Oakhill Boys Ranch

Outcomes Report 2014-2015

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

I.Number of Clients (n=62)

II.CULTURAL/ETHNIC ORIGIN (n=62)

III.Child Welfare Status (n=62)

IV.Other Status (n=13)

V.Age at Intake (n=62)

VI.Age at discharge (n=31)

VII.LENGTH OF STAY (n=31)

VIII.Education (n=60)

IX.DSM DIAGNOSeS, learning disorders and iq score (n=32)

X.FASD (n=32)

XI.PLACEMENT PRIOR TO INTAKE 2014-15 (n=62)

XII.Placement at Discharge 2014-15 (n=31)

XIII.PLACEMENTS TOWARDS PERMaNeNCE

XIV.chilDrens Global Assessment Scale Scores (N=13)

XV.Behavioral Outcomes (n=29)

XVI.PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

XVII.Children and Residential Experiences

XVIII.casE WORKER FEEDBACK (n=9)

Oakhill Boys Ranch

Outcomes Report 2014-2015

INTRODUCTION

The following report is a collection of information gathered for the period of April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015. The information provides a general overview in client demographics and service outcomes that are both quantitative and qualitative. Most of the data has not been empirically tested (other than the standardized test) and therefore statistical significance varies throughout.

Over the fiscal period we have experienced slight changes in our client population and significant service outcomes.

1. Summary of Changes in Client Demographics

Anincrease in age at intake of 5 months to 12 years and 9 months.

A increase in age at discharge of 5 months, to 13 years and 11 months.

A decrease in IQ scores where 56 % of the population score in the low average or lower; 41% score Borderline or lower and 30% score extremely low.

Overall behavioral scores at intake remain very high in the 99.2 percentile in the home setting and 99.4% in the school setting when compared to the general population.

2. Summary of General Service Outcomes

Seventy-seven (77%) of the young people discharged from Oakhill Boys Ranch were planned discharges and were placed in less intensive placements in the community or family.

Sixty one percent (61%) of all discharges were placed in a family setting.

Young people attended at Oak Hill School and community schools on a consistent and regular basis with a 33% improvement from their previous school prior to placement at Oakhill Boys Ranch (May 2014)

Academic performance in reading scores of 1.19 grade levels in a one year period (June 2015).

Significant behavioral changes as indicated on Short Form Assessment scores, particularly on the internalized measure in the Home Setting where the behavior scores were only slightly above the non-clinical range.

Significant positive change in child functioning as indicated by CGAS scores.

Positive results in Case Worker Feedback although the number of responses was limited (n=9).

Introduction of a certified Equine program.

Introduction of a ROPES course and Adventure Based Experiential Learning Activities.

Increased Clinical activities with respect to program staff and staff training.

The Ranch will continue its pursuit for excellence in achieving strong outcomes for young people and their families in the upcoming year. In addition to maintaining strong outcomes in the areas reported above, Oakhill Boys Ranch will put a strong emphasis on the following areas for the upcoming year:

The continued focus on the implementation and sustainability of CARE resulting in:

  • Strengthening the CARE principles and congruence of practice in the school setting and the home setting, and
  • Continue to develop attachment and trauma practices.

Complete Organizational Social Context Survey and measure organizational culture, climate and morale

Evaluate our Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Program practice through an external audit of our TCI practice in both the school setting and the program setting.

Implementation of the Child and Adolescent Functioning Assessment Scale.

Further our development of our new special components such as: Equine program, Animal Assisted Therapy Program, High and Low Ropes Course.

The specific data collections regarding each of the variables and achievements are further detailed in the body of the report.

I.Number of Clients (n=62)

Number of Clients Served: 62

(2 morethan the previous year)

Number of Clients Admitted: 29

  • All admissions were identified as requiring specialized treatment services (physically aggressive /dual diagnosis)

(This decreased by 3 from the previous year)

Number of Clients Discharged: 31

  • 24 were consistent with treatment planning.
  • 7 were discharged for emergent circumstances (required secure services or ran away).

(This increased by 1 from the previous year)

II.CULTURAL/ETHNIC ORIGIN (n=62)

Aboriginal: 33 (53%)

Caucasian: 28 (45%)

Other: 1 (2%)

(No significant change from previous year)

III.Child Welfare Status (n=62)

Custody Agreement (CA): 22 (35%)

Permanent Guardian Status (PGO): 20 (32%)

Temporary Guardian Status (TGO): 10 (16%)

Family Supports for Disability (FSCD)= 6 (10%)

Interim Custody (IC): 4 (6%)

(A significant decline in CA, by 13 (22%) less than previous year).

