NCJ Number
66104
Date Published
1980
Length
71 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER DOCUMENTS THE IDEAS, HISTORY, AND STRUCTURE OF ADVENTURE HOME, A COMMUNITY-BASED ALTERNATIVE TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION FOR DELINQUENT TEENAGERS IN COLORADO.
Abstract
IN DEVELOPING THE ADVENTURE HOME, THE INTENTION WAS TO INTEGRATE THE OUTWARD BOUND PROCESS, WHICH IS NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH WIDERNESS ENVIRONMENTS, INTO A GROUP HOME SETTING. THE PROGRAM HOPED TO CHANGE NEGATIVE VALUES AND BEHAVIORS AND TO MEET THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL, AND INTELLECTUAL NEEDS OF ADOLESCENTS. PARTICIPATION IN THE ADVENTURE HOME WAS VOLUNTARY. INITIALLY, A FIVE-STEP FORMAT WAS UTILIZED, MOVING FROM PHRASE ONE, IN WHICH ACTIVITIES WERE HIGHLY STRUCTURED AND SUPERVISED FOR NEW STUDENTS, TO PHASE FIVE, IN WHICH STUDENTS TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DAILY ACTIVITIES AND SERVED AS STAFF ASSISTANTS IN RUNNING THE HOME. PROGRESS THROUGH EACH PHASE WAS DETERMINED BY COMPLETION OF EASILY MEASURABLE GOALS THAT WERE THE SAME FOR EACH STUDENT. EACH PHASE INCLUDED SIX COMPONENTS; LIVING TASKS, EDUCATION, SERVICE OR WORK, OUTDOOR SKILLS, PHYSICAL FITNESS, AND COUNSELING. INITIAL PROGRAM GOALS PROVED TO BE UNATTAINABLE; THUS, BEHAVIORAL GOALS WERE ELIMINATED, AND THE PROGRAM WAS SHORTENED TO FOUR PHASES, THE FIRST TWO OF WHICH BECAME TIME-LIMITED. MAJOR CHANGES WERE ALSO MADE IN THREE OF THE SIX PROGRAM COMPONENTS, THE IN-HOUSE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE COMPONENT WERE ELIMINATED, AND THE WILDERNESS PROGRAM DEEMPHASIZED. ADMISSION POLICIES WERE REVISED TO INCLUDE GIRLS. THIS REVISED PROGRAM STRUCTURE, WHICH CAN BE USED AS A MODEL FOR OTHER ADVENTURE-BASED GROUP HOMES, IS FULLY DETAILED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO STAFFING, INTAKE PROCEDURES, NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, TREATMENT PLANS, PROGRAM PROGRESSION, AND AFTERCARE, APPENDIXES PRESENT THE ORIGINAL ADVENTURE HOME SYLLABUS, STAFF JOB DESCRIPTIONS, PROGRAM RULES, AND STUDENT PROGRESS REPORT FORMS. FOOTNOTES AND CHARTS AND TABLES WHICH DEPICT PROGRAM SCHEDULES AND OTHER INFORMATION ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)