Provo Canyon School Articles
Provo Canyon School Students Play Chess
Chess is considered to be one of the most ancient games. It is also a game that requires concentration, skill and thinking. Research has shown that the game helps in better concentration, more emotional control, developing better reading skills and in logical thinking. A chessboard with 64 chequered squares has two rows each of black and white chess pieces. The chess pieces are made to resemble various segments of an army. The king, the queen, the knight, the rook or the chariot and the pawn are important pieces that each side has. The movement limitation defines each piece. The pieces move horizontally, vertically, backward, forward and diagonally as per their assigned qualities. The aim of the game is to ensnare the opponent's king. A desirable conclusion would be a ‘checkmate' where the king is in no position to take another step to safety.
In first–timers the results of the game could be decided within 15 minutes. Most number of times, a winner is decided in a game. Learning to accept a loss in good spirit and reacting to a win by maintaining decorum are qualities that Provo Canyon School students can learn. At the same time, trying to outwit each other could be an enjoyable experience. Chess has being made part of the therapeutic plan at the school. The time factor is a matter of concern. Some chess games could stretch up to hours. Three days a week- Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday has been found suitable for playing the game. Time has being so arranged that other activities of Provo Canyon School students be not interfered with.
A certain criteria have being made through which students would be selected for learning and playing the game. The game sessions should not interfere with the other Provo Canyon therapeutic and group activities. After a period of time, the activity should connect with the therapeutic goal of the school. There are various school–based competitions that are held in Utah. The Provo Canyon School management plan is that once a batch of good chess players is developed, then they would be send to various competitions to compete. The competition would consist of other high school students and adolescents.
Most of these tournaments are held at accessible venues and within driving distance of the Provo Canyon School. The long-term goal of this program is the participation in competitions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Students Medicine in Provo Canyon School
How the staff can help students take medicine
The staff can aid the students in taking their medicine in some cases. This circumstance may occur due to non-availability of the nurse in the evenings, off-days, and on weekdays. It should be noted that the staff is not responsible for providing the medicine themselves but to help students in taking their medicines.
There are five different types of medicines that are provided to students of Provo Canyon School:
- Psycho-stimulants.
- Anti-psychotics.
- Anti-anxiety.
- Anti-depressants.
- Mood stabilizers.
The students need reassurance and support for some side effects of the medicines are disturbing, though temporary. The side effects may include:
- Blurred vision.
- Dryness of the mouth.
- Muscle cramps in the neck.
- Sensitivity to sunlight or any other light.
- Constipation and Diarrhea.
- Cases on unconsciousness.
- Rare cases of coma.
Lessen the chances or reduce the affect of these symptoms by consuming as much water as possible. Drink water before and after taking the medicine. It is essential to drink about three to five liters of water everyday.
The precautions to be taken regarding dosage: -
- To avoid any complications, ensure the students take the medicine with the correct dosage.
- Medicine overdose can be dangerous, sometimes leading to death, therefore take utmost care.
- Missing a dosage of the medicine can also cause problems, as the blood level has to be kept at a certain level.
Check on the patients during outside activities, or while physically asserting themselves during a sport, they may lead to dehydration. Look out for symptoms, like slow response to answers, and slow physical reaction of any student. Lack of thirstiness is another sig not watch out for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Provo Canyon School Children Cure
Since 1971, the Provo Canyon School has build up a reputation to cure children who have had serious psychological problems that makes them trouble some kids.
- Discipline goes hand in hand with learning and treatment. You would notice that the functioning of the school is like a normal school.
- The Provo Canyon treatment plans have become less strict over the years but that has not reduced its effectiveness.
- The emphasis is more on of developing new skills and new interest in children. The idea is providing confidence to the child.
- The idea of the activities is to turn the mind away from any negative thoughts.
- Each experience encourages the student to take a step forward.
- In the last decade or so, the recreation therapy has been added to the school program. The TWW or Theory Without Walls. The therapy includes outdoor trips to different parts of Utah along with related activities through the trip, such as hiking, rowing, river rafting among other things.
- The disorders that are treated at Provo Canyon School are not limited to a few children disorders.
