Youth with similar expressive anger types are grouped for 16 weeks of training in all three ART preventions. Anger types are identified for specific training modules selected from the ART curriculum. Youngsters with difficulty in learning, may re-enter the program after completion.

 HWC
Handle With Care
As developed by Bruce Chapman
A Training For Staff

There is no dignity by allowing children to hurt themselves or someone else. Both the youth and staff need to be protected from the physical and emotional consequences of their behaviors. When tension and aggression levels escalate—staff intervene with the most appropriate and safest response to safely handle the highest levels of violence.

All treatment staff has 16 hours of initial certification training and 8 hours of re-certification yearly. To become certified, staff complete a comprehensive written exam at +80% and must demonstrate the physical skills.

Staff are trained in the following:

• Tension/ Tension Reduction Cycle
• Solid Object Relationship Model
• Personal Defense Protection System
• Primary Restraint Technique
• Life Space Interview

 LSCI
Life Space Crisis Intervention
As developed by Nicholas Long, Ph.D and Frank Fecser, Ph.D
A Training For Staff

LSI was first introduced by Fritz Redl in 1959. LSCI has evolved to manage troubled and troubling students in crisis. Staff is taught therapeutic skills to make the best out of a stressful youth incident when staff gets the worst of it. These are skills of processing a student's verbal abuse, distorted thinking, and defensive statements without losing one's professional direction, temper, and self-confidence. The skills of LSCI are important for direct care staff because the acts of violence by children and youth are not by appointments.

There are four types of stress:

• Developmental
• Psychological
• Reality
• Physical

There are six stages of LSCI:

• Drain Off
• Timeline
• Central Issue
• Insight
• New Skill
• Transfer of Training

There are six reclaiming interventions to help break the conflict cycle.

 WE CARE ABOUT EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE!

Here is a partial list of "evidence-based practices" in use at Harmony Hill School:

• Behavioral family interventions (Paterson)
• Cognitive behavioral individual treatment (Meichenbaum, Novaco)
• Communications-based family therapy (Alexander)
• Competency-based sex offender treatment (Bengis, et. Al.)
• Comprehensive anger management program (Goldstein)
• Structured Life-Skills Training (Daniel Memorial, Ansell-Casey)
• Interpersonal cognitive problem solving (Spivack, Shure)
• Life-space interviewing (Redl, Long, Fecser)
• Positive Peer Culture (Brendtro)
• Responsible use approaches to substance abuse (Perry & Jessor)