Children's Home undergoes program change

MADISONVILLE, Ohio - A major program change took place Thursday at The Children's Home of Cincinnati . The school went from a traditional educational model to the teaching family model.

The program praises students when they exhibit socially acceptable behavior and guides them on a personal level when they do not.

"We will practice, physically practice the words and the behaviors that are the preferred alternatives," explained the Director of Training and Development Alyssa Terrell.

The change began five years ago and the school recently became the 16th in the country to be certified in the curriculum.

“This is an important milestone that shows we’re on the right track to effectively meet the individual needs of our youth,” said Ellen Katz Johnson, President and CEO of The Children’s Home, in a released statement.

The approach uses a motivation system with points. Kids gain and lose points based on their conduct and get rewarded with more independence and responsibility, which enables them to feel a sense of success and achievement that could include rejoining their families and returning to a traditional school.

Officials at The Children’s Home said that since it started the transition to the Teaching-Family Model, fewer of its clients have been involved with the juvenile justice system.

"We're working on redeveloping… brains through behavioral practices, developing strong relationships so that kids care about change," said Terrell. "Teaching them self-determination [helps] so that they have control and power over their outcomes."

The children's home wants to extend the opportunity to the community by offering training for parents in February.

If you're intersted, contact Alyssa Terrell for information at aterrell@hechildrenshomecinti.org