Our Students

Our Singular Focus

Germaine Lawrence only works with adolescent girls ages 10 - 18. We have the experience and expertise needed to respond successfully to the specialized problems that these young women face.

The girls at Germaine Lawrence come to us with a variety of serious emotional and behavioral issues. Some are struggling with substance abuse issues or eating disorders. Many of the girls have attempted suicide at least once or have injured themselves. Other girls chronically run away. Some of the girls have already been hospitalized multiple times or have been in five or more foster homes, none of which have been successful placements.

All of these young women need special treatment to help them feel safe and to re-establish their sense of self-worth. Germaine Lawrence is the only alternative for many of these girls. They need a place where they can begin again, a place that believes in their ability to succeed, and a place that will provide another chance. They need a place like Germaine Lawrence.

Admissions

The Admissions process gives potential students, and their families, the best possible chance of a positive treatment experience at Germaine Lawrence.

Diagnostic Interview:

After the referral materials have been reviewed, candidates for admission are invited for an interview with our Director of Admissions. Adults planning on participating in treatment and a representative from the funding/referral agency are also expected to attend.

The admissions interview is an exchange of information between the Director of Admissions, prospective students, their families, other treatment providers, and funding agents. The purpose of the interview is to determine whether or not placement in a Germaine Lawrence program would be appropriate. Information about Germaine Lawrence, as well as a tour of the campus and the specific program being considered, is provided to all interview participants. Therapeutic, medical, and educational information, as well as visitation policies and family therapy information are explained.

The most critical piece of the admissions interview is the development of a treatment contract between the student and participating family. The Director of Admissions will meet individually with the student, any involved family, and, finally, the treatment providers/funders that have attended the interview. During each conversation, interviewees are asked:

• why treatment is being sought,
• the plan for the student after her treatment at GL,
• how progress will be measured, and
• each party's role is in supporting/facilitating the student's/family's treatment.

The treatment contract is the culmination of the information gathered from these conversations. All interview participants are then brought back together and the contract is reviewed. This may be the first time that everyone's perceptions of the work to be done is presented. The purpose of this initial contract is not necessarily to achieve consensus, but rather, to provide a framework for treatment while at Germaine Lawrence.

Admissions Decisions:

The Director of Admissions reviews with senior administrators the information from the interview and then decides whether or not the student will be offered placement. Typically, a decision is made within 24-48 hours of the admissions interview. This decision is communicated to the contact person, generally the caseworker/funder, and they're asked to respond within a specified length of time about whether or not they'd like to accept the placement. If an opening is available, a date for admission will be set at this time. If an opening is not currently available, the student will scheduled for the next available bed.

Day of Admission:

Transitions in general tend to be difficult for the girls that come to Germaine Lawrence. Beginning long-term treatment can also be a stressful and anxiety-producing experience for close family and friends. All staff make every effort to assist the student and her family in feeling comfortable during the admissions process and throughout the residents' stay.

Intake Meeting:

On the day of admission to Germaine Lawrence, the Director of Admissions will introduce the student, her family, and the funder to the treatment team at the Intake Meeting. The treatment team includes:

• the Program Director,
• the individual/family Treatment Coordinator, and
• the program's Residential Director.

During this Intake Meeting, the treatment team reviews what to expect in the initial assessment period. The first family visit, individual and family therapy appointments, and Treatment Planning meetings are scheduled and other administrative tasks are completed. The family will be given important phone numbers, including the treatment team members', the crisis center's and the dorm's. The meeting in general takes approximately 30-40 minutes.

After the Intake Meeting:

After the meeting, the family is given an opportunity to say goodbye, and then the student is brought to the dorm or her classroom where she immediately meets with staff and fellow students. Family members are encouraged to be supportive to the student when saying goodbye, and also to be brief. Our goal is not to isolate girls from their families, but to ensure the transition promotes a feeling of safety and security for the student. We have found that long, drawn-out goodbyes typically are detrimental to the girls at the beginning of treatment. Families are encouraged to call and speak with the student each day, as well as to speak with staff on shift about the student's progress.

