OUR NEXT GENERATION

​Our mission is to create and maintain a safe, nurturing, structured youth residential facility that meets the specialized needs of youth placed under Behavioral Rehabilitation Services Placement, and their families with a continuum of services that focus on Trauma Informed Care.

Our Next Generation, Qualified Residential Treatment Program, accepts referrals from the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). Upon review, some youth are accepted on an evaluative status and/or for emergency placement. Acceptance of these youth is usually in anticipation of a formal placement for short or long term care.

Upon referring a youth, we ask that the DCYF Program Manager contact the facility, to inquire about present and future openings. At that time Our Next Generation will request that the placement desk provide all necessary information, upon which Our Next Generation Executive Director will make a decision in regards to placement. This will include, but will not be limited to, social history, previous court history, psychological evaluations, and other information pertinent to an intake decision. This information will be reviewed by the team, which will consist of the Director, clinical staff along with the program manager. 

Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held twice per week. These are voluntary meetings held by sponsors and recovering addicts. The youths who struggle with drugs and/or alcohol are encouraged to attend these meetings. They offer a positive support for the youth.

Our facility partners with the Clark County School District as well as Special Education Services. We also provide and/or support additional education services, as well as educational oversight based on the need of the youth.

The Mullen-Polk Foundation's, Qualified Residential Treatment Program, "Our Next Generation" is a private facility and the goal of the organization is to accommodate the needs of young people that have been recognized as moderate to high risk of behavioral and emotional, which may also include mental health disturbance or developmental disabilities. The services provided by Our Next Generation are: Therapeutic, Group Counseling, / Individual Counseling, Crisis Intervention, Educational programming, Choices (Anger Management)/Chemical Dependency Awareness, and if applicable; Narcotics Anonymous and/or Alcoholics Anonymous. 

Independent living skills will be incorporated into almost every aspect of the youth’s day in the program. Beyond the school day, youth are taught how to maintain proper hygiene skills as well as instruction on how to maintain clean and healthy living quarters. In our food service department, the youth are taught how to prepare and cook foods, along with nutritional education. They also learn how to operate several different pieces of equipment used in the day-to-day food service operation. In our facility, the youths are provided with information to help them properly fill out such things as job applications, resumes, maintaining bank accounts, and budgeting. These are only a few of the areas that are addressed at Our Next Generation to help youth prepare for everyday living. Living skills are an ongoing educational experience that begins when the youth enters the