the independence of older adults through volunteer-based practical supports. Our caring volunteers provide in-home, non-medical Services for older adults to help them maintain their independence and well-being in their own homes.3) pa medi helps people understand their medicare and other health insurance benefits and assist them in making informed decisions about their health care options. Pa medi counselors work individually and confidentially with individuals to determine their health care needs and preferences, health insurance options, and long-term living plans that fit their lifestyle and budget.community programsunder this group of Services, Wesley Family Services offer a variety of programs including:psychiatric rehabilitation, both mobile and site-based, provide therapeutic supports for adults with a serious and persistent mental illness. These programs assist young adults and adults, who have a diagnosis of a severe and persistent mental illness, to establish goals in their life to promote hope and independence as they learn, work, socialize, and build and maintain relationships to ultimately reach their full potential.drop-in centers for both adults and transition-age youth offer a supportive environment for those with a behavioral health diagnosis and/or social challenges. By participating in our program, clients have the opportunity to give and/or receive support from their peers, outside the traditional mental health setting, which often helps when managing one's behavioral health symptoms.first episode psychosis (engage) provides coordinated specialty care for transition-age youth (age 15-25) with psychosis in a community or office setting. Our program works with individuals who have been diagnosed or those who have not yet been diagnosed. The goal of our team of professionals is to decrease the duration of untreated psychosis for these individuals and prevent a second psychotic episode.the blended service coordination program provides Services to children, adolescents, and adults who have a primary mental health condition and may require support from a number of different resources in fostering the capacities and skills to direct their own lives. We provide education, support, advocacy, assisting and planning with recovery-oriented goals, network building, problem resolution, monitoring and linkage to preventive services.the administrative service coordination (asc) program helps children and adults gain timely and appropriate entry into the mental health system. Through a variety of Services, we make sure that individuals understand and have access to the treatment they need and that administrative issues are not a barrier to treatment. The supportive living program is a community-based housing supports program that provides Services to adult individuals (18 years and older) with a history of serious and persistent mental illness. The program is directed at maximizing individual independence in the community setting of their choice by teaching and developing skills and supports needed to address particular life goals that promote recovery.the representative payee program provides financial management to people with a mental health diagnosis who are in need of assistance with managing their social security benefits. Wfs is named as an individual's representative payee and a staff member works with the individual to create a budget to ensure that basic needs are met. Wfs staff work collaboratively with each individual to help them achieve financial stability and with other service providers to ensure continuity of care, with the end goal of independent financial management.community programs also include two shuttle Services. One provides free rides to and from medical facilities for adults in designated areas. The other shuttle provides free rides to and from local grocery and similar stores.healthy relationships curriculumwesley Family Services co-developed a curriculum, known as healthy relationships (hrc). Hrc offers adaptable lessons and activities that teach challenging life and social skills, both in-person and virtually, to individuals with various special needs in order to enable young adults to live fulfilling lives. The extensive curriculum is a manual as well as a comprehensive training provided by members of our experienced staff. Outcome tools, role plays and demonstrations, and home supplements are included.