- It is not possible for parents to visit the Provo Canyon School frequently to get updates of their child's progress. Therefore a phone therapy program has been arranged on a weekly basis with the child, his or her therapist and the parents being part of the call.
- The academic program is so designed to facilitate the treatment. Therapy and study matters are not allowed to clash but are to run along side each other.
- The resources are all available at Provo Canyon School for handling students who lack the abilities to learn.
- The Provo Canyon School has not been rigid and has adjusted itself with the times.
- The aim of the school is to help each student to complete their diploma.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Provo Canyon School: Therapists and Supervisors
Therapists are now part of mental health and treatment services. They are helping, as the therapists at Provo Canyon School have proven. Therapists at the school want to bring about change. They are always trying new ideas.
Therapists are constantly striving for success with the students and coordinate with the parents. They are not limited to any one method.
Supervisors
In psychology, supervision is a system. Therapists are likely to position another in their place for help or discussion. Supervision is another skill at work at Provo Canyon School. A supervisor can learn from watching those he/she supervises. Body language, manner of speaking, facial expressions are important interpretations for a supervisor.
Group supervisions are a learning experience. Interactions among a group allow for combined efforts. Supervision involves handling ideas and involvement that may help change the student's behavior.
Importance of Supervisors
Supervision gains importance in case of drug and alcohol addiction cases at Provo Canyon. Looking over medical intake by the students is another responsibility.
Withdrawing from drugs can cause depression; such students need constant assurance. Side effects from the medicines that the students have also require constant check. Some of the side effects may be frightening for the students. In such a case they require reassurance from the staff. This is where supervisors come in.
Globalization Issues: Ethical, Cultural and Moral
Working with clients from varied cultures, religion, ethics and economic condition is commonplace in the present world. Supervisors have to be ready for shifts in behavior due to cultural or ethical background.
Each student at Provo Canyon School has a different plan drawn out for him/her. The staff consequently needs to adjust itself as per the individual need.
Gender Differences
These things become crucial when discussing matters with parents. Any point could be misunderstood due to a cultural gap.
It also needs to be understood that male and female students will react differently to a supervisor of the either sex. Observation is an important tool of a supervisor. They have to make note of behavior, way of eating food, loss of appetite, symptoms of causing self-injury, among other things.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Managing Diversity Paper
This paper explores aspects of managing diversity in the workplace. The paper focuses on racial diversity and includes an examination of the value of cultural differences. The paper discusses how these differences strengthen or weaken the future workplace. The paper includes an analysis of what a specific organizational culture represents at the business in which I am employed and how management and human resources currently address the issues. The paper discusses a diversity issue I have witnessed in the workplace where more diversity would have been helpful.
Racial Diversity in the Workplace
Diversity issues should become increasingly important in the workplace because of more globalization in business and projected diversity changes in the population of the United States. Changes such as increased racial diversity continue to influence business in many ways (Green, 2006). For instance, Japan is a key business associate in the automobile and computer industry. When Japanese staff members or other staff members that are experienced and informed about cultural differences work with a US company in addressing business issues, the result will be more successful transactions.
One area that showed up in the 2000 census is Hispanic people make up nearly 13 percent of the population, surpassing African Americans as the largest minority group in the country. The fastest growing ethnic group currently in the United States is Asian Americans. The combined buying power of African Americans, Asians, and American Indians in 2007 is 40 percent more than it was in 2002 (Forsythe, 2004).. The diversity of workers in changing, but so is the diversity of consumers.
The Value of Cultural Differences in the Future Work Force
Diversity in the workplace increases marketing opportunities, recruitment of new employees, and the image and creativity in a business. Diversity adds to the success of an organization (Green, 2006). Since inventiveness and elasticity are so valued in the workplace, diversity is vital for an organization's success. Respecting individual differences generates a competitive edge and boosts productivity. Diversity and interdependence helps to reduce lawsuits. A diverse workforce offers an extensive variety of proficiencies for doing business in any marketplace.