For more information:

Kristin Vander Els
Director of Admissions
18 Claremont Avenue
Arlington, MA 02476
781-648-6200 ext. 127

Referrals

A variety of sources refer girls to Germaine Lawrence, including state and local agencies, private practitioners, schools, courts, educational consultants, hospitals and family members.

If a parent or concerned family member is considering referring a girl, they are encouraged to call Kristin Vander Els, the Director of Admissions, at 781-648-6200 ext. 127, for assistance in navigating the admissions process.

A referral is a packet of information that describes the treatment desired and any information that supports this request. A complete referral includes:

• A description of the problem for which the girl needs treatment;
• Family history;
• Any discharge summaries or treatment plans from past placements (if applicable);
• Medical history, including immunization records, the date of the last physical/dental exam, and insurance information;
• Any educational or neuropsychological testing results; Educational information including Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), transcripts, MCAS scores, and the names, numbers, and addresses of contact people at the schools;
• A letter of intent to fund by each funding source, including the name, address, and telephone number of the person responsible for billing; and
• A copy of the student's birth certificate.

The more complete the referral information, the more quickly the student may be placed. The materials are reviewed by the Director of Admissions to determine whether or not:

• The student can be safe in our program,
• The student is likely to benefit from our services, and
• There is an opening available in an appropriate program.

Typically, people are anxious to provide the girls they are referring with the services they need as quickly as possible. Providing information in a timely manner will facilitate that process. Please also remember that an interview is not a guarantee of admission to any Germaine Lawrence program. We have multiple referrals for each opening and are not able to accept all candidates.

Outcomes

Outcomes for 2008 Discharges from Long-Term Programs
(Addams, Hirshberg, Snowden and Merck)

In 2008, 58 girls were discharged from Germaine Lawrence’s long term programs, including Addams, Hirshberg, Snowden and Merck. 
72% successfully completed program goals and had planned discharges to their families or a less-restrictive level of care; 17% had unplanned discharges due to running, hospitalization, or transfer to another residential facility; and 10% were withdrawn by their parents or themselves (for those over 18) without meeting program goals. 
Four girls (7%) stayed for less than one month.
For most girls (93%), the average length of stay was 14.2 months.   Age upon admission ranged from 12 to 19, with an average age of 16. 

Of the 72% of girls who had planned discharges, 64% were discharged to parents/families, 5% to foster families, and 31% to less-restrictive levels of care (Behavior Treatment Residential and Group Homes).
At the follow-up interview three months after discharge, only four girls (9%) had moved to a more restrictive setting.
All of the other girls (91%) were either living at the same place to which they were discharged or at a similar or lower level of care.

With regard to education, for all girls with planned discharges, 17% (7 girls) had graduated from high school.  Of these seven, two girls were attending community college and four girls had plans to attend.  The remaining 83% of girls (35) who had planned discharges did not yet have their high school diplomas.  94% of these girls (33) were enrolled in school. 

As for behavior, 91% of all girls with planned discharges had no arrests or legal detentions since discharge, and 85% had no hospitalizations since discharge.

STARR discharges February 2008 – January 2009

During the year February 2008 – January 2009, Germaine Lawrence’s STARR (Stabilization, Assessment and Rapid Reintegration) program treated and discharged 89 adolescent girls.
The goal of this program is to stabilize girls so that they may be assessed and returned either back to their families or to an appropriate level of care (i.e., group home, foster family, specialized residential care, etc.).
For this cohort, the average age was 15 and the average length of stay was about 5 ½ weeks (39.5 days). 
90% of these girls successfully completed the program and were discharged to less-restrictive or parallel levels of care, 38.5% of whom returned to their families. 2% withdrew from the program prior to completion and 8% had unplanned discharges (i.e. running away or hospitalization).

Follow-up interviews with students and parents/guardians completed one month after discharge reveals that 84% of the 90% of girls who successfully completed the program had no moves since discharge.
37% were living with their families; 56.75% were living in a safe, less-restrictive or parallel level of care setting; and 6.25% were on the run or hospitalized. 
As for behavior, 89% were in school; 97% had no arrests or legal detentions since discharge (1 student no data); and 96% had no hospitalizations since discharge (1 student no data).