Melmark’s residential setting for children and young adults includes programming based on applied behavior analysis, educational services, and life skills building. Melmark provides a safe, motivating, and nurturing environment that facilitates individualized goals and services.
Children's Residential Programs
Melmark New England
For students, ages three to 22, whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) objectives require a 24-hour therapeutic and structured learning environment, Melmark New England offers residential/educational placements within one of six group homes. We adhere to evidence-based intervention in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), special education, and child development. Our personalized curriculum allows the student’s educational team to integrate the goals and objectives for each student into lesson plans and daily activities.
Within each home, under the close supervision of well-trained staff with bachelor’s degrees or higher, children work on self-care, leisure time, vocational, daily living, and community IEP goals in a homelike atmosphere. Children enjoy outdoor play activities and a recreation room. Outings are a regular occurrence and include activities such as trips to the park, movies, outdoor concerts, grocery shopping, and other local attractions.
Similar to our day school program, each home is staffed with a 1:2 ABA staff to student ratio (or 1:1 ABA staff to student ratio if designated by the IEP), and a 1:4 ratio for asleep hours. The residential program is supervised by senior staff with advanced degrees and certifications. In addition, the homes are supported by 24-hour on-call nursing support, as well as administrative and senior clinical support.
Family reunification is an essential goal for all residential students. Families receive ongoing training in order to successfully be prepared for school closing periods with their child. Our goal for each child, when appropriate, is to return to the family’s home or a less restrictive environment as soon as possible. Families are required to have home visits one time per month and school closing periods.
Melmark Pennsylvania
Melmark’s 24-hour residential setting for children and adolescents, ages five to 21, includes programming based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), educational services, on-campus health care, and rehabilitative services, and parent training. The goal of the Children’s Services residential programs is for each child, when appropriate, to return to the family’s home or a less restrictive environment as soon as possible.
Melmark provides a safe and motivating environment that promotes growth by facilitating individualized goals and services. Residential students who attend The Melmark School reside in a home-like atmosphere in one of our three on-campus houses, where they are easily able to access campus resources and services. Students are able to actively take part in community-based social and recreational outings such as trips to the park, movies, outdoor concerts, and other local attractions.
Partnering with Families
Melmark’s Children’s Services team works with the family, listens to their concerns, understands their challenges, and focuses on supports that will ensure the successful delivery of services. We offer parent training with the child and Melmark staff that follows an observational/practical model. We prepare the child for a greater level of independence in an enriched environment to be successful in a less restrictive setting or an adult setting.