Youth Services

Residential Care

Open Door’s residential program is well-suited for oppositional behaviors, attachment, adjustment, anxiety, and depressive disorders, children stepping down from locked, secure placements, and children with an extensive placement history who are approaching adulthood. Children who have experienced placement disruptions, have significant case management needs, and social/emotional development needs are well-suited for this residential program. Children in Collaborative Care needing considerable independent living skills instruction are a very appropriate fit for the Open Door residential program.  The treatment at Open Door is intended to improve decision-making, increase a sense of agency through instruction/guidance, practice, and demonstration of social/emotional learning skills.  Open Door staff members work with youth with severe emotional and behavioral disorders or disturbances whose needs cannot currently be met in a home environment. Our staff work around the clock in a trauma informed manner to support the youth's therapeutic plan, provide the structure youth need to heal, and help them prepare to succeed in a home environment.

Emergency Shelter Care

Children who will benefit from the Open Door Emergency Shelter Care are those abruptly removed from home because of abuse or neglect, those with excessive trauma, those who have run away from home, those transitioning from more restrictive placement, and those who are not able to be adequately supervised by parents or guardian and have become involved with the juvenile justice system.  Open Door offers groups and counseling in a trauma-informed environment.

Both males and females can be served, and referrals can be taken from any Indiana county Department of Child Services or Juvenile Probation office.

Substance Abuse Program

The Seven Challenges is a comprehensive counseling program for adolescents with substance abuse problems and was listed in SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP). It is well suited for work with youth involved in the juvenile justice system and has been widely used in the community and in secure facilities across the country. The program is developmentally appropriate: Instead of dictating behavior to youth, it presents a decision-making model and helps young people make their own informed decisions about their direction in life and use of drugs.

Weekly Group Therapy

The four concepts: Safety, Emotions, Loss, and Future (S.E.L.F) psycho-educational group therapy is designed to provide our youth – and staff – with an easy-to-use and coherent cognitive framework that can create a change momentum.

1. No one gets better or works well without having Safety. Safety means physical safety, emotional safety, social safety and moral safety. Safety is where we always start and end. If you are not safe, you can't get better.​
2. Managing Emotions is the step that helps us to know what we are feeling and to handle our feelings in a way that doesn't hurt ourselves or others.
3. Loss is the step that helps us acknowledge and grieve the painful things that have happened to us in a safe way and move to a healthy future.
4. Future is the step where we look at our choices in creating a better personal future and to make the world a better place.

Weekly Art Therapy

Many youth in our care have experienced traumatic events or challenging circumstances. Our art therapy sessions can aid in the healing process by helping them process and make sense of their trauma, reduce anxiety, and develop coping strategies. Creating art can serve as a tool for empowerment and resilience-building. Our art therapy sessions also offer a safe and non-verbal outlet for our youth to express and communicate their emotions, thoughts, and experiences. It allows them to explore and process difficult or complex feelings that they may struggle to express verbally.

New Directions Program

New Directions is an after-school program in area elementary schools that provides prevention education to children. Children often stay in the program for several years establishing strong connections with each other and staff. The children also get to experience programs, such as Kids in the Kitchen, where they are able to learn about nutrition and cooking. The program continues during the summer, where the children get to participate in social settings throughout the area in order to build strong connections and relationships with the people throughout their community.

Summer Adventure Program

Summer Adventure Program is a free field‐trip program that all New Directions children are enrolled into after the end of the school year. The New Directions staff takes the children to amusement parks, the zoo, an aquatic center and other areas for the children to have fun. The program is often the only way for these children to access such places and learn about the world around them. The Summer Adventure Program is funded by private donors and grants.

Diagnostic and Evaluation Services

With a referral by the Indiana Department of Child Services or Juvenile Probation, children and families can receive various types of psychological testing. This testing can help to determine the right intervention for children as soon as possible, keeping them from being shuffled around between various programs.

• Dr. Tony Sheppard is a Certified Group Psychotherapist and has provided statewide training to direct care staff in youth self-harm and youth suicidality. He can provide:
• Screens for mental health diagnoses and personality traits that might contribute to problems.
• IQ testing that provides insight into the client's cognitive functioning level.
• Administration of clinical and parenting measures to determine parenting abilities.
• Trauma scales that assist in determining the potential impacts of past or suspected trauma.

Think First & Stay Safe

Think First & Stay Safe ® is a presentation offered to students K-5 in area elementary schools. This presentation teaches children response skills and knowledge through non-threatening and age-appropriate lessons that will help them to avoid potentially abusive situations. This interactive presentation is both fun and educational.   The goal is for children to learn the following:

• To distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate touch.
• Three basic safety skills: say NO to an inappropriate touch; run away to a safe place; and tell a trusted adult.
• If sexual abuse was to happen or has happened to them, it is not their fault.
• To name private body parts.

