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FAQs
You have questions, we’ll do our best to answer them.
Below, you’ll find answers for the questions we’re commonly asked.
Therapeutic Residential Program
Clinical consultation is the foundation of treatment in Allendale’s REStArT model. It sets the stage for family therapy, if needed, as a supplement to the clinical consultations. Individual and group therapy are also offered to the client. Consultation is not simply reporting on youth’s behavior or responding to concerns. Clinical consultation provides a structured time for dialogue to take place among the family (and funding source), youth and members of the Allendale core team (director, therapist, case specialist, unit coordinator and/or other specified team members). Youth will attend for a regularly scheduled part of the consultation time.
Allendale staff will review this with you prior to your child’s arrival, but some good ideas to bring would include:
- At least two weeks of clothes. Youth have access to laundry service and washing machines. Youth are outdoors daily with activities; athletic wear is highly recommended.
- Pajamas
- Seasonal outdoor wear (e.g., winter coat, gloves, hat). In addition, during summer months, a bathing suit. Females wear t-shirts over their suits while swimming in the lake.
- House shoes/slippers
- Outdoor shoes, athletic shoes
- Personal hygiene products. Allendale supplies these items, but often youth like their own products. Females can bring perfume, makeup, etc.
- Bedding. Allendale supplies twin sheets, comforter, and pillow, but youth can bring their own bedding from home, if they prefer.
- Youth can bring items to decorate their room (e.g., posters, family pictures, stuffed animals).
Therapeutic Day Schools
Students have a support team of professionals who work collaboratively to ensure all their educational needs are met, in connection with their therapeutic treatment program goals. Students enrolled in our Residential Day School program also live on our Lake Villa campus, or in our North Chicago facility or Group Home.
Allendale’s therapeutic day school programs work with the student and their families to help the student identify their goal(s) and the tasks involved to reach their goal(s). Our school places an emphasis on student strengths and interests to help all students reach their full potential. We provide a supportive community that fosters positive peer relationships, enrichment activities, vocational experiences, and individualized learning opportunities.
We serve students with special education needs which include emotional disabilities, specific learning disabilities, other health impairments, developmental delay and autism. We assist students who need academic and behavioral support to be more successful at school.
Our therapeutic day school classrooms have up to 10 students with one teacher and one or two Teacher Assistants. All of our staff receive on-going clinical training in the REStArT Model and are certified in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention.
All students are referred through their home school district. Once a referral from a school district is received, Allendale will schedule a tour and interview with the student and family to discuss what they are looking for and what our program has to offer to determine if it is a good fit for all involved.
Yes, we provide an Extended School Year (i.e., summer school) for all of our students, in order to maintain academic and emotional progress from one school year to the next.
Career & Technical Education Program
Youth enrolled in Allendale’s Therapeutic Day School program participate in the application, interview and selection processes to help them secure one or more vocational work opportunities.
On a quarterly basis, students are assessed by their Job Coach and receive feedback using a situational assessment model. Assessments are then shared with the student and his/her life-planning support team.
Please contact Jenni Mendoza 847-245-6429.
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Foster Care Program
Parents interested in our foster care programs come from all cultures and walks of life, must be at least 21 years of age, with stable housing and income, and be able to pass a background check. Foster parents need to be open to learning how to work with children who have experienced adverse life situations and help the child maintain healthy family ties, as appropriate. A commitment to participate in training and applying training concepts as part of a treatment team is essential.
- Specialized trauma-informed training based on Allendale’s REStArTSM model, as well as training in other topics relevant to youth with special needs
- Clinical consultation conferences with the treatment team and quarterly Child and Family Team Meetings
- In-home caseworker visits
- Identification of support services for the youth (e.g., therapy, psychiatry, and mentoring)
- 24/7 on-call access to Foster Care program department workerSpecialized trauma-informed training based on Allendale’s REStArTSM model, as well as training in other topics relevant to youth with special needs
- Clinical consultation conferences with the treatment team and quarterly Child and Family Team Meetings
- In-home caseworker visits
- Identification of support services for the youth (e.g., therapy, psychiatry, and mentoring)
- 24/7 on-call access to Foster Care program department worker
Essentially, a youth who is considered specialized has additional needs compared to traditional foster care. The needs can be medical, emotional, behavioral or mental health related. A specialized youth may need additional appointments, more visits to a doctor or therapist. There is an additional requirement for the foster family and therefore an additional board payment is provided, in order to cover the additional travel and other requirements.
