LIGHTHOUSE GROUP HOME
Lighthouse is an eight-bed therapeutic group home for girls ages 12-17 who are primarily from Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's Counties. The program provides comprehensive clinical and residential services to girls who are experiencing moderate to severe behavioral and emotional problems at home, in school or elsewhere in the community. Located in Waldorf, Lighthouse is the most highly structured component of the continuum of residential programs operated by Alternatives for Youth and Families.
Services offered through Lighthouse include educational, vocational and employment support and guidance; recreational opportunities; individual, group and family therapy conducted by licensed mental health professionals from the community; and other services which address the specific needs of the individual residents. Designed to promote personal growth and responsibility, Lighthouse services are tailored to meet the particular needs of each resident and her family. The primary goals of the program are to strengthen families and to reunify the youth with her natural family whenever possible.
As a community based program, Lighthouse uses a systems approach to treatment involving the individual resident, her family, the local school system, the referring agency, other significant individuals and community agencies. This integrated approach is designed to teach the youth appropriate coping skills and strategies for living with others.
Girls who successfully complete the individualized program at Lighthouse are then transitioned to a less restrictive environment such as the family, a specialized or therapeutic foster home, or to an independent living setting. Prior to discharge, an aftercare plan is developed to enable the youth to transition smoothly and to promote continued success once she has moved on from the program. During this transition, the resident's caseworker collaborates with the entire treatment team to ensure that the aftercare plan is implemented and that all therapies are continued during and after the transition.