Boys Town Nevada welcomed its first youth in the spring of 1991 with the opening of its Treatment Family Homes in Las Vegas. Our Treatment Family Home campus is made up of five family-style homes, each with six youth. Three homes are for boys and two are for girls; together, the homes create a community setting.
In each home, children are cared for by a specially trained married couple called Family-Teachers, who live in the home 24-hours a day. A full-time Assistant Family-Teacher also works in the home. All couples and assistants receive extensive training in the philosophy and operation of the program. They are called Family-Teachers to emphasize their roles as instructors and as parents who assume responsibility for each youth in their home.
Family-Teachers are professionals who have the incredible task of working with children who have survived extensive histories of abuse, neglect, abandonment and loss. They work with biological parents, courts, teachers, social service agencies, churches, and others who are involved with the youth.
Family-Style Living
The Boys Town program emphasizes a family-style living arrangement for the youth and staff. Family-Teachers help youth develop healthy relationships, teach social skills and empower them to develop self-discipline. They also strive to develop a close bond with each youth and create the love and warmth of a caring family while serving as positive role models. Such a home environment allows youth to be part of the family experience they have often missed. We emphasize an effective and healthy family atmosphere in which each youth can grow, develop and experience how a normal family functions.
Program
- youth receive individualized treatment based on their needs;
- youth are taught social skills to enable them to interact successfully in the community, e.g. with family, peers, and teachers;
- a research-based motivation system is utilized to encourage youth to be effective in treatment ;
- all youth learn self government skills, e.g. youth make decisions, vote on rules, appeal consequences, plan for family outings;
- planned activities including movies, picnics, museums, parks, etc;
- structured Parent Training, including behavioral contracting and mediation training;
- independent Living Skills, e.g. study skills, meal preparation, laundry are taught to youth;
- professional staff through competency – based training, annual certification, ongoing education and supervision, 24 hour consultation and consumer feedback;
- Clinical Support Specialist (LCSW) providing group and individual support.
Religion
Father Flanagan said every youth must learn to pray, but how boys and girls pray is up to them. By prayer, Father Flanagan meant raising one’s mind and heart to God. Although Boys Town is nondenominational, religion is an important part of the lives of our youth. The individual religions and traditions of each boy and girl are respected and enhanced. Each youth is encouraged and expected to attend services of his or her respective faith. Youth attend Sunday school and church services with their Boys Town family every week.
Transition to Adulthood
We believe that the success of our program is best measured by the success our children achieve after they leave the program and become adults. In addition to their Treatment Plan for referral behaviors, older youth also have a “Life Treatment Plan” to prepare them for adulthood after they leave the Boys Town program. The Life Treatment Plan includes an assessment on a variety of concept areas (e.g., housing, legal, financial, medical, employment, transportation, etc.). Regular classes with guest speakers, field trips, homework and other activities provide necessary skills and prepare youth to be successful as adults. Each youth has an ongoing assessment as well as a “Transition to Adulthood” case plan. This case plan is reviewed and updated every 90 days. Boys Town also offers financial support to its graduates.