Introduction
The Abraxas Youth Center Secure Residential Firesetter Treatment Unit operates on a 24-hour, seven-day per week schedule and is designed to provide treatment services to male adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18. Services are provided to thirty-six (36) adjudicated youths in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) Title 55 Chapter 3800 regulations for Secure Placement. “Secure Residential Care” is defined as “care which provides treatment, supervision, or rehabilitation to juveniles in a setting which uses or is equipped to use physical barriers, such as locks or fences, to confine juveniles or to prevent their egress from the facility or any area of the facility”. All services or activities are designed to meet the individual needs of each resident, provide a safe, secure, and humane environment, and also meet the safety needs of the public. Additional support services are provided by Abraxas, including building maintenance, food service, health services, administrative support, and emergency response assistance.
Concern has been growing since the early 1980’s that firesetting behavior that begins in childhood or adolescence often continues on into adult years. The discouraging fact is that catching and treating adult arsonists is a difficult proposition. Recidivism is high and can leave behind multiple victims. This has led to earlier intervention efforts with youthful firesetters. There is a growing body of research that suggests that early prevention and treatment efforts can be quite successful. This suggests that intervention for youthful firesetters may lead to a much better prognosis then intervention in adulthood.
Program Philosophy
The Abraxas Firesetter Treatment Program is based upon the understanding that firesetters can and should receive intensive intervention. Firesetting is often the result of inappropriate channeling of emotions such as a manifestation of attempts to gain power and control, inappropriate response to crisis, inappropriate curiosity, a cry for help, vengeance, intentional destruction, or psychosis. Patterns of “Fire Fascination” and “Fire Fury” frequently interplay in the juvenile firesetter. Although initially there tends to be extreme denial about firesetting, there almost always appears to be a significant history of fire play, fire experimentation, and firesetting. These behaviors can take diverse forms: use of accelerants, explosives, chemical bombs, and electricity. Youth frequently achieve a high level of expertise in fire behaviors. The program incorporates two fundamental beliefs. First, treatment efforts must ensure that the self-reinforcing cycle of firesetting is safely and effectively curtailed. Second, underlying deficits such as impulse control, affect regulation, lack of empathy, and moral reasoning, must be addressed.
Abraxas believes that the treatment of the firesetter is best done in a multi- dimensional way. When an adolescent is referred for firesetter treatment, he presents a variety of dysfunctional thoughts, feelings, and behaviors operating in cyclical patterns. These patterns are overlapping and deeply interrelated. They have developed over a long period of time and are highly ingrained. Consequently, treatment of this population should be holistic and address all problem areas simultaneously.
The AYC Firesetter Treatment Program is based on a comprehensive approach that is designed to impact the firesetter in the interrelated areas of safety/security, cognitive behavioral treatment approaches, and individual treatment. Frequently, individual work may help the youth to work through underlying issues of trauma and neglect that have an extremely high prevalence in our specialty population. Cognitive behavioral treatment focuses on fire safety training, social skill development, communication skills, moral reasoning, empathy, impulse control, cognitive distortions, and relapse prevention. Trauma recovery can be aided, as appropriate, by a small therapy group. Substance abuse recovery, an important issue for many firesetters, is also supported through specialized group work. The goal of treatment is to help the client develop strategies that break or interrupt their firesetting responses and develop coping skills which are socially responsible. In accomplishing this goal, we attempt to impact several interrelated areas.
While all staff contribute to our treatment program, the clinical team consists of two full time master level clinicians and an experienced doctoral level psychologist. Six counselors work within a cognitive behavioral model, provide case management, arrange family contact and treatment, and work on problem solving needs as they arise. Psychiatric evaluation occurs on each resident. Further psychiatric services are tailored to individual needs.
Abraxas Youth Center has proven expertise in dealing with some of the most difficult youth in the juvenile system. We have created an integrated program of treatment and habilitation based on guiding principles of people and program security, effective role modeling, teamwork, affirmation of positive behavior while confronting the negative, dignity and respect for the client, and the creation of an environment conducive to resident development.
The overall program philosophy of the AYC Firesetter Treatment Program is guided by the Abraxas Seven Principles of Care. These principles require that staff be meaningfully involved with the youth in all aspects of treatment through a highly structured behavioral change process. Relationships with staff, residents and the comprehensive treatment program combine to make the youth accountable to the program, himself, his family, and the community. They also help to assure that he may re-enter the community as an active and responsible community member. Acceptance for the responsibility of their actions and the realization that they are accountable for those actions are the basic building blocks for genuine change in the youth we serve. Program expectations are that residents will follow directions, act in a respectful manner at all times, and will work on their respective treatment issues. These expectations are the cornerstone for a systematic process whereby issues are identified, barriers to living within the law are overcome, and positive change is facilitated.
Collateral Services
All activities are viewed as opportunities for growth and development. All residents and staff are part of a Modified Therapeutic Community. There is an emphasis on a group system that empowers residents to assume responsibility and ownership in the treatment process. Residents are guided to interact with one another in a help empowering manner, a new concept in relationship style for many of them. There is an emphasis on staff and resident participation in shared problem solving; there is a progression of graduated levels of responsibility, accountability and contribution to others.
All residents participate in our accredited school, The Learning Center. Opportunity for GED preparation and completion are evaluated on a case by case basis. Residents also participate in a variety of health and recreational activities. Art therapy evaluation and work provides another modality for youth to progress in their treatment processes.
Performance Improvement
The Abraxas Firesetter Treatment Program is a dynamic program. Data collection on our residents provides constructive feedback so that we can better serve our residents, their families, the referring agencies, and their communities. We recognize that this population is just starting to be studied and that we must be both part of that research effort and up to date on the research conducted by others. Performance improvement projects are designed to improve both overall quality and outcome of our youth.
Discharge
Program length of stay will vary and remains dependent upon the individual needs of the resident, the prognosis for success upon re-entry to the community, and the approval of the committing juvenile court. AYC will initiate most discharges from the program to the court based upon the youth’s progress in the treatment program, attainment of treatment goals, and demonstrated achievement in developing core competencies and skills. Some releases will occur as the result of a court order in conjunction with a predetermined court sentence.
Prior to discharge, youth are involved in an exit interview. This represents the beginning of a two year follow up survey to ascertain recidivism. Thus far, our preliminary results are quite positive.
Referral Process
Referrals for the AYC Firesetter Program are accepted from the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice System. Referrals are also accepted from juvenile courts or other juvenile authorities in states other than Pennsylvania. All referrals are forwarded to Abraxas Court Services or directly to the program for review and initial screening. Appropriate referrals may be required to be interviewed by a Abraxas Court Liaison. AYC Firesetter Treatment Program’s Senior Treatment Supervisor, Clinical Psychologist, and Nurse will make the final decision on acceptance.