Additionally, immensely increased support from your Allendale Foster Care team is provided to you. As an agency, we have trained case workers, therapists and nursing consultation. Allendale provides an in-depth and expert, cohesive Foster Care team. We use an evidence-based clinical model called REStArT which we use to clinically understand a youth’s trauma reenactment and behavior. We provide our services to the kids that need help “the most” and we pride ourselves on committing to that passion! One of the unique ways that Allendale receives referrals for intake/foster placement is through our own internal agency residential treatment program.
The youth from our Residential Treatment program are typically in specialized care. Although distinct from the Foster Care team, we work closely with our residential partner teams and have some youth in care who are open for adoption and fostering, directly following residential placement. We encourage all foster parents to consider a child from this referral base, as we are able to work closely to prepare all parties for a discharge to your home.
Allendale is always in need of foster families to meet the needs of:
- Children with behavioral or mental health complexities
- Babies born with the HIV (AIDS) virus or with substances such as cocaine in their system
- Children with special medical needs (e.g., diabetes)
- Adolescents
- Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth
- Children with developmental delays, such as Autism
Each foster child gets a medical card from the state which guarantees payment for all necessary medical care and preventive medicine. You will not pay any medical bill directly.
Foster children in Chicago go to regular public schools, unless they need special education, for which the state can pay.
Allendale provides clinical consultation by telephone for our specialized foster care program. Our clinical consultations are a regular opportunity for the foster parents to discuss the youth’s case and behavior and gain a deep understanding of the youth’s trauma and behavior. Every 90 days, you will have a Child and Family Team Meeting (CFTM) about the child placed in your home, which is family- and youth-driven.
We have training where foster families can connect, share experiences, and learn together. As families in similar situations, the learning extends to peer support. We gather for dinner prior to each training (during non-COVID times). If the trainings can be held in person, we provide childcare for every child in your home (foster and biological) so that parents can participate uninterrupted. Additionally, our team looks forward to annual appreciation events for our families and fun ways to celebrate our families.
Our foster care program case specialists have tailored training to meet the needs of their individual caseloads. As the needs of specialized youth are greater, the caseloads these specialists hold are managed to give optimum support. Our case specialists take pride in providing a consistent and individually-tailored structure to meet the needs of our families, often making meetings in the evenings to accommodate working families and children in school.
We provide 24/7, 365 on-call support. You will never find that you cannot reach someone in the Foster Care Department!
Absolutely! There are many children in foster care programs whose parents’ parental rights have been terminated and have expressed adoption goals – right now! The goal of “adoption” or “guardianship” can be set wherever the child is placed. And if you have been the caregiver for more than 6 months, you are first in line to take legal custody. You can receive an ongoing subsidy payment after a child is permanently placed (through adoption or guardianship) in your home.
The first goal of our foster care program in Chicago is to reunite children in foster care with their families of origin, when that is possible. However, if a child who has been in your home for some time becomes available for adoption, you can discuss your interest in adopting him or her with the caseworker.
Allendale Association, through DCFS, provides reimbursement for caring for foster children through a monthly stipend. These payments are meant to reimburse you for food, clothing, allowance, transportation, etc.
Specialized foster youth can use Enrichment Funds and Nonrecurring Expenses, which are available to foster parents for needs outside of what the board payment reimburses for. These funds can be used for things like camp, sporting equipment, clubs or groups that the child wants to join, school activities/trips, etc. “Respite care” funds can be requested and used for someone to drive the child to an appointment or visit, or if the foster parents are unable to temporarily care for the child.
