St. Cloud Youth Shelter: Programming

Chemical Awareness
Weekly group discussions about chemical awareness (smoking, drugs, alcohol), anxiety/depression and chemicals, and peer pressure help teach residents how to say no. Phase Work focuses on: 
  • Awareness of the use, reasons behind the use
  • Family concerns revolving around the use
  • Discussions of past actions due to chemical use
  • Discussions of future endeavors without chemical use
  • Methods of coping with anxiety and depression
  • Methods to escape peer pressure
  • Discussion of coping skills to be utilized during and after recovery
Transportation to treatment as well as NA/AA meetings is available.

Transitional
​Living
Transitional Living prepares older residents for independent living by teaching skills to find and keep jobs and apartments. Group Work focuses on:
  • Resume preparation
  • Employment applications
  • Housing searches
  • Domestic skills, such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, personal finance, budgeting
  • Social skills, such as peer interactions, team work, etc.

Sex Offender Curriculum
​Weekly discussions prepare residents for healthy relationships. Topics include sexuality; appropriate relationships with peers, families, and adults and in the community; cognitive distortions; and corrective-thinking patterns. Phase Work focuses on: 
  • Sexuality
  • Family relationships and support systems
  • Cognitive distortions and corrective thinking
  • Patterns of abusive behavior and past abuse
  • Empathy
Staff work closely with Core Professional Services to ensure safety, proper treatment, respecting of boundaries, and reintegration with family when appropriate.

Anger Management
Weekly anger management group discussions include anger as an appropriate emotion, how to appropriately express anger, and looking at other emotional/behavioral issues. We also discuss how to deal with others who may have explosive anger behaviors and how to find appropriate coping skills. Phase Work focuses on: 
  • Physical triggers
  • Emotional triggers
  • Understanding your past and the correlation with present behavior
  • Finding appropriate coping skills when angry
  • Helping to recognize and remove triggers
  • Developing improved communication skills 
  • Understanding anger as a secondary emotion and finding the reason behind each feeling

Emotional Regulation & Awareness
Outbursts, physical aggression, isolation, and self-harm are a few behaviors people use when they are unhappy with their self, are unaware of their emotions, don't understand how their emotions connect to life,  and don't know how to work through their emotions. Staff explore reasons for depression, anxiety, OCD, etc., and encourage positive self-expression. Phase Work includes:
  • Individual therapy
  • Positive reinforcement
  • Learning the difference between privileges and consequences
Staff work with the individuals and their families to develop a plan for residents to return home or  prepare the resident for independent living. We look at triggers, environment, past mistakes from which residents can learn, and goals for the future. 

Other Services
On-Site Programming
  • On-site schooling through ISD 742
  • Weekly library visits
  • Daily recreation promoting teamwork and social skills
  • Life skills training and support (for older residents)
  • Mentoring program (for long-term residents)
  • Gardening in the summer
  • Community service opportunities
  • Formal groups and activities
  • After-care support (for long-term residents)

External Programming
  • Transportation to appointments, including doctors, dentists, therapy, etc.
  • Transportation for treatment and outpatient chemical dependency, including CORE Professional Services, Effective Living Center, Recovery Plus, NA/AA
    • We also work with Central Minnesota Mental Health Center, MarketPlace Counseling, and, for evaluation, the Center for Psychological Services and Natalis Counseling & Psychology Solutions. Other partners include LGBT Resource Center and St. Cloud State University Multicultural Resource Center.