Aspire Academy is a “High Needs Mental Health Program” for adolescent females ages 12-17. Most of our clients are in DHS/DCFS/JJS custody of the State of Utah who require intensive psychiatric, behavioral, medical, and other structured rehabilitative interventions as well as continuous monitoring.
Typical problem areas addressed include: family disruption, self-harm, suicidal behaviors, running away, multiple placements, substance abuse, and a history of trauma (physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, domestic violence).
Aspire Academy uses MANDT for de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques. MANDT promotes verbal interventions as much as possible. All effort will be made to verbally de-escalate potential crises. This may mean verbally intervening and listening to a client. This may also mean giving the client sufficient time and space to regulate emotionally. The client will have supervised access to the relaxation room, a safe room where they can emotionally regulate. They will be welcome to re-join their program once they are safe for themselves and others. At times, a client still poses a danger to self or others after all verbal interventions are used. In these situations, Aspire Academy will use the least restrictive MANDT physical interventions to maintain safety. These interventions will be used for the least amount of time to regain safety for the client and others.
These interventions shall be used only by staff members that have completed training on the policy, procedures and implementation of all physical behavioral interventions that may be utilized by WBH/Aspire Academy.
MANDT interventions shall not be employed as punishment, for the convenience of staff, or as a substitute for programming. Aspire Academy staff shall not use any intervention in a manner that causes undue physical discomfort, harm or pain to the client. Interventions that use painful stimuli are prohibited.
As not all crises are the same, Aspire Academy employees can contact any of the following individuals/organizations in the order deemed most appropriate for the situation:
1. Client’s therapist
2. Aspire Academy supervisor and program manager
3. Parents or caseworker
4. WBH Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT)
5. Orem Police Department
The staff members may disclose to any of the above people any information necessary to resolve the crises safely. Possible outcomes could be the client agreeing to be safe or a “pink sheet” for evaluation at a hospital.
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Clothing containing the following content is prohibited: drug or alcohol, gang (signs, jargon, colors, etc), satanic, sexual, extreme, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate material are not allowed. Please do not bring them upon admission.
Jackets, hoodies with strings, coats, and shoes will be kept in a locker. Leggings are allowed as long as a shirt is covering their bottom. Bottoms and dresses have to be knee length. Tops have to cover the back, shoulders, midsection, and chest. All clients are required to wear a bra in the milieu. Leggings or an undershirt must be worn with any clothing with a rip or hole in it. Shear or see-through clothing is not allowed. No drawstrings allowed on any clothing. No zippers longer than 6 inches.
We believe that each client we serve has the capacity to improve their life situation. For this reason, we commit to giving your child our best effort every day. While we cannot force someone to change, we also know that we have a great impact on the environment of the program. We are in the “relationship business”. The atmosphere we create is the “glue” that holds our program together. We believe the most effective treatment occurs in an environment where immediate intervention takes place 24 hours a day. Staff members take advantage of every opportunity to teach, process, and encourage youth to make positive changes in a safe, emotionally warm, nurturing, and healthy environment. We create a safe environment by being caring, firm, and predictable.
We believe that building healthy relationships is essential to therapeutic progress. For this reason, the way clients treat themselves, other clients, staff members, teachers, and family members are paramount in treatment. Primary treatment issues are meeting needs in healthy ways, building healthy relationships, and coping with emotions. In a safe setting, young women can experiment with new, healthy behaviors to replace past, unhealthy behaviors.
The Aspire Academy program operates under three basic rules throughout the treatment process. All other rules are related to these three:
BE RESPONSIBLE, BE RESPECTFUL, BE FUN TO BE AROUND
The following is a partial list (subject to change) of the basic rules to be observed while in treatment at Aspire Academy. You will notice that each of these rules falls under one of the three main rules listed above. Examples of how other rules fit into these three basic rules follow:
BE RESPONSIBLE
1. You are responsible to complete your specified daily living responsibilities (hygiene, chores, etc)
2. Clean up after yourself.
3. You are responsible to keep your personal items in your bedroom or locked in your hygiene bin.
4. No borrowing, lending, trading, or sharing of personal items (i.e. clothing, money, personal snacks, meals, etc)
5. No sharing personal contact information such as, but not limited to, phone number, email address, social media account, or home address.
6. Attend and participate in all assigned groups. Be vulnerable with your feelings in group and with staff at appropriate times.
7. No belts, strings, yarn, or other long items that can be tied.
8. Weapons and sharp objects are not allowed.
9. The staff desk and staff office are for staff only. You may not enter these areas if not invited and accompanied by a staff member.
10. No passing notes, letters or drawings.
BE RESPECTFUL
1. Treat staff and other Aspire residents with respect, as you would like to be treated.
2. No fighting, wrestling, name-calling, or rough housing. No “horseplay”.
3. No name-calling, belittling other residents or staff, or nicknames. Zero tolerance for bullying.
4. Use appropriate language. Swearing is not appropriate in the milieu.
5. Do not draw or write on anything in the facility except appropriate paper for homework or journals. This includes not drawing on yourself or others.
6. Do not come out of your room without being fully dressed.
7. Do not ever go in any other clients’ bedroom.
8. Do not engage in self-abusive behaviors.
9. Do not steal or destroy another’s property.
BE FUN TO BE AROUND
We recognize that if we can provide an environment in which you can feel safe you will risk more, learn more, and grow more. To be fun to be around may mean:
1. It is fun to be around people who respect you (“Be Respectful”, see above).
2. Participate fully in all groups and activities.
3. Interact with others appropriately. Give them a chance to get to know you and get to know others.
4. Provide support and needed encouragement to other Aspire residents.
Clients are allowed to bring one instrument to Aspire Academy. They will be allowed to play the instrument during free time or other times approved by staff members. Other clients cannot borrow or use someone else’s instrument. Due to storage issues, instruments cannot be bigger than a guitar. Instruments will be stored in a storage shed with their extra personal belongings. Bring instruments at your own risk. Aspire Academy/Wasatch Behavioral Health is not responsible for any instrument that is lost, stolen, damaged, destroyed, or harmed in anyway.
Family members or others can bring books to the client while in treatment. All books have to be approved by the therapist. For this reason, we ask that you not bring in an inordinate number of books. Please, only a few at a time. The client is allowed to have one book at a time. All additional books will be kept with the client’s extra belongings. Bring books at your own risk. Aspire Academy/Wasatch Behavioral Health is not responsible for any book that is lost, stolen, damaged, destroyed, or harmed in anyway.
Aspire Academy is licensed by the Utah State Division of Licensing and Background Checks. Phone number: 801-538-4242