Residential

Sometimes the kids arrive because home isn’t such a good place to be. Sometimes they are brought up because they’ve missed too much school, or the disagreements at home are out of control. Whatever the reason, Open Door Youth Services gives them a safe, supportive place to live. Some children stay a couple of days and some have to stay for months or even years. We are proud that our residential program outcomes show great success every year. Some of our proudest accomplishments include providing family counseling in-house, growing a garden maintained by our kids, and children who visit and write years after they leave.

A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist conducts therapeutic groups with the children weekly. He is also available for individual, family, and crisis counseling. All residential staff receives extensive clinical training from the therapist.

We are also proud to provide a staff person devoted to academics. One-on-one homework help, daily study time, tutoring, and supplemental instruction are provided to residents. Regular contact with teachers, guidance counselors, and other school staff is maintained. Accommodations are also made for all children not enrolled in a traditional school program.

New Directions

New Directions is an after-school program in area elementary schools that provides prevention education to children utilizing the Social Decision Making Model. Children often stay in the program for several years establishing strong connections with each other and staff. Some of the children’s parents are former participants themselves. This program also promotes literacy by providing free books to children in the program through a partnership with the City of New Albany.

Teen Court

Our Teen Court program diverts youth from the justice system by intervening after the first offense. Children referred are defended, prosecuted, and “sentenced” by other teens. The only adult involved is the judge, one of three attorneys from Waters, Tyler, Hofmann, and Scott, LLC, who volunteer for the program. Teen Courts are known for their success in preventing recidivism.

A partnership with Hazelwood Middle School allows Teen Court to provide extra efforts against truancy. The children referred through this partnership receive targeted case management to prevent further truancy, as families often need help with simple barriers to ensure the child’s regular attendance.

Telemedicine

Through a partnership with Bloomington Meadows Hospital, we provide outpatient psychiatric care for children at our location via teleconferencing equipment. The medical professionals are located in Bloomington, while Open Door provides case management locally to ensure children receive the full scope of services associated with outpatient psychiatric care.

Diagnostic and Evaluation Services

With a referral by the Indiana Department of Child Services or Juvenile Probation, children and families can receive various types of psychological testing. This testing can help to determine the right intervention for children as soon as possible, keeping them from being shuffled around between various programs.

Community Collaborations

Problem-Solving Skills Group, provided in partnership with LifeSpring Mental Health Services, is an eight-week program for teens that focuses on common difficulties and practical solutions. Often children in the residential program participate, but this group is open to any child referred by Juvenile Probation.

Homemaker/Parent Aide Services are provided by Open Door in conjunction with Associates in Counseling and Psychotherapy. Families referred for Home Based Therapy and/or Case Management with ACP are eligible for this in-home practical assistance in managing a home day to day. These services are especially helpful after a child is discharged from residential care.

Mentoring has been shown to be successful. Some of our longer-term residents are here simply because there is nowhere else for them to go. These children desperately need individual attention and strong role models. Volunteers can determine their own time commitment.

Open Door may fulfill required services hours for your school or work upon request.

Volunteer Opportunities:

• Painting - Help spruce up our facility by painting various walls, trim, and doors that need some TLC.
• Donation Drive - Hold a fundraiser for our facility or help collect donations of personal care items, office supplies, art supplies, etc. (No age requirements)
• Facility Organizing - Help organize one of our dorm closets or spruce up our pantry.
• Professional Services - Know of any professional carpet/floor cleaners or repairmen who are willing to donate their services for free? Contact us on our website or through the link below.
• Volunteer with our Youth
  • Arts & Crafts with our youth.
  • Baking & Cooking with our youth.

When you volunteer you are welcome to show them a skill or teach them a craft.  The kids are always ready to learn something or be involved in a game or group exercise. If this is something you may be interested in, please fill out the contact form below.

Volunteer Requirements:

• Must be 21 years or older (some exceptions for groups).
• Willing to abide by our behavior and confidentiality guidelines.
• Some volunteer opportunities require a background check accompanied by a $43 fee.

Advisory Board

Open Door Youth Services has an advisory board that meets bi-monthly. If you would like to be part of that board, please contact our board president Christy Lee at clee@centra.org

Advisory Board 2024

President: Christy Lee

Vice President: Pamela J. Prince

Mary Klein

Lana Aebersold

Rita Marking

Sherry Cockrell

Jacqueline R. Brannon

Dr. Al Knable

Dale Bagshaw

Denise Konkle

Stephanie Chapman

Lyndsay Rice

Jessica Waters

Alejandro Pousa

Courtney Smith

Grants & Donations

Open Door Youth Services is very appreciative of grants from the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County, Kosair Foundation, Community Foundation of Southern Indiana, Ogle Foundation and all of its public and private donors.

Donations and volunteers are always appreciated. To learn about making a donation or for volunteer opportunities, please contact our Communications Manager, Augie Jones at (812) 948-5481 or visit our webpage at www.opendooryouthservices.com and click on “Volunteer”. You can also find us on Facebook.

Remove Contributions and all information underneath.

• Prevent Child Abuse Website
• Indiana Youth Services Association
• IARCA Association
• Youth Count