Transitions Academy for Girls –TAG

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

Children’s Village is Oakland County’s public juvenile facility housing 220 youth. The 50 acre campus contains seven residential buildings ranging from open non secure to staff secure. A campus wide school, medical unit and food services unit round out the campus. Children’s Village operates under licensure by the State of Michigan Department of Human Services. Reflective of the licenses are three key program areas; secure detention for pre-adjudicated youths, residential (correctional) treatment for adjudicated youngsters and shelter care/transitional services for youth who have been removed from their homes for reasons of abuse/neglect and/or are status offenses. The Transitions Academy for Girls –TAG program was developed and became operational in December, 2012. TAG is a female gender specific treatment program designed to provide services that strengthen self-esteem, reduce risk factors that lead to re-offending and provide pro social skills for girls transitioning to young adulthood. Unique to TAG is the concept designed around a developmental stage system of individual personal growth and moral development. These stages provide structure, guidance, support and feedback. Residents gain increased responsibilities and privileges, maintain motivation and increase self-esteem as they progress through the program and toward their eventual return to the community. Youth participating in the TAG program also receive intensive aftercare or re-entry services for up to three months following release from the program. With the philosophy “exit upon entry” a reentry worker is assigned to each girl within 30 days of starting the program. The reentry staff becomes part of the treatment team along with the residential Case Coordinator, Court Probation Officer, community partners and the family. Utilizing a team approach a comprehensive transition plan is developed to successfully return the youth back home and to the community.