A. Generally, a child is referred for placement through County or State Departments of Social Services, Departments of Childrens' Services, Departments of Mental Health, or Local and/or State Education agencies. Requirements for placement consideration include a recent clinical assessment of the child, a social history, a current Individual Education Plan, and current medical, dental and psychological information. Upon receipt of these materials, a pre-placement screening may be scheduled. An on-site visit is desirable; however, a screening at the child’s home or school can be arranged. For out-of-Indiana placements, the requirements of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) must be met.

Q. Who should I contact about my child after placement?

A. Your child will be assigned a social worker upon entry into IDTC. The social worker functions as the treatment team leader and will oversee all aspects of your child’s programming. Any question you have concerning your child should be referred to the social worker. Our social workers work a flexible schedule; they are usually in the building during normal business hours, but special arrangements can be made for alternate meeting times. You can leave a voice-mail message for them any time of the day. Regular sessions of family therapy can also be established.

Q: Who do I contact if I can’t reach my social worker?

A: If you leave a message on your social worker’s voice-mail, your call will be returned as soon as possible. However, if there is an emergency, and your social worker is not available, ask for the Social Service Director. If they are not available, ask for the Building Supervisor. Someone can be reached to help you at any time, seven days a week.

Q: When can I call my child?

A: We ask that families phone their children, rather than expecting the child to call you. The social worker will arrange for staff to expect your call at an agreed-upon time each week. The phone call will be scheduled at a time that is convenient for you. If you live outside the immediate calling area, your social worker will provide you with our toll-free number. Please be on time - your child will be anxiously awaiting your call!

Q. Can I write to my child?

A. We encourage families to send cards and letters. Address them to:

All mail goes to the social worker, who will give it to your child. We provide the postage for your child’s reply.

Q. Can I give gifts and money to my child?

A. Yes, but consult with your child’s social worker about the most appropriate gifts. Be aware that expensive toys may be damaged on the units, so please choose your gifts accordingly. Generally, we have found that clothing, stuffed animals, books, tapes/CDs, and family photos make the best gifts. Electronic devices such as radios, Gameboys, walkmans, etc., are usually too fragile to survive for long, and must be given at your own risk. You can also give your child money through the social worker, who will place it in an individual resident account. Please give money only directly to the social worker in person or send it in the mail to ensure safekeeping. Your child will receive a small monthly allowance from IDTC that can be supplemented by money contributed by the child’s family. Only the social worker has access to this account. Residents may use their money during community outings, on passes home or save it for items they wish to buy at a later date.

Q: Who will provide clothing for my child?

A: Following admission, when the initial clothing inventory is completed by the family and or county, IDTC will ensure that every child is provided with an adequate wardrobe, including underwear, coats, shoes, etc. Parents are welcome to send in articles of clothing. However, all items of clothing should be given to the social worker so they can be marked with your child’s name and inventoried by the laundry. We discourage clothing going back and forth on home visits, so please make sure that you keep an adequate supply at home.

Q. How can I arrange to visit my child?

A. We encourage families to visit their children on a regular basis. But due to the necessity of providing a secure environment for our children, we do not have “visitors hours” when families can drop in unannounced. All visits must be arranged beforehand with a minimum of three days notice. Call your child’s social worker when you want to arrange a visit, and he or she will submit the necessary paperwork to authorize your visit.

Q. When can my child make home visits?

A. After the first 30 days of their placement on a CCI unit or 90 days on a Private Secure Unit, children may make visits home, depending on the approval of the caseworker (if this is a court placement), and your child’s progress toward achieving therapeutic goals. Generally, there are four on-site visits prior to off grounds and overnight visits. This not only allows your child time to adjust to their new environment, but allows you to get to know IDTC and for us to become familiar with your family. However, home visits are a privilege, not a right, and must be earned by your child through appropriate behavior. Residents on locked units are held to stricter standards than residents on CCI units. Assuming your child is eligible for a home visit, you can make arrangements through your child’s social worker.

Q: What will happen when I visit IDTC?

A: Remember that you’ll always need an appointment, which you must set up through your social worker. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN APPOINTMENT, YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED. If you visit during business hours, you must register with the receptionist and ask her to page the person with whom you’ve made the appointment. If you intend to see your child only, ask the receptionist to page your social worker or a Building Supervisor.

Q. What about after 5 pm?

Our front doors are locked after 5 p.m. during the week, and on weekends. When you arrive after business hours, use the phone just inside door to page a Building Supervisor. After the Building Supervisor has confirmed your appointment, you will be asked to wait in the lobby while he or she brings your child to you. It is important that you remain in the lobby while you’re waiting.