IV.Other Status (n=13)

Outcome Based Service Delivery (OBSD) = 7

V.Age at Intake (n=62)

The mean age at intake is 12 years and 9 months. This is anincrease in age by 5 months from the previous year. The range of age at intake is 9 years and 6 months to 15 years and 1 month.

VI.Ageat discharge (n=31)

The mean age at discharge is 13 years and 11 months, an increase of 5 months from the previous year. The range of age at discharge is 12 years to 16 years and 2 months.

VII.LENGTH OF STAY (n=31)

The mean length of stay is 333 days (11 months). This is a 37 daydecrease from the year prior. The range of length of stay is 33 days to 1266 days.

Post Placement / # of Children / % of Children / Length of Stay
Family Care / 13 / 42% / 328 days
Substitute Family Care / 6 / 19% / 618 days
Group Home / 5 / 16% / 297 days
Runaway / 7 / 22% / 123 days

Over the last six years, the data indicates the longer the length of stay (328 days or more) the better post placement outcomes.

VIII.Education (n=60)

Oak Hill School recognizes that many of the young people in the care of Oakhill Boys Ranch have experienced many difficulties in school and often require additional academic and behavioral supports to reconnect and remain encouraged about their educational potential. Those young people who have reached the potential to be able to be successful in community school attend schools in our local community.

School Attended / Number of Young People (n=62)
Oak Hill School / 57
Sturgeon Composite / 2
Gibbons Junior High / 3

Attendance at Oak Hill School is regular for all the young people attending there. The young people attend school everyday regardless of behavior. Only when there are severe behavioral situations they may receive a maximum of a 2-day suspension. Absences at Oak Hill School generally are due to young people being absent from the ranch. Examples of absences are full day appointments, sick days, family visits, suspensions and young people who have runaway.

Students prior to admission to Oakhill demonstrated a combined absence and late attendance at a rate of 45%. When attending Oak Hill School the combined absence and late attendance rate is significantly reduced to 12%(June 2014).

Academic performance

Oak Hill School measurespart of academic performance based on standardized testing in reading. In the upcoming year the school will also measure performance in math utilizing the Stanford diagnostic for math. Below is a summary of the reading scores from June 2015.

Renaissance Reading, Star Reading Test (n=15)
Mean Improvement / 1.9 Grade Levels
Group Low / Group High
0.5 grade Improvement / 2.9 Grade Improvement

NOTE: Group high, Group Low and Mean scores are grade level based on student performance per testing period. It reflects the difference between the students initial test and their last test taken. Duration between test is 7.5 months

In the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years there has been a strong focus on literacy. Efforts have included:1 on 1 support - FountasPinnell, Accelerated Reading - Star Reading Test, Global Strategies - Frayer Model, Word Walls, Alphabet, Decoding and Evening Reading Initiative at Ranch.

Provincial Achievement Tests (June 2015)

Four (4) grade nine students participated in the provincial achievement test. Their performance is summarized below.

Oak Hill School – Provincial Achievement Tests Scores (n=4)
Science / Math / LA (B) / Social
Oak Hill School / 81.0 / 63.0 / 73.8 / 74
Provincial / 66.2 / 63.2 / 64.7 / 66.6
Overall School Average: 72.95

The four (4) students who participated in the PAT(s) scored extremely well when compared to the provincial average.

Behavioral Scores for School Setting

Behavioral measures are completed in the school setting by the educational staff with the Short Form Assessment checklist developed by the University of Tennessee. There were 21 initial and last administered usable SAC score of which 13 (62%) demonstrated improvement. The summary of these results are as follows:

Initial SAC Completed (n=13) / Last SAC Completed or March 2014(n=13)
Internalized Behavioral Score / Externalized Behavioral Score / Overall Behavioral Score / Internalized Behavioral Score / Externalized Behavioral Score / Overall Behavioral Score
M= 20.2 / M=33.3 / M=53.5 / M=13.6 / M=26.7 / M=40.3
97.1% / 98.9% / 99.4% / 94.5% / 97.1% / 97.1%
Clinical / Clinical / Clinical / Clinical / Clinical / Clinical

The young people placed at Oak Hill School learn to experience positive academic and behavioral growth.