One of the reasons people stay on the job is because they have a relationship with their peers. If employees can understand how people are different, and to respect and appreciate those differences, employees will be more satisfied. Employers want to find those who are the highest achievers and the most talented employees. The next step is to put the high performing people into positions where they can show their best work (Forsythe, 2003). In a team where everyone looks alike and sounds alike, the solutions are the same. In a diverse team, decisions are faster and better. Diverse teams make everyone look and feel respected, and welcome diverse ideas and opinions (Forsythe, 2003).
An Analysis of the Value Organizational Culture Represents in My Place of Business
I work in a psychiatric residential treatment center for adolescents. Our patients come from all over the United States and other countries such as South America, Canada, South Africa, and England. Racial diversity includes African American, American Indian, Asian American, Latin American, Hispanic, Pacific Islanders, and every combination of race imaginable. Other diversity among our staff and patients includes ethnicity, gender, physical and mental aptitude, sexual orientation, disability, and religious practices. Since the teenagers also have a wide variety of psychiatric diagnoses, these differences combine to offer wonderful diversity and an environment of accepting and learning together.
Our staff encompasses the same races as our patients. This has proven very valuable as we teach the patients how to communicate and get along in therapeutic ways. The patients are also learning to communicate without prejudice. Since the students live together, have school together, and have group therapy together, they gain an understanding of each other's differences and learn to respect each other. Although there are occasionally racial slurs or contention among patients, the therapeutic milieu provides a perfect background for teaching understanding and acceptance.
Personnel have a variety of valuable talents, strengths, and cultural diversity they freely share with the students. It is very common for our business to have decorations for every ethnic holiday including the traditional American holidays such as Christmas. We often have staff members or others speak to the staff and students about their various cultures. We have had luaus and other feasts of ethnic origin. Staff and students both enjoy this diversity of food and culture. Our diverse dietary staff has cook's choice days when they get to choose the menu. Staff and students both enjoy trying new and different foods and spices from the staffs' countries of origin.
How Management and Human Resources Address These Issues
In managing diversity in the workplace, managers must recognize the value of differences, combat prejudice, and promote inclusiveness. In meetings, treatment teams, or other gatherings, individuals in the diverse work force are given the opportunity to speak while others listen. An effective manager should focus on personal awareness. Managers should develop ongoing training and mentoring and ensure the staff has comfortable places to communicate.
Managers are sometimes challenged with negative attitudes or behaviors resulting in loss of personnel or decreased work productivity because of prejudice or discrimination. Managers must enforce healthy workplace attitudes and discipline workers who act out against others in racial discrimination. The US Equal Opportunity Commission Title VII makes race or skin color harassment of all types illegal. Ethnic slurs, racial jokes or other offensive or derogatory behavior that causes a hostile working environment constitutes unlawful harassment (Wall Street Journal Online, 2006). The Civil Rights Act of 1871 protects individuals from racial discrimination. Managers are required to uphold and enforce these laws. All managers, supervisors, and administration must protect every employee from an intimidating environment.
Human Resources addresses these issues by teaching everyone in the workplace that differences create strength. All types of diversity are healthy and should be encouraged. Prospective employees that show signs of negative racial attitudes are not hired. Employees who demonstrate racial slurs or cause the working environment to be hostile or intimidating are terminated.
A Diversity Issue I Have Witnessed Where More Diversity Would Have Been Helpful
Our family went to dinner with an African American girl from my place of business. We were eating at the table at an establishment in the community. While we were eating, some men in a car outside the establishment shone their lights on us while we were eating and made comments about the girl. She was the only African American at the establishment at the time. This is a small illustration of the value of more diversity.
I was extremely surprised at the actions of the men in the car. I had not seen or experienced very much obvious racial discrimination in my life. An interesting fact that occurred to me is that the girl was half-Caucasian. Her appearance was that of a full African American, but I saw family pictures and knew of her racial heritage. The men were showing prejudice towards a person who is half their race. I remember when we experienced the men's intimidating actions; I told the girl and everyone who was with us not to look at them for fear that they would continue their behavior. I wish I had more experience at the time to educate this young girl and my family about the experience. The men were unkind, uneducated, and inappropriate.
