ACT CAMPS
ACT Camps use their beautiful outdoor
environments for both therapeutic
and educational purposes. Through
adventure we promote immediate feelings
of well being, safety, competency
and positive emotional states- this
is therapy. Educationally, our ACT
Camp schools have a major environmental
education focus.
ACT Camps have three major program
components: (1) adventure,
(2) education
and (3) community service.
We also provide great outcomes –
cash restitution for victims and JJS
fines of about 6-8% of per diems,
Clinical Innovation
- YSA is a leader in the development
of Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST),
now recognized as one of the few
effective therapies for high risk.
This is a blend of family therapy
and casework that connects family,
community, school and juvenile
justice systems into a unified
service plan and resource. Communication
and coordination among these resources
to provide a unified “team” is
a key to the success of therapy-
just heard of it- we were doing
it before it was nationally known.
We do not use a medical model to attempt
to “cure” behavior (such as delinquency)
as often used in substance abuse and
other medical model therapies. Instead,
we use a positive youth development
philosophy that provides youth opportunities
to learn skills, to identify with
positive role models and values, and
to feel a connection to the community.
This is a natural “fit” with restorative
justice beliefs and practices.
YSA Management
YSA management uses General Systems
Theory as a planning tool, and has
taught this theory to other providers
via federally sponsored training.
Recently, this theory has been popularized
by authors such as Peter Senge, writer
of the Fifth Discipline.
Systems Theory describes programs
in terms of inputs, processes and
outputs, and other variables which
are components of complex, interrelated
systems. Systems Theory provides for
both evaluation research and quality
assurance tracking as part of overall
project management, since outcomes
are identified, measured and reported.
Past Management Success
- YSA was the national model for
Americorps grants to youth agencies.
First with our PA Conservation
Corps, and then with our Americorps
crew (a mix of staff and high
risk youth), we built our first
Adventure Learning Center as a
community service project. This
was a $800,000 renovation of a
large, pre-Revolutionary War,
county Barn (circa 1730). It was
Bucks County’s poorhouse farm
barn until 1950 when it was abandoned.
Now it serves as a community center
and regional alternative school
serving over 10,000 youth each
year.
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