Adoption and Subsidized Guardianships are entirely free of cost to the foster parent. If they choose an attorney to review their Adoption or Guardianship Subsidy and represent them in court for legal finalization from the Adoption Attorney Panel, foster parents have no out-of-pocket expense.
The purpose of a subsidy, itself, is to be an argument to both the state and federal governments as to why it is in the best interest of the child to remain in your home. But it also demonstrates why a subsidy is appropriate to be given to families. And it serves to inform the state and federal governments and the court system about everything from the child’s birth information to where they are now (i.e. medically, clinically, educationally, etc.), to introducing the foster parents, foster family, and foster home to demonstrating why it is in the best interest of the child to remain with the family and ensure a successful and safe discharge into the care of that family.
As much as we need foster families, we also need to raise awareness of our Foster Care Program. There is an opportunity for everyone to help a youth in our specialized foster care program!
Some ways you can get involved include:
- Become licensed to provide emergency and short-term foster homes (needed just as much as we need long-term homes!)
- Sponsor, or ask your company to sponsor, a Foster Parent Appreciation Event.
- Arrange a fundraiser to raise funds and awareness for foster care.
- Sponsor, or ask your company to sponsor, a meal for our foster families during one of our monthly training events.
- Hold a “Toy Drive” with your church or community organization.
- Volunteer your time to help us organize donations, set-up for training, or provide child care for parents during monthly training.
- Commit to having our poster or leaflets available for your company’s staff or clients.
- Donate some of our frequently-needed items, such as:
- Wrapping paper
- Birthday packs (such as cake mix, candles, party hats, etc.)
- Toys
- New or gently used clothes
- Educate your families, communities, churches, schools, social circles and friends that there is a great need for licensed foster care homes.
Outpatient Counseling
When you inquire about our outpatient counseling services, we will gather information about your reasons for seeking services in order to determine how we can best meet your needs. This will also allow your therapist to prepare for their first meeting with you. Additionally, we will collect your insurance benefit information and discuss payment options. Finally, we will discuss your scheduling needs and availability for appointments.
Bradley Counseling Center is an “in network” provider with several commercial insurance companies and it is also an Illinois Medicaid certified provider for youth under age 18.
Costs of services in our child counseling services are based on your individual insurance coverage (including deductible and co-pays) and may vary according to the service provided, e.g., therapy, psychological testing, or groups. Our client account specialists will assist you in verifying your insurance benefits as well as determining if you have a co-pay and how much it is.
Self-pay options are also available, and can be discussed further upon request. For qualifying families, fees may be reduced according to a sliding scale. All fees are due at the time of service. We accept all forms of payment including cash, checks, credit cards, as well as HSA and flexible spending cards.
In the first appointment, client rights and treatment consents will be reviewed to help you more fully understand the therapy process. A clinical assessment will be conducted integrating information gathered at the initial intake phone call. An individualized treatment plan will then be developed between you and your therapist which shall reflect a shared understanding of your identified goals for treatment.
Your child counseling therapist will meet with you at a regularly scheduled time, which will be discussed during the intake call and in your first session. Sessions are typically 45-60 minutes where you and your therapist will work together on reviewing and achieving your treatment goals. There may be times in which the therapist may meet with parents separately for youth under 18, meet individually with the youth, or work more as a family depending on your identified needs.
Psychological Testing at Bradley Counseling Center
When you inquire about our outpatient counseling services, we will gather information about your reasons for seeking services in order to determine how we can best meet your needs. This will also allow your therapist to prepare for their first meeting with you. Additionally, we will collect your insurance benefit information and discuss payment options. Finally, we will discuss your scheduling needs and availability for appointments.