Q. Where can we visit?

If your child is not ready for an overnight home visit, you may still be able to take your child off-grounds for a few hours. This must be set up in advance through your social worker. If your visit is on site, we have several visiting areas that allow some privacy. Weather permitting, courtyards outside may be made available. Families are welcome to bring a meal or snack on the visit as well as games or other activities to share with your child. When it is time to leave, ask staff to page a Building Supervisor for you. They will escort you from the building and return your child to the unit.

Q. Can I visit my child’s room and unit?

A: All families visiting on the unit must be accompanied by a social worker. Such visits will be brief in duration and will occur only occasionally. Please bear in mind that we have a number of behavioral challenges among our children, and their behaviors may be exacerbated by the presence of visitors on the unit. We are also obligated to protect the privacy of our residents within their living areas.

Q: Can my child come home for the holidays?

A: Whenever possible, we encourage families to take their children home for major holidays. Additionally, there are some extended school breaks in the spring and summer. As always, you will make these arrangements through your social worker.

Q: How are the holidays observed at IDTC?

A: Holidays are an important part of a child’s life, therefore, we try to make these experiences rich and meaningful for our residents. Some examples of IDTC’s holiday activities include education about our nation’s heritage on Martin Luther King Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July. Special activities may also be planned for other holidays such as exchanging hand-made cards with their friends on Valentine’s Day, “trick-or-treating” around the building in costumes on Halloween, and enjoying a turkey dinner with all the trimmings on Thanksgiving. Of course, the most elaborate celebrations occur during the Winter Holidays. Our residents will help decorate their classrooms and units, prepare a holiday program which families will be invited to attend, and will receive a personal visit from Santa Claus, who will deliver gifts to all IDTC children (whether they’ve been “naughty or nice”).

IDTC also observes each child’s birthday with a gift and a small party.

We respect the fact that some families may not be comfortable having their child participate in the observance of certain holidays. If you have any concerns, please discuss them with your social worker.

Q. Will my child have opportunities for physical education?

We have a two gymnasiums, three outdoor courtyards, and an adjacent playground. Each resident will have time scheduled each day to participate in physical education activities. Additionally, your child may be able to join IDTC’s championship boy’s Eagle basketball team or participate in organized sports, such as the annual 3-on3 basketball tournament.

Q. What if my child becomes ill?

A. IDTC’s infirmary will tend to your child’s routine health problems. They will also escort your child on visits to dentists, optometrists, and other medical professionals, depending on your child’s needs. In the event of more serious illness, your child will receive the level of care necessary to treat the condition up to and including hospitalization. The social worker will keep you updated on all routine medical events, and you will be informed as soon as possible in the case of an emergency.

Q: Who decides if my child needs medication?

A: It is our philosophy to use a minimal amount of behavioral medication, while recognizing its importance in addressing certain psychiatric conditions. Your child will be assigned to one of our consulting psychiatrists, who will review your child’s status on a regular basis. The decision to use medication will be arrived at by the treatment team as a whole with input from the child’s family.

Q. What will happen if my child misbehaves?

A. While we expect the best from your child, our staff are specially trained to deal with difficult behavioral problems. There are several levels of behavioral intervention used at IDTC, which will be thoroughly explained to you throughout the pre-admission and admission process. Treatment intervention techniques are designed to be non-confrontative and non-retaliatory, are designed with utilizing the least restrictive measure possible, and are clearly prescribed in the child’s Individual Treatment Plan.

Q: What will happen if my child goes to court?

A: When your child has a court appearance scheduled, your social worker will discuss with you the specifics of your child’s situation with you. The social worker will tell you what he or she will recommend to the court and what questions the court is likely to ask of the child, the family, etc. Typically, courts will ask questions about the progress the child is making and whether they are ready to be discharged. The social worker will accompany your child to court usually with an assigned youth care staff. We ask the family to meet us at the court. Please call your social worker if other arrangements are needed.

Q: When will my child be discharged?

A: Discharge planning is something that begins as soon as your child enters IDTC. Upon admission, the social worker will write an Individual Treatment Plan, which is a list of goals specifically targeting your child’s problematic behaviors. After the first 45 days and every six months thereafter, the social worker will write an Individual Treatment Plan Review describing your child’s progress toward meeting these goals. You will receive copies of these reports as they are completed.

As your child’s discharge date draws near, the social worker will discuss specific plans with you. The treatment team may recommend that your child step down to a less restrictive environment (such as a group home), or be returned home. For court placements, it will be the court, not IDTC, who will have the final word regarding your child’s discharge.

Q: I have a complaint to whom should I talk?

A: Whether your complaint involves side effects of medication, your child’s wardrobe, an unexplained injury, a problem with IDTC personnel, etc., your first call should always be to your social worker. The social worker is in the best position to address whatever concern you may have.

If you have a complaint about your social worker, again, the best person to discuss this with is your social worker. Let him/her know what the problem is and he/she will take constructive steps to address it. If you do not receive a satisfactory resolution of your problem, call the Social Service Director, and let her know the nature of your concern.