Therapeutic Approach
Every adolescent who receives treatment at Cove Forge participates in a treatment program that is tailored to his special needs. Residents participate in individual therapy at least once a week, group therapy four days a week, and family therapy at least twice a month, as well as a variety of workshops and educational courses. Residents also participate in experiential ropes therapy on our 16-station high and low ropes course twice a week.
Academics
School is an important part of daily life for the residents at Cove Forge. The school, which is located on the Cove Forge campus, is fully accredited and is part of the Williamsburg School District (operated by the IU-08).
Teachers who are certified to teach in Pennsylvania offer both regular education and special education classes in the following areas:
- Math
- English
- Social Studies
- Science
- Health/Physical Education
School faculty works in close collaboration with the resident as well as his family, treatment team, and home school district personnel. To ensure that students receive individualized attention, class sizes are generally limited to 3-8 students.
There are five school periods, plus a study hall, each day. Each adolescent will obtain full school credit for each day he participates in the school program. Students will also receive guidance in developing life skills, study skills, and social skills.
A resident's educational plan will be set up in one of two ways. If an adolescent has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) from his home school district, we will follow that IEP in our school program at Cove Forge. If the resident has not been involved in school recently, or is not currently established in his home school district, the resident will follow the Cove Forge school curriculum. In both cases, academic instruction is based on the IEP, which becomes part of the individualized treatment plan and includes the goals identified by the interagency team.
At Cove Forge, we attempt to accommodate the special education needs of our residents. Gifted programs, Vo-Tech programs, and other options will be explored on a case by case basis. Upon completion of treatment, some residents will return to their home school district, while others may choose to integrate into the Williamsburg School District.