Our evaluators are able to provide a variety of testing services. If you are unsure what type of testing you are looking for, you can call our intake department and they can help identify if our testing services can help. Our evaluations include the following:
- Anger Management Evaluations
- ADHD Assessment
- Depression/Anxiety Assessment
- Developmental Delays/Autism Spectrum Assessment
- Cognitive Assessment (IQ)
- Academic Assessment
Due to the specialized nature of the following situations, we do not offer the following assessments:
- Custody evaluations/parenting evaluations
- Substance use evaluations
- Domestic violence evaluations
- Sexual offense evaluations
- Neuropsychological evaluations
- Assessments prior to surgery
Bradley Counseling Center is an “in network” provider with several commercial insurance companies and it is also an Illinois Medicaid certified provider for youth under age 18.
Costs of services are based on your individual insurance coverage (including deductible and co-pays) and may vary according to the type of testing provided, e.g., diagnostic testing, cognitive (IQ) testing, or ADHD assessment. Our client account specialists will assist you in verifying your insurance benefits as well as determining if you have a co-pay and how much it is. Some co-pays may be required for times when you are not face-to-face with the evaluator, as that is the time they are scoring the tests, analyzing results, and writing the reports. The evaluator will discuss this with you at the time of the first appointment so you have an estimate of the out of pocket costs before starting the testing.
Self-pay options are also available, and can be discussed further upon request. All fees are due at the time of service. We accept all forms of payment including cash, checks, credit cards, as well as HSA and flexible spending cards.
Timeframes for completion of testing depend on the type of testing needed to answer your questions, scheduling availability, and the number of hours approved by your insurance.
Some typical time frames for the testing portion are:
- Anger Management Evaluations – 2 hours
- ADHD Assessment – 3 to 5 hours
- Depression/Anxiety Assessment – 4 to 6 hours
- Developmental Delays/Autism Spectrum Assessment – 4 to 6 hours
- Cognitive Assessment (IQ) – 3 to 5 hours
- Academic Assessment – 3 to 5 hours
Once testing is completed, the evaluator will analyze the results and write a report tailored to your questions. This takes between 2-4 weeks. The evaluator will then have a feedback session to go over the report, explain the results, and answer any questions you may have.
You will receive a written report that will include the following:
- Diagnosis
- Recommendations for treatment options that are tailored to your personal and family circumstances
- A response to the questions you wanted addressed in the evaluation
Anger Management Treatment at Bradley Counseling Center
We will gather information about your reasons for seeking services in order to determine how we can best meet your needs. This will also allow your therapist to prepare for their first meeting with you. Our anger management program is provided individually, as well as in a group format (when there are enough participants for a group). Our intake worker will discuss fees and payment options. Finally, we will discuss your availability to attend a group or scheduling needs and availability for individual appointments.
Individual sessions - Bradley Counseling Center is an “in network” provider with several commercial insurance companies and it is also an Illinois Medicaid certified provider for youth under age 18. Costs of services for individual sessions are based on your individual insurance coverage (including deductible and co-pays). Our client account specialists will assist you in verifying your insurance benefits as well as determining if you have a co-pay and how much it is.
Self-pay options are also available, and can be discussed further upon request. For qualifying families, fees may be reduced according to a sliding scale. All fees are due at the time of service. We accept all forms of payment including cash, checks, credit cards, as well as HSA and flexible spending cards.
Group Sessions – Group sessions are a flat rate of $25 per session. There is an initial
individual session in order to gather information (see below), and then there are 8 sessions of curriculum to improve anger management skills.
In the first appointment, client rights and treatment consents will be reviewed to help you more fully understand the therapy process. A clinical assessment will be conducted integrating information gathered at the initial intake phone call. From that, an individualized treatment plan will be developed between you and your therapist which will reflect a shared understanding of your identified goals for treatment. For youth, the therapist will also go over some of the curriculum material with the parents so that they know what skills are being taught. The therapist will also meet with the parents at the end of the curriculum to get their feedback on the youth’s progress and answer any questions the parents have.
The therapist will meet with you at a regularly scheduled time, either individually or in a group setting, which will be discussed during the intake call and in your first session. Sessions are typically 50-60 minutes. The therapist will use an 8 week curriculum designed to help individuals recognize their stressors and develop/strengthen skills to manage anger in a more adaptive way.
Yes. After completing the 8 week course, you will receive a certificate of completion.