Overview

• Three Community-Based Therapeutic Homes: Chelsea, Gardiner, Waterville
• Ages Served: 5 – 18 years
• Appropriate Referrals: Children coming into care who are threatening to disrupt or have disrupted placements. Other approriate referrals are children for whom there are questions about their needs and mental health diagnosis and for whom more information is needed.  

Services

• Residential Treatment
• Therapeutic Milieu Treatment
• Individual/Group/Family Therapy
• Evidence-based Practices
• Medication Management
• Behavior Modification
• Structured Recreational and Social Activities
• Occupational Therapy/Speech and Language
• Screening and treatment for co-occurring substance abuse disorder (for clients 11 years of age and older)

Our Approach

At the Options Program we assist the child with concentrated work and provide support for the family until the child can return home. This includes providing family teaching and therapy, as well as developing treatment and crisis plans with the family that can generalize to a home setting when the client leaves Options. The program employs Therapeutic Couples, a staffing model that is unique to Spurwink. These couples provide consistency and the opportunity to grow within a family-like environment while providing modeling and working directly with families to develop intervention strategies that will work in their home. Children are able to develop a healthy level of functioning while maintaining strong ties within the community.

For placements where questions exist regarding diagnosis or placement/treatment needs, we also observe and record patterns in behavior and referrals are made for specialized evaluations as needed. At the end of the child’s stay with the Options Program, recommendations are made regarding the needs of the child and the family and outpatient supports needed or an appropriate subsequent placement.