Child and Youth

Who we serve

ONLS provides support for Children and adolescents with developmental disabilities, dual diagnoses, conduct disorders, emotional disturbances, and related diagnoses.

These individuals share a common need:

They require specialized interventions for behavioural problems such as aggression, destruction to their environments, oppositional behaviours, sexuality issues, and self-harming behaviours.

They require training in the area of life skills, which have not been addressed in the past, and future skill set developments as they grow to adulthood.

Our program

Includes long-term residential supports, daytime educational and vocational training.

The program is highly structured, offering the individuals a safe environment to develop personal uniqueness, self worth, and opportunities to practice a healthy life style. A place where they can make mistakes, problems solve, and learn from those mistakes.

The program consists of a transitional programming model that includes in-house living arrangement and program steps that reflect a persons’ progress and empowers that individual to greater levels of training and independence. As behaviours improve and new skill and mindsets are achieved the individual’s program is adjusted to the next level of independence. If the person requires a greater degree of structure due to temporary regressions this is facilitated. All activities are closely supervised and restraints are lessoned as the person achieves set goals.

We focus on teaching skills that replace the maladaptive and system dependent behaviours. We provide them with alternative tool sets to achieve appropriate communication skills, better coping mechanisms to deal with daily issues and frustrations, and appropriate alternatives to develop healthy and safe relationships.

We incorporate individualized programming which involves a holistic approach to the person. From the IPP’s programs are designed to over come challenges and meet set goals. The youth is a direct participant in the development of their plan of care.

When direct intervention is needed in regard to behaviours we employ the CPI model.

The intervention aims to provide the safest, least restrictive and most effective approach possible to deal with the issues.

We provide guidance and programs to support the clients in their educational careers.

We attempt to understand the clients’ challenges; try to provide measurements that demonstrate improvements, and to provide a goal plan for the youth’s future that will provide adequate supports. We strive to achieve this with decreased reliance on costly supports.

Effective supports for behavioural challenges, such as aggression, property destruction, self-harming, opposition defiance behaviours, and sexuality issues, utilizing:

• Functional assessments
• Designed behavioural programs
• Use of medication
• Individual and group counseling and any other appropriate therapeutic modalities.
• Special education in the form of “Home School” classroom and community based schools.

We teach the client every hour of every day how to achieve the proper way to communicate, cope with their frustrations, how to live peacefully with others, and how to cooperate in functional activities. (Life skill training: home ownership through chores, cooking skills and food choices, hygiene and presentation skills, social skills, organizing their daily lives, empowerment of choice, budgeting).

We provide opportunities for the client to be part of their community through participation in community resources. (Recreational activities).

We support family involvement where permitted and appropriate. Communication and guidance is given to the parent when appropriate.

Transition planning from the moment they enter the program to when they achieve the skills to live independently.

Comprehensive documentation and evaluation of the effects of the programs. This includes: data on behaviours, skill acquisition, and any and all outcomes to global house program and individualized programs.

Anger management training.

Relationship based behaviour management model.

Teaching of healthy relationships: friends, peers, authority figures, and teachers. Ideals of respect and integrity.

Teaching of appropriate citizenship: laws, rights, responsibilities, and expectations to live in the community.

What can you expect?

We strive to gain an understanding of who the client is. What are the supports needed to achieve success with the client.

To attempt to demonstrate that all avenues for support will have been attempted with the person. If success cannot be found within the program we will assist with seeking the placement necessary to support the person.

The program will facilitate the development of functional skills required to achieve a level of success in adulthood.

Create an opportunity to develop a plan that serves the person for life if they require the supports.

Identify the level of supports and type of program needed to maintain improvements and to promote continued development.