IX.DSM DIAGNOSeS, learning disorders and iq score (n=32)

The young people placed in the care of Oak Hill Boys Ranch typically are diagnosed by the DSM IV/V before intake and often have multiple diagnoses.

Diagnosis / Number of Children (n=32) / % of Children
ADHD / 19 / 60%
Oppositional Defiance Disorder / 14 / 44%
FASD / 12 / 38%
Reactive Attachment Disorder / 11 / 34%
Conduct Disorder / 6 / 19%
Tourette’s / 6 / 19%
Anxiety / 4 / 13%
Other (n=15) / 13 / 41%
Children with Learning Disorders (n=32)
Learning Disorder / 27 / 84%
I.Q. Scores (n=32)
High Average (110-119) / 1 / 3%
Average (90-109) / 10 / 31%
Low Average (80-89) / 5 / 16%
Borderline (70-79) / 8 / 25%
Extremely Low (<69) / 5 / 16%
IQ not Tested / 3 / 9%

X.FASD (n=32)

In a sample of 32 (n=32), 12 (38%) of the young people were diagnosed with FASD or there was a strong clinical opinion noted. This is 6% increase with the year prior.

XI.PLACEMENT PRIOR TO INTAKE 2014-15 (n=62)

Type of Placement / # of Children / % of children
Group Care / 21 / 34%
Family Care / 20 / 32%
Substitute Family Care / 13 / 21%
Secure Treatment / 5 / 8%
EYOC / 3 / 5%

XII.Placement at Discharge 2014-15 (n=31)

There were 24 (74%) planned discharges and 7 (22%) unplanned discharges. Planned discharges only include situations where the permanency plan or concurrent plan is followed as specified in the child’s Service Plan. Unplanned discharges include crisis or emergent discharges. Below is a sample table of placements following discharge.

Post Placement / # of Children / % of Children
Less restrictive/Intrusive / 24 / 77%
Runaway / 7 / 22%
Planned/Unplanned / Number / Percentage
Planned / 24 / 77%
Unplanned / 7 / 22%

In respect to the 24 planned discharges, 24 (100%) of the young people were placed in a less intrusive setting. 19 (79%) of the planned discharges were placed in family based care and 5 (21%) went to community based group care.

XIII.PLACEMENTS TOWARDS PERMaNeNCE

Generally speaking, it is fair to state that young people who are admitted to Oakhill Boys Ranch should return to placements that are minimally of the same intensity as prior to admission. Oakhill Boys Ranch has provided services to young people and returned sixty one percent (61%) back to family based care when compared to 33% of admissionswho have come from family based care. Sixteen percent (16%) were discharged to community group care. Given this, Oakhill has been successful at reducing the number of children in group care and increasing the number of children in returning to family care. Seven (22%) did not successfully complete Oakhill Boys Ranch program due to unplanned discharged due to runaway behavior.Oakhill performs extremely well when we view placement needs at admission and then again at discharge.

XIV.chilDrens Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) Scores (N=13)

The CGAS is a clinical measure for client functioning and is based on two or more scores over the period from initial score to last score taken. There were 13 useable scores. The data is consistent with the last two years, with overall improvements from moderate degree of functioning to variable degree of functioning. The greatest positive increase being 33 to 66.

INITIAL CGAS SCORE / LAST CGAS SCORE OR MARCH 2015
M= 47 / M = 55
RANGE
Low Score: 33 / High Score: 75
.CGAS: Score Interpretation
70-61 Some difficulty in a single area but generally functioning well (e.g., sporadic or isolated antisocial acts, such as occasionally playing hooky or petty theft; consistent minor difficulties with school work; mood changes of brief duration; fears and anxieties which do not lead to gross avoidance behaviour; self-doubts); has some meaningful interpersonal relationships; most people who do not know the child well would not consider him/her deviant but those who do know him/her well might express concern.
60-51 Variable functioning with sporadic difficulties or symptoms in several but not all social areas; disturbance would be apparent to those who encounter the child in a dysfunctional setting or time but not to those who see the child in other settings.
50-41 Moderate degree of interference in functioning in most social areas or severe impairment of functioning in one area, such as might result from, for example, suicidal preoccupations and ruminations, school refusal and other forms of anxiety, obsessive rituals, major conversion symptoms, frequent anxiety attacks, poor to inappropriate social skills, frequent episodes of aggressive or other antisocial behaviour with some preservation of meaningful social relationships.
40-31 Major impairment of functioning in several areas and unable to function in one of these areas i.e., disturbed at home, at school, with peers, or in society at large, e.g., persistent aggression without clear instigation; markedly withdrawn and isolated behaviour due to either mood or thought disturbance, suicidal attempts with clear lethal intent; such children are likely to require special schooling and/or hospitalization or withdrawal from school (but this is not a sufficient criterion for inclusion in this category)

The CGAS score is also a good measure of the overall level of functioning of the population of young people served by the Ranch.

