Application for Admission, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Each child is individually evaluated to determine if they meet the criteria for admission. No one is excluded because of cultural background or gender. 

• Psychiatric Illness or Emotional Disability- Such as depression or anxiety, that is interfering with the student's ability to perform in some aspect of their life, including at home, in school, and in the community.
• Dangerous Behavior Towards Self or Others- Including loss of control, aggression, suicidal thoughts, drug or alcohol abuse, or other self-destructive behaviors.
• Altered Mental Status- impaired reality testing, illogical or distorted thought processing, psychotic features.
• Unsuccessful in Previous Less Restrictive Environment- Outpatient therapy or homebased service, loss of previous placement, or severity of symptoms such that outpatient therapy alone would be inadequate. 
• Symptoms of Behavior Disorders- Including attention deficit, oppositional defiant disorder, poor social skills, poor anger management, school avoidance, or impaired judgement and impulse control.
• Severe Psychosocial Stressors or Trauma

• Students with intellectual disabilities, autism, or pervasive developmental disorders are evaluated individually to determine if they can benefit from the program.
• Children with a high risk to hurt themselves or others, who have a degenerative mental condition, or who do not form therapeutic relationships are evaluated closely, as these problems often require a more intensive or different level of treatment than is provided in this setting.
• Additional testing (e.g. neurological or psychological) may be requested to determine if a student is appropriate for admission to the program. 
• Students with a primary substance abuse or chemical dependency problem are typically not eligible for services unless they concurrently receive treatment for abuse or dependency, or unless they have recently and successfully completed such treatment.
• Students may be offered admission on a conditional basis, or a trial period, to determine if they can benefit from the services provided in the program.