The more there are a variety of races and ethnicities around us, the less specific individuals will seem prominent due to race or color. Racial diversity is productive and beneficial for society and business. It will be a great day when people are recognized as people instead of being seen as different races.
Conclusion
A divergent workplace is a positive sign of globalization in the marketplace. Diversity brings increased value to organizations and increases productivity. Racial diversity is enormously helpful in bringing a wide range of perspectives, experiences, culture, sharing, and educational value. When racial prejudice and harassment is experienced, managers, human resources, and administration must protect employees. Racial discrimination in the workplace is illegal and cannot be condoned in any way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earning the Commitment Band
The Provo Canyon School Orem campus has made a unique program to help in treatment and in academics. Students must be ready to share honestly their drug intake details, finish their chemistry books and get the signatures of their team teachers, staff members and the therapists. The students who are successful in doing so get orange bands for their wrists. The bands have the engraving of " Honest, Respect, Responsibility" over them.
After the introduction of this plan, eight girls have been among the first to receive the bands. More girls are expected to follow and consequently improve the proportion of students who are doing well in studies in Provo Canyon School.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM
AT PROVO CANYON SCHOOL
The abuse of chemical substances has always been a significant behavior problem of youth who are treated at Provo Canyon School. In the 1970s and 80s, when Provo Canyon School treated youth with predominantly conduct and oppositional defiance disorders, chemical abuse of drugs, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, driving under the influence, and smoking pot (marijuana), was considered as one of the major indicators for youth acting out. Substance abuse was viewed as an expression of socially defiant attitudes and misconduct. It was seen as a reckless part of the culture of defiance and misbehavior of the time. A diagnosis of substance abuse was considered to be secondary to a more serious psychological or organic disorder in the student entering Provo Canyon School for treatment.
Provo Canyon School provided an excellent care environment for these youth for two reasons. First, it was a highly structured care facility with a behavior modification program that helped youth learn from and take accountability for their choices. Second, it was a drug-free, zero-tolerance care facility with a highly moral treatment philosophy. That is to say, Provo Canyon School was firmly rooted in the traditional values of marriage, homogeneous family organization, and ethics of honesty, trust, and self-discipline.
During the 1990s, substance abuse and dependency/addiction was identified as a primary disorder (called a primary disease by some professionals). That is, it stood alone as its own diagnosable disorder and was not merely a symptom of another psychological disorder. Youth began being admitted to Provo Canyon School with a primary diagnosis of polysubstance abuse, and some even with chemical dependency or addiction. As problems directly related to substance abuse became more serious and prevalent in students being admitted to Provo Canyon School, the need became evident to strengthen the treatment protocols at within the program. No longer was it adequate to merely have drug awareness and step discussion groups. It became necessary to provide counselors trained specifically in treatment of chemical addiction and polysubstance abuse. Clinical therapists were not sufficiently trained or skilled in diagnosing and providing meaningful treatment for clients with more serious problems in abuse and addiction.
Subsequently, Provo Canyon School adopted a substance abuse treatment program that emulated the 12-Step program. For several years thereafter, clinical therapists dually licensed and trained in clinical therapy and substance abuse ran 12-Step groups and had the youth work some of the STEP workbooks. These groups were both support and process groups where youth presented information about themselves and their steps to their peers and were encouraged and confronted by the group members. Psycho-educational information was also presented in the forms of videos and literature to help educate the youth to the dangers and long-term effects of drug abuse.
In 1996, Provo Canyon School further strengthen the substance abuse treatment program. It began a top-to-bottom renovation of the drug treatment program, investing considerable expense in improving its program of care. One clinical therapist was selected to serve as director of the chemical abuse treatment program at Provo Canyon School and was charged with revamping the program. Several other therapists were also trained and licensed as substance abuse counselors and worked at least part-time running drug groups.