XV.Behavioral Outcomes (n=29)

The following behavioral outcomes are measured by Short-form Assessment Check List (SAC) designed and developed by the University of Tennessee, Children’s Mental Health Services Research Centre (2004). Twenty –one (72%)) of twenty-nine (29) youth showed improvements on the short form assessment scale in the home setting.

Initial SAC Completed (n=21) / Last SAC Completed or March 2015 (n=21)
Internalized Behavioral Score / Externalized Behavioral Score / Overall Behavioral Score / Internalized Behavioral Score / Externalized Behavioral Score / Overall Behavioral Score
M= 17.20 / M=28.66 / M=45.8 / M=12.5 / M=18.1 / M=30.6
97.1% / 99.2% / 99.2% / 91.9 % / 94.5% / 94.5%
Clinical / Clinical / Clinical / Clinical / Clinical / Clinical

NOTE: Young people are functioning below the percentile as compared to the general population of males between ages of 12 to 18 years.

The significance of the above scores clearly demonstrates that Oakhill continues to work with young people who score very high on these behavior scales. Although improvement in all three areas (internal, external and overall) are significant there is a greater improvement in internalized score indicating young people feel better about themselves. The internalized is only slightly above the non-clinical range (90.3 percentile).

XVI.PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The therapeutic services offered by Oakhill Boys Ranch provide a process and a vehicle to meet very specific service objective and outcomes. Oakhill Boys Ranch has achieved significant success in meeting the needs of young people with intense problem situations and successfully transitioning them to less intrusive placement resources. Nineteen (61%) of all discharges and 79% of all planned discharges were placed in family settings. We attribute these successes to our approach, the scope and depth of services and to our ability to provide continuity of care that supports children and families through their most intensive situations. The objectives and outcomes identified below are designed under this premise.

Goal / Outcome / Performance Measures / Target
1. Care and Safety
Young people will remain safe. / Young people are protected from harm and abuse. / Review of Critical Incident reports and analysis of any harm and abuse. / 100%
Progress: In the period of April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015 there were zero incidents from mistreatment or maltreatment. An incident occurred where one boy received bruising and grazing to his arms and face, which was investigated by a third party. Any concerns of abuse were unsubstantiated.
Young people will have a stable placement / Young people will remain at Oak Hill Boys Ranch until their treatment goals are met. / Discharge data analysis of planned and unplanned discharges / 100%
Progress: An analysis of discharge data (n=31) show 24 (77%) young people discharged from Oak Hill Boys Ranch were planned discharges where the young people had achieved their treatment objectives. There were 7 (22%) discharges from the program due to runaway behavior.
Young people remain healthy. / The young person is normally well.
The young person’s weight is in the normal range for his height.
Preventative health measures are being taken. (medical, dental & optical)
The young person does not put their health at risk. / Review of health care data forms. / 100%
Progress: All (100%) young people who attended Oakhill Boys Ranch remain in a normal and healthy range for physical health and preventative medical appointments were scheduled and attended. Some young people who suffer from acute and chronic medical conditions were also supported in a manner where their needs were met and monitored.
Young people will receive a strong provision of basic care services. / Living environment will be attractive and comfortable.
Food will be enjoyable and follow the Canada Health Guide
Young people will maintain appropriate hygiene.
Young people will receive appropriate living supports. / Self reports.
Menu report.
Self care records.
Client and Case worker satisfaction survey. / 100%
Progress: Client satisfaction surveys were not completed as the young people have over participated in surveys. All CW surveys stated they were satisfied with the basic care. Menu planning is appropriate and facilities meet licensing & health care standards.
2. Treatment and Programming
Young people will receive emotional supports and nurturance. / Young people will show an improvement in emotional health. / Short form assessment.
Psychological reports
Self reports / 100%
Progress: Short form assessment scores indicate a significant improvement of internalized, externalized and overall scores in both the home setting (21) and the school setting (13). In the thirteen (13) young people sampled the mean improvement on the clinical measure (CGAS) was 8 points, going form moderate level of functioning to variable functioning.