ALIVE started the first non-residential counseling program in the St. Louis area specifically designed for children who have been affected by domestic violence. All other programs are incorporated into a shelter environment. However, the St. Louis area provides only about 50 shelter beds for children exposed to domestic violence. In addition, the number of families affected by domestic violence far exceeds the number of available shelter beds.
The overall goal of our Children's Treatment Program is to enhance the psychological well-being of the child, adolescent and parent(s). The process begins with a parent interview. Parents, and sometimes the child, also complete assessment tools, such as the Childhood Behavior Checklist, the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children, and the Parenting Stress Inventory. These assessments help the therapists identify the issues at hand and an appropriate treatment plan to address them. Treatment usually includes play therapy or art therapy and individual and family counseling.
Treatment takes place regularly for a period of eight sessions, after which a second assessment is performed to monitor progress and indicate the next step(s) in treatment. Treatment can last up to 12 weeks or more, depending on the state of the child and the child/parent relationship.
Dialogue with parents, teachers, and other mental health professionals are used to monitor achievements and formulate goals on an ongoing basis. ALIVE's goal is to provide parents with a parenting plan that is appropriate to their situation and environment, and to see an increase in scores on the assessments.
