St. Francis Home for Children

Boys Youth Center for Assessment Respite and Enrichment (Boys Youth CARE)

"Adults who show consistent interest, listen, mentor, set limits, show and expect respect, and speak the truth are demonstrating to boys their belief in them” (Hossfeld, 2007).

Centrally located at the Jimmy Miller Center on 672 Congress Avenue, in New Haven, CT is the boys’ Youth Center for Assessment Respite and Enrichment is a strengths-based, trauma-sensitive, gender responsive, thirty day respite program for six (6) older adolescent boys, ages 16-17. The goals are to ultimately reduce the number of adolescent boys that are incarcerated in adult facilities, assist court involved boys in identifying their strengths, help them to develop the skills and behaviors necessary to achieve success in their community, and to encourage changes in the boys’ life that will positively impact his relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and school. The program works to: assess the multi-dimensional needs of the boys and their families; to connect the boys with community resources; to facilitate communication and reunification with their families; and to offer ongoing follow-up support to ensure program success. The program offers an array of services including crisis intervention, family mediation, aftercare, substance abuse referrals and groups, individual and group counseling, medical, recreation, education, opportunities for community volunteering, spirituality, family services, diverse and culturally enhanced programs to promote individual and cultural pride. On-site schooling enables the boys to exceed or maintain their current academic levels. Many of the boys reintegrate back into their local high school or enroll in alternative academic programs such as vocational school.

Referred by adult probation officers and funded by the Court Support Services Division (CSSD), the Care Youth boys depending on their needs may be referred to Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT), Multi-systemic Therapy (MST) or other community-based services, as indicated in their assessment. Program staff are required participate in several gender responsive trainings such as Boy’s Circle, “TARGET” (Trauma Adaptive Recovery Group Education and Therapy), “Teach Reach and Inspire” (TRI behavioral motivation) to effectively provide a trauma free, gender responsive and empowered milieu. The court, probation, DCF, the boys’ school and his family are encouraged to partner with the program and are involved in the treatment planning process to ensure that an integrated discharge plan is developed.