Program development was extensive. Provo Canyon School developed a full continuum of care program that was based on a cognitive-behavioral and 12-Step program of care. An extensive intake and assessment procedure was developed that included parent and teen self-screening tools and an exhaustive interview-based assessment of chemical abuse and treatment needs. Treatment planning goals were formulated specific to chemical abuse problems being experienced by the youth with observable, measurable, and achievable measures. Treatment protocols were expanded to include a rigorous psycho-educational approach to helping youth with this diagnosis to study and learn about abuse, addiction, and drugs. This didactic method was augmented with an individual study program of workout exercises formulated for youth. The youth even helped develop the workout exercises. A manual was written by the director of the program (Stephen Biddulph) with approximately 28 workout exercises that were assigned out to the youth according to their individual need and progress in the program. Each youth was also assigned to a process group where they presented their work and had other youth assist them in getting clean and sober and wanting to stay that way. Recreation therapy was drawn heavily upon to provide a meaningful experiential component to the learning and make it more fun. Clinical therapists working with the youth were provided information about their work in the chemical recovery area so that this could be discussed with parents and other outside professionals with a need to know.
Eventually, Hazelden Foundation (Center City, MN) discovered the manual written at Provo Canyon School and adopted it to their own use. The author, Stephen Biddulph, was asked to rewrite the manual with more professional specifications, and it was published by Hazelden Foundation in 1999 as The Adolescent Recovery Plan. The program included workout exercises for the youth along with a workout book for the parents and an aftercare workbook. The package included a facilitator’s guide for group work, a comic (fantastic) book that presented the basic principles of recovery in a interesting way for teens, medallions, wrist bracelets, and other paraphernalia. This Plan is still sold on the market by Hazelden Information and Educational Services.
Provo Canyon School continues to use The Adolescent Recovery Plan as a part of their chemical treatment program, and have adapted it to their specialized environment. Each program, girls and boys, has their own Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor to direct the program and other clinical therapists who are also licensed as substance abuse counselors to help run groups and meet with youth. Joyfully, the substance abuse treatment program has enjoyed a much closer integration into the treatment milieu and measurement of outcomes and progress.
When a youth graduates from Provo Canyon School and returns home or moves on to another post-treatment environment, more effort is being made to prepare them for aftercare. The Adolescent Recovery Plan provides valuable information that is used by counselors to help the youth develop a positive support team and to formulate realistic and strong aftercare actions that sustain sobriety.
Provo Canyon School’s drug abuse recovery program fits the School’s overall treatment philosophy in an integrated and harmonious way. Recovery is viewed as being an empowerment of strength inside and outside the individual youth. The essential powers of recovery—be they related to drug abuse/addiction or from another behavioral or emotional problem—are the same. Recovery first requires that a youth clearly recognize the problem in their life and the negative affects that the problem is having on their quality of life. They must also see their own inherent worth while at the same time seeing the ugliness of the addiction. They must overcome denial, minimization, distrust, hopelessness, and helplessness in having the courage to make a commitment to change. If the commitment is not made, change will never occur, at least sustainable change. Commitment leads to action. Action should take the most work because it requires the changing of beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, feelings, actions, and relationships that enable addictive or self-defeating behavior. But oft time youth spend extended periods of their care wallowing in denial and never making the commitment to improve. Much of this comes from fear, hopelessness, lack of trust and vision, and never having accepted problems as opportunities for growth instead of reasons to feel guilty and ashamed.
Provo Canyon School’s treatment program seeks to strike at the basis of this disabling fear and negative attitude by moving the youth through these levels of empowerment. Sustainable recovery requires that the youth heals, forgives, and discovers. There is miraculous power in forgiving self and others and in asking forgiveness for wrongs done. This is an area that parents can dramatically help their children in the recovery process. There is no room in true recovery for revenge, hatred, and ill feelings. There must be forgiveness for wounds to heal. But their must be confession, acknowledgement, and accountability as well.
Heavy drug use and attitudes surrounding drug abuse diminish and even prevent self-development. A youth must also access the power to discover themselves, their talents, skills, interests, and meaningful hobbies. It is this kind of self-discovery that empowers sustainable recovery and fills the void created by abstinence.
These powers in Provo Canyon School’s substance abuse treatment program are in complete harmony with the powers of other types of problem management skills that youth work on, and these are designed to be measured as a youth advances through the care program. Thus, true, sustainable change can be more greatly predicted prior to the time of discharge.
|
|
