For referrals to any of our programs please visit our contact page for the appropriate contact information.
Our agency on a whole specializes with working with young victims of traumatic abuse including mental, physical, social, and sexual abuse. The Yahweh Center accepts children without regard to race, sex, religion, or creed. We deal primarily with children between the ages of five to twelve that are suffering from emotional, physical abuse and neglect. All of the children in our program have need of emotional healing and restoration. Many are often suicidal, behaviorally explosive, grieving and often developmentally delayed when they enter our care.
The Yahweh Center primarily receives referrals from the Departments of Social Services, psychiatric hospitals, area mental health centers, private placements, and other residential programs. Family referrals are also possible and interested parties may contact us about possible placement. Our residential programs offers 24 hour monitoring and staffing to keep children safe and secure. Our milieu offers a warm and homey atmosphere where children are nurtured while being taught more positive ways to handle their anger and loss. Most direct care staff have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree with some having Masters. Each Residential Cottage has at least one Cottage Team Leader. The Team Leaders are responsible for keeping the continuity of the program philosophy, structure of activities, routine and day to day case management responsibilities. The Yahweh Center can provide care for up to 6 children per cottage in our new PRTF cottage and up to 9 children in our first PRTF. Each child living in a cottage shares common areas and activities with those in their cottage and each child has their own personal rooms and are given opportunities for one on one time with our qualified professionals.
Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility
Our Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) for children ages 5-12 years is staffed with qualified professionals including residential staff and full-time nurses that provide 24/7 residential treatment including a day treatment school and educational program. This is the first designed-built facility of its kind in North Carolina.
All PRTF clients will work through their issues through play therapy, child therapy, and family therapy when appropriate provided on site by Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) with expertise in working with traumatized children and guardians. Child Psychiatric Services are provided on site by our NC Board certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who serves as our full time Medical Director. To meet our PRTF children’s educational needs we provide on campus Day Treatment services with certified teachers and professional clinical staff.
Adoption Services, MAPP Classes, and Therapeutic Foster Care
The Yahweh Center is licensed as a child-placing agency for Adoption Services. We specialize in both adoptions and adoption preparation services. Currently the majority of adoption work is in the area of adoption readiness. Many of the Yahweh Center children have experienced not only family, group care, and foster placement disruptions but have also experienced disrupted adoptions. The agency prepares children for adoption by using the skills of staff with experience in adoption preparation and loss. We work in tandem with the legal custodians to recruit families and often prepare the pre-adoptive profile of the child for use in recruitment. Children are involved in creating their “life books” with staff and other skilled professionals such as their therapist and DSS workers. Children receive therapy that is treatment focused to prepare them for adoption. The children receiving these services are currently housed with other children receiving a variety of treatments. These children are still working on attachment issues and the Yahweh Center wants to help these children transition into competent loving family environments. Many times potential families can begin the process of unification while the children are working out their issues. Our agency specializes in children with RAD (reactive attachment disorder) condition and can help families deal with issues related to the disorder by offering training, counseling, and other services.
In addition to Adoption Services, the Yahweh Center offers MAPP Classes ( Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting ) to help parents learn effective communication and interaction with these children. Our agency is currently looking for 3 to 5 Families that are willing to be trained and certified as therapeutic foster parents. These families provide children a place to transition from group care to home care. The Yahweh Center is a licensed Mental Health provider and licensed also by the North Carolina Division of Social Services in providing child-placing services. Home studies and pre and post adoption services are offered.
Outpatient Services
We are currently developing Outpatient Child Psychiatric and Clinical Services for children who need more frequent comprehensive out patient care. Please contact us for more information and one of our qualified professionals will be glad to assist you.
“But the vessel that He was making of clay was spoiled in the hands of the Potter, so He made it into another vessel, as it pleased the Potter to make.” ~ Jeremiah 18:4