Programs and Classes

Prevention/Early Intervention

Parenting With Love and Limits – Diversion Pathway


Parenting with Love and Limits® (PLL) integrates group and family therapy into one system of care for adolescent populations with the primary diagnosis of oppositional defiant or conduct disorder. Parents and teens learn specific skills in group therapy and then meet in individual family therapy to role-play and practice these new skills. This integration of group and family therapy enables parents to transfer these new skills to real-life situations and prevent relapse.

During group therapy, teens and parents participate together in a small group, led by two facilitators, which can also include siblings and extended family. The groups consist of no more than six families and no more than 15 people total per group. Six 2-hour classes are held weekly. Parents and teens meet together as a group for the 1st hour. During the 2nd hour, the parents meet in one breakout group with one facilitator leading each breakout and the teens meet in another. During family therapy, teens and parents meet individually with one of the group facilitators in between classes in an intensive 1- to 2-hour session to practice the new skills learned in group. Extensive role-plays are used along with the development of a typed-out, loophole-free contract. Three to four family therapy sessions are recommended for low- to moderate-risk adolescents and up to 20 sessions for moderate- to high-risk offenders within an outpatient or home-based setting.

The Parenting with Love and Limits® system of care is comprised of 6 group sessions plus 3 or more family therapy sessions, as shown below:

  • Group Session 1. Understanding Why Your Teen Misbehaves: Parents learn why their teen commit acts of parent abuse. Parents and teens go into their respective breakout groups to vent their feelings.
  • Group Session 2. Button-Pushing: Parents learn how their teen pushes their hot buttons (whining, disgusted look, swearing, etc.), and teens learn how parents push theirs (lecturing, criticizing, talking in chapters, etc.).
  • First PLL Family Therapy Session - Parents and teens meet individually to practice anti-button-pushing strategies.
  • Group Session 3. Ironclad Contracting: Parents learn how and why their old methods of contracting have failed, as well as the steps to assemble a contract that works. Teens meet in their breakout groups to help write their own contract.
  • Second PLL Family Therapy Session - Parents and teens meet individually to create their own contract.
  • Group Session 4. Troubleshooting: Parents learn how teens have a special ability called “enhanced social perception” to think two steps ahead.
  • Third PLL Family Therapy Session - Parents and teens meet individually to review their contracts and troubleshoot any loopholes. Extensive role plays are used to practice delivery of rewards and consequences.
  • Group Session 5. Stopping the Seven Aces: Parents choose creative consequences to stop the seven “aces” of disrespect, ditching or failing school, running away, drugs or alcohol, sexual promiscuity, violence, and threats of suicide.
  • Fourth PLL Family Therapy Session - Parents and teens meet individually to review their progress.
  • Group Session 6. Reclaiming Lost Love: Parents learn to understand how conflict hinders the parent–child relationship and strategies to repair it.
  • Fifth PLL Family Therapy Session and Beyond as Needed - Parents and teens begin to solidify nurturance as well as address any underlying family dysfunction.

In both group and family therapy counselors are provided with detailed treatment manuals and the parents and teenagers with workbooks.

OJJDP - Website of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

 

Youth Court

Youth Court was started in Bannock County in November 1991. It is a diversion program designed to give first of second time juvenile offenders a "second chance". Juvenile offenders who have committed a misdemeanor are given a chance to attend Youth Court. If they complete their outlined program, they will not have a juvenile record.

In cooperation with the School District 25 Experienced Career Based Education Program, ten to twelve EBCE students are trained as Youth Court panelists. These volunteers question the offender and their parents to gain information that will help them in deciding a disposition for the offender. Pocatello Police Department also assigns a school resource officer to attend Youth Court to help panelists understand important things to consider by different types of offenses. The program helps over a hundred juveniles a year to take a second look at their mistakes and make a decision to stay out of the juvenile system. In addition, it provides high school students with a realistic view of juvenile law. Youth Court is held every other Wednesday at 6:00 pm.

*Ram Court is a cooperative program between Bannock County Juvenile Justice and Highland High School that uses the Youth Court Model to divert students with minor offenses and behavioral problems as an alternative to referral to the courts or a formal major discipline. Referrals to the program come from the School Resource Officer or a Vice Principal. Students referred to the program appear before a panel of student peers that is comprised of the student officers.

 

Status Offender Program

(Grant Funded – Increase in Funding FY 08)
The Status Offender Program is a diversion program funded by the Idaho Supreme Court that focuses on the special needs of status offenders and their families. Each family is assessed in order to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses the needs and risks of the family. The Status Offender Officer meets with the family and juvenile regularly to monitor progress and help mediate family issues.

The program contracts with a counselor to provide services to families that are unable to afford counseling. This allows the families to access in a timely manner needed therapy to deal with the issues that are contributing to the maladaptive behavior in the family.

 

Truancy Court

(Grant Funding through the Balanced & Restorative Justice Grant
Truancy Court was developed as an early intervention program in partnership with the juvenile court, juvenile justice, school district #25, and other community based agencies to address the increasing problem of truancy.  Students charged with a 3rd truancy are given the option to participate in the program as an alternative to probation.  Cases are evaluated by the Truancy Court Team, which consists of the Juvenile Court Judge, School Resource Officer, School Official, and the Truancy Court Coordinator.  A case management plan is developed based on the Balanced Approach and the needs of the juvenile and family.  Additional services such as mental health services, substance abuse counseling, parent education or family therapy, and individual counseling may be implemented as part of the case management plan based on the family’s needs.  

Truancy Court is a mini drug court model and consists of three phases.  The juveniles and their parents attend weekly scheduled Truancy Court meetings to evaluate their compliance with the conditions of the Truancy Court program.  The juveniles receive rewards for compliance and sanctions for violations.  In order to graduate from the program, juveniles and parents must comply with the conditions of the Truancy Court program for an extended period of time, and the Truancy Court team must reach a consensus that the needs have been adequately addressed and the likelihood of further truancy significantly reduced.