Residents Best Served:

Children eligible for placement at Little Sand Group Homes are adolescent females of all cultural backgrounds, ages 11-17, in need of out of home care and placed either voluntarily or under court order. Placing agents include both Department of Human Services, as well as Department of Corrections. Little Sand does not accept self-referral and placement is not reimbursable through insurance providers at this time. Little Sand works cooperatively with the placing agency in regard to treatment, discharge and permanency planning in accordance with the child’s individual needs and consistent with time line requirements as determined by Minnesota Statutes, section 260C.201, subdivisions 11 and 11a.

Little Sand provides individualized programming for ambulatory adolescent girls experiencing behavioral difficulties at home, school or within their communities. We also have sufficient resources available and qualified staff to respond to the needs of the residents placed at Little Sand. Typical behaviors include truancy, educational difficulties, runaway history, minor alcohol/drug usage, sexual acting-out, poor social or relationship skills, oppositional or disrespectful interactions with authority, or other behavioral or emotional difficulties stemming from unresolved grief, loss or abandonment, or physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Little Sand does not accept children who are actively psychotic, actively suicidal, have committed sexual offenses against others, in need of in-patient CD treatment, or a danger to self/others or have other psychological diagnoses or fragile medical conditions that prevent them from successfully participating in Little Sand programming.

Little Sand serves adolescent girls of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Historically, Little Sand has served residents from the following ethnic/cultural groups: Caucasian, African American, Native American, Hispanic and Asian.

Program:

The Little Sand program can be described as goal-directed, individualized, as well as cognitive, behavioral and insight-based. Empathy, relationship development and self-responsibility are key concepts underlying the dynamic of change. Resources available to all residents are: educational support and advocacy, therapeutic intervention in the form of individual, group and family therapy, support and consultation, psychiatric evaluation and medication management, psychological evaluation, outpatient chemical dependency, as well as any other routine or relevant medical, cultural, recreational, spiritual or transitional services necessary to best facilitate the successful accomplishment of placement critical goals. Trained staff are available for residents upon request and in time of crisis.

Each Little Sand resident will have a treatment plan. Treatment planning will be based upon placement critical goals as identified by the placing agent. Placement critical goals are determined by previously identified reasons for placement and the problematic issues necessitating out of home placement. Within 10 days of admission, the Little Sand assigned case manager will begin to develop the treatment plan. If the residents case plan, screening or assessment results indicate that the needs of the resident cannot be met at Little Sand, the program will contact the placing agency regarding these findings. Little Sand case managers will ensure that treatment plans are reviewed on a monthly basis or more often if necessary. If placement critical goals need to be modified or other treatment goals become apparent in placement, the recommended and appropriate modifications to the treatment plan will be made accordingly and in conjunction with all members of the treatment team.

Therapy:

Little Sand Group Homes contracts with Licensed Psychologists who provide therapy on-site to all residents. The consulting therapists meet with Little Sand Group Homes staff each week in order to assist in addressing the individualized needs of each resident. Psychiatric services are utilized from the surrounding communities. Evaluation, individual therapy, family sessions, and medical management is available to the girls.

Recreation:

Over the years, residents of LSGH have had the opportunity to explore and participate in a wide variety of recreational activities and learning opportunities. During the school year weekly activities and outings include: Bowling, Nature Walks, Sledding and Ice Skating, Roller Skating, Movies and Plays, Craft Projects, and other memorable activities and trips. The summer schedule allows for an expanded version of recreation called the "Specialized Summer Activities and Skill Building Program". Residents participate weekly in classes of specialized recreational learning. These sessions include a diverse range of topics such as: Aerobics, Adventures in Domestics, Independent Living, Golf, Canoeing, Tennis, Line Dancing, Cake Decorating, and more. Class instructors are comprised of LSGH staff and other community professionals. LSGH residents also have the opportunity to enjoy swimming, fishing, and boating on Little Sand Lake. Group activities like Soccer, Softball, Croquet, Basketball, and use of a local YMCA, are also fun events. An annual week-Iong camping trip for all residents and staff is always a big hit. Finally, the LSGH Olympics climaxes a busy summer! Residents participate in a variety of events and win Olympic-Iike ribbons and medals over a three day period. A large award ceremony and Karaoke night concludes the competition.

Education:

Little Sand residents are offered a variety of educational opportunities, all of which are overseen by Northland High School and School District 118. Educational placement is determined by the treatment team upon intake and is modified accordingly over the course of the resident’s stay.

A variety of educational placements are available through School District 118 while a resident resides at Little Sand. Aside from the mainstream public school setting which is composed of an elementary and senior high school, Northland Alternative School is a specific setting staffed by the public school, yet solely for Little Sand residents. Northland Alterative School is staffed by one full-time Master’s Level Special Education certified teacher with one full-time paraprofessional. The purpose of this setting is to help stabilize residents prior to transitioning into a mainstream setting. In both the mainstream public school, as well as the alternative school setting, a continuum of special education services are available to students in need of additional academic support.

School District 118 also employs a full-time Title I tutor who works exclusively with Little Sand residents at the both alternative and public school settings during the school day. Additional educational opportunities available for credit recovery or accelerated learning are On-line courses, Plato Computerized Curriculum, Little Sand Summer School, Correspondence Courses, and the Post-Secondary option available through Itasca Community College in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Preparation for GED completion is also provided through a variety of resources depending on the specific needs of the resident. In addition, EvenStart is a program for pregnant teens that is specifically designed with their unique educational and situational needs in mind.

Little Sand monitors the progress of the resident’s individual education plan to ensure that continued progress is being made in the appropriate grade level. Any problems will be addressed with the appropriate school staff and communicated to the placing agent.