Alexander Youth Network

Alexander Youth Network Review

The Alexander Youth Network is a North Carolina based treatment program for clients ages five to 18, with several locations throughout the state. It’s worth noting, this program is for young people who are suffering from mental illness or psychiatric crisis. The residential treatment facility is located in the Charlotte area. Treatment uses a combination of evidence-based and holistic approaches to create a personalized programming plan for each client.

Accommodations and Food

The residential facility accommodates 36 children who sleep in several cottages on a 60 acre, heavily wooded campus that used to be a dairy farm. The cottages are pretty self contained with small living room space, two bedrooms and full bathroom. Each of the bedrooms is semi-private.

The rest of the campus has an indoor pool, a full gym and cafeteria. The facility is also where the day program takes place, so campus also contains several meeting spaces, classrooms and other therapeutic elements. Adjacent to the classrooms there are calming rooms. These rooms have bean bag chairs, books, toys, games and swing chairs. There is also aroma therapy, a sound machine, and a video game consult in these rooms.

The clients eat three meals a day together in the cafeteria. When there isn’t a full spread available, there are snacks of fresh fruit and other healthy options set out.

Treatment and Staff

The residential program is founded on the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT). This plan takes into account each child’s current functioning weighed against their behavioral history. During the brain mapping assessment process, an individualized treatment plan is introduced. Treatment plans consist of therapeutic activities, group and individual therapy, and recreation. The treatment plan is reviewed and adjusted on a monthly basis depending on the client’s progress.

On average the residential track is a four to six month program. There is a structured daily schedule of activities that include trauma-informed care protocols, recreational therapy, and relaxation.

Common evidence-based approaches used in treatment includes CBT, EMDR, NMT and Trauma Focused CBT.

Residential treatment provides each client and their families an assigned therapist who communicates with the other team members and coordinates visits and sessions with family members. Every client’s treatment plan is designed by a board certified psychiatrist and psychiatric nursing team.

Extras

In 2018 Alexander Youth Network built two additional family cottages for clients in the residential program. These accommodations permit families to visit their kids at no charge. The cottages have a kitchen, small dining room, two bedrooms, a living room with TV, and some other entertainment like board games and puzzles. Family members also eat in the same cafeteria with clients.

The family program includes monthly child and family team meetings, weekly family counseling and some home visits.

There are several holistic services offered throughout the program. Some examples include animal therapy with dogs, therapeutic drumming, swimming and yoga therapy.

In Summary

Alexander Youth Networks residential program provides intensive care for young clients who have struggled with various mental health issues. The program offers a variety of therapies along with active and engaging alternative methods that are fun for the children in the program. This program also offers guidance and step-down programming options for families as well.