Mitch was a teenage boy in trouble. He had been expelled from school, was sexually abused by a neighbor, and his relationship with his mother was extremely strained. In fact, it had been years since Mrs. Smith had hugged her son.
His pediatrician noticed his behavior, then referred him to our New Beginnings at CityHill office for an assessment. In the meantime, Mitch was involved with juvenile court because he stole the pediatrician’s computer during an office visit.
The juvenile court judge was looking at placing him in a Department of Youth Services(DYS) program over an hour away from his home at a cost of over $200 a day. The DYS placement did not offer any type of therapeutic work with the family. Our CityHill clinical director approached the court with a novel idea. Why not place Mitch in the residential unit at CCHO while also allowing our CityHill therapists and case managers to continue to work with Mitch’s mother and younger sister? This would also allow CityHill to continue family therapy as well. The court agreed.
Mitch was placed in the residential program, and after some initial rough spots, began the process of healing. Mitch bonded with the house parents, his case managers, his therapist, and the campus minister. At the same time, Mitch’s mother was finally beginning to deal with her own issues in therapy.
While at CCHO, Mitch exhibited model behaviors in the classroom and at Crossroads, our youth ministry program. Because we were able to work with Mitch and his family, he was able to return home in less than nine months.
It has been over three months since Mitch has left the CCHO campus, and he and his family are doing well. They have encountered some rough spots, but have been able to work through them. Mitch is doing great in school, and continuing to address issues in therapy.
The most exciting aspect of Mitch’s placement at CCHO was his spiritual growth. Mitch met Jesus here and since his return, his whole family has been active in a Bible-believing church. Mitch and his sister Miranda are active members of their youth group.
The Smith’s are a perfect picture of CCHO’s different programs working in harmony to the benefit of the whole family, and God’s kingdom. God is doing amazing things here at the Christian Children’s Home of Ohio!
*names changes to protect children’s and family’s identities.
-By Amber Moore, Case Manager
For over a year, I had the opportunity to work with a remarkable child that was placed with us in Kid’s Cottage. Brandon* came to us from a locked hospital setting, where he had resided for about six months. He had lots of anger issues and trauma from past abuse.
A few months after he came here, we were wondering if CCHO was the appropriate setting for him. Brandon would go to therapy with a ski mask on and would not take it off. He threatened his therapist and would not engage in conversation or therapeutic activities. In the cottage he was exhibiting very aggressive behaviors and would take on the persona of a gangster or robber.
However, when he would come to my office for his CPST appointments, he would take of his ski mask, coat, and shoes. He would position himself on the floor like a child and we would create art projects, craft projects, read, journal, and work on developing coping skills to help him manage his anger and frustrations. I never saw the “gangster” in my office, only the innocent child that he was. Having seen this side of him, I knew that we could help him, and that we could impact his life forever.
When Brandon began visitation with his mother, his negative behaviors increased. Again, we were wondering if we could maintain him. I continued to advocate for him to stay here because I knew with all my heart we could help him and that this was where he would find healing. We continued visitation and family therapy with his mother. He continued to have behavioral issues, acting out aggressively.
At this point we initiated intensive one-on-one services. We provided these services for approximately five months. During this time, we were able to show him love and help him learn to trust. We saw a decrease in his behaviors. He was opening up in therapy, school was turning around, and the cottage staff were reporting how much of a joy he was for them in the cottage.
As a result of these improvements, this child was able to visit with his mother and siblings once a month. His mother was also coming to CCHO three times a month for therapy with her son. We began to develop a relationship with her, and encouraged her to open up to her son. He had to learn that she was no longer living the lifestyle that she was when he was removed from her care. And just like him, she had begun to make some positive changes in her own life.
Through visitation, home visits, and therapy Brandon was able to trust that his mother could keep him safe and that she could provide a structured home setting for him. This was not only the transformation of a child, but an entire family! His mother obtained her GED, is successfully parenting him and his three siblings, has stable housing, and is even taking classes to get a degree in computer science.
By being blessed with the opportunity to work with this child, and get to know his mother and siblings, I was reminded of why I love CCHO so much. These victories are why I come to work every day fighting for each and every child that is placed here—because we can make a difference each and every day, one child at a time. |
