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Programs & Services

Programs & Services

Treatment Services

Mountain Youth Academy is a residential treatment facility for girls and boys, ages 5–17. We are a trauma-based treatment facility treating at-risk youth with an IQ of 70 or above. We offer a therapeutic setting in a secure facility to help children and teens address their mental health needs. We also have specific treatment programs for those with intellectual disabilities. Our treatment programs utilize adolescent and child therapy in both individual and group settings as well as other treatment methods to address each individual’s mental health needs.

Many people identify trauma as an incident-based issue that occurs from being engaged in or witnessing violence, disasters, sexual abuse, terrorism or medical mistreatment. While trauma issues can result from the previous examples, they can also arise from less identifiable experiences in day-to-day life. Children and teens can also experience trauma when they experience neglect or other overwhelming personal challenges on a regular basis.
At-risk youth that experience trauma can suffer from long-term effects if not treated properly. Addictive behavior, self-harm, unpredictable behavior, and self-blame are just a few examples of what can result if trauma is left untreated.

At Mountain Youth Academy, we use a trauma-based residential treatment program to address the mental health needs of children and teens. Our trauma-focused care organizes treatment that integrates an understanding of the impact and consequences of trauma into all treatment methods that are utilized.

Mountain Youth Academy offers an individualized, multidisciplinary, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral treatment model which—through the use of various individual and group treatment applications—nurtures the development and practice of social behaviors.

Phase System

Mountain Youth Academy strives to create a positive peer community (PPC). PPC utilizes a conflict resolution approach where relationships are built through care, trust and service toward others. Mountain Youth Academy believes that most students want to do well with their life and want to be respected, appreciated, and especially heard. PPC encourages students to be creative in solving their own problems. By having PPC students will learn to take responsibility for their choices through the adversity their choices cause (natural consequences).

To help build and enhance our PPC, Mountain Youth Academy has developed and incorporated their own Behavioral Management System (BMS). The BMS is created on the structure of the phase system. For example, when a student is admitted into MYA they start out on the first phase (contemplation). As the student progresses in their program they continue to advance into their next phase. There are five phases in the BMS—Contemplation Phase, Planning Phase, Action Phase, Maintenance Phase and Relapse Prevention Phase.

The way a student progresses is each week you will have the ability to maintain and earn 150 points per day. You maintain points by completing daily expectations, by participation fully in treatment (individual, family and group).  The student’s points are converted into ‘MYA Money’ that is used for purchasing items from the ‘MYA Store’. In the MYA Store we have items like: Crayons, coloring books, MP3 players, headphones, snacks, clothing and a variety of toys.

Mountain Youth Academy uses a safety system that works together with your behavioral management system (BMS) for when a student has unsafe behaviors. There are three parts to our safety system: Green, Yellow and Red.

Green: When a student is on green that means they have zero safety concerns. They are able to participate in all activities with zero restrictions.

Yellow: When a student is on Yellow that indicates that the student has had some minor unsafe behaviors. This could be violations like not following directives, verbal threats and verbal abuse.  Now when a student is on Yellow that means that they are unable to shop at the Mountain Youth Academy Store, attend incentive and unable to advance into their next phase.

Red: When a student is on Red that indicates that the student has had some serious unsafe behaviors. This could be violations like having contraband, attempts to harm someone else and attempted elopement. When a student is on Red they are unable to attend incentives, shop at the Mountain Youth Academy Store and unable to advance into their next phase.

At Mountain Youth Academy when a student commits violations they have to complete therapeutic assignments. These assignments are generated by the clinical team at MYA and Correlate with the violation. For example, if a student commits a violation of ‘Threatening Staff or Peer,’ they will be given assignments that helps to teach the student about integrity, respectfulness, compassion, forgiveness and courageousness.

To go along with Mountain Youth Academy’s Behavioral Management System is the BARJ approach. The BARJ approach allows for the student to restore balance back into the community.  When the student has broken the balance/trust within their community due to the violation that was committed its extremely imperative that the community gets restored. This can be done by:

  • Write an apology letter to your victim – discuss publicly
  • Write an apology letter to your community – discuss publicly
  • Complete an appropriate number of community service hours

If the offender broke another students items or destroyed property they will be charged restitution. They will be required to use their Mountain Youth Academy Points/Moneys to pay back or replace the items.

Comprehensive Assessment and Diagnostic Services Available

The CAP or Comprehensive Assessment Program is designed as a 30–60 day assessment for C&A with limited background or assessment within mental health. This program will intensively assess the student to ascertain the professionally recommended mental health services needed to successfully address their needs.

The program is designed for individuals to complete in six to nine months depending on their individual need, stages of change and overall progress in treatment. To learn more about the array of residential treatment services we offer, please contact us.

The program consists of the following services:

Make The Call Today

Mountain Youth Academy provides individualized, trauma-focused treatment to boys and girls ages 5–17. We strive to provide mental health and educational services that enhance the quality of life for at-risk youth and their families. See what Mountain Youth Academy can do for you and your family, call us today at 423-727-9898 for a confidential, no-cost assessment. You may also reach us by email at [email protected] or fax at 423-727-9899.