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Name: Pressley Ridge Allegheny County Day School Program |
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Each student's education costs are paid through a combination of funds provided by the PA Dept. of Education, the referring school district, and federal Chapter 1 monies. The mental health services are paid by Medical Assistance and private insurance. |
The program components of the Allegheny County Day School consist of the following: academic program, treatment program, family liaison program, reintegration program, experiential therapies, and community-based programming. |
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The Allegheny County Day School is licensed and approved by they PA Department of Education and offers comprehensive elementary and secondary curricula in compliance with state regulations. As such, all credits earned for courses taken at Pressley Ridge are directly transferable to schools throughout the state. However, the classes taken by an individual student, the materials used, and the teaching and evaluation procedures employed are selected on an individual basis. Because of the highly individualized nature of the educational program, the majority of instruction is conducted on a one-to-one basis; however, both small and larger group instruction is used when appropriate, particularly when students are nearing discharge to public school programs. In addition, the experiential therapies program is an integral part of teaching youth new behavioral and educational competencies. Through specifically designed activities, the treatment and educational team of each student can link IEP objectives and treatment goals to hands-on, discovery-oriented tasks. |
Our follow-up data, gathered two to three years after discharge from the program, shows impressive results. These data indicate that only about 15% of the students were involved in highly restrictive residential treatment programs, and that over 60% of the students were still in school (in less restrictive settings than Pressley Ridge), had earned a high school diploma or G.E.D., or were gainfully employed. These results seem to indicate that the students' academic and behavioral gains in our Day School are meaningful, sustainable, and, to some extent, transferable to settings outside of Pressley Ridge. |
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Each classroom is staffed by a special education teacher and a mental health specialist. In addition, there are family liaisons specialists who work directly with the students' families, the school districts, and other community agencies involved with the students (i.e. juvenile court, mental health, children and youth services). There is also ancillary staff that provides instruction in physical education, art and music, and speech and language therapy. Program services are monitored by coordinators and supervised by the program director. A psychiatrist and psychologist provide additional support with assessment expertise. |
All students admitted must meet criteria for “serious emotional disturbance,” as outlined by the U.S. Office of Education (1977), and must have a diagnosable mental health disorder as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4 th Edition). |
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The mission of Pressley Ridge is: to improve the adjustment and achievement of children and youth with troubling behaviors through effective programs that focus on all aspects of their lives; to lead in the development of innovative programming through evaluation, research, and outcome measurement; and, to champion initiatives to improve the system of care for children, youth and their families. |
The Pressley Ridge Allegheny County Day School program is based on the concept of Re-Education and its 12 principles, created and written in the 1960s by Dr. Nicholas Hobbs. The principles rest upon two basic beliefs: that every child wants to do well and that when basic needs are met, the child is able to learn. The Allegheny County Day School believes that every child has the potential to perform well if the following needs are met: belonging, safety, relevance, attention, competence/mastery, power/influence, empathy, and fun/stimulation. |
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Since 1832, Pressley Ridge has been providing services to children with troubling behaviors and developmental disabilities incorporating the principles and values of Nicholas Hobbs' Re-Education. Focusing on the strengths and talents of each child brings enrichment and remediation to lesser known skills. In this way, teacher/counselors help children to become healthy and competent. They find joy in life, become healthy and productive, and find a place in society where they can be successful. |
The Pressley Ridge Allegheny County Day School/Partial Hospitalization program provides intensive, relatively short-term educational and therapeutic services. Our hope is that these services will allow the participating children and youth with social and emotional disorders to reintegrate into their communities and schools. Success for a majority of the students is gauged by the following: a return to the public school system with minimal special services and/or programming; improved relationships with family, peers, and community, with reduced involvement in the judicial, child welfare, and mental health systems; increased ability to function independently and/or move toward life goals; ability to transfer improved functioning to other environments. All components of Pressley Ridge are accredited through the Council on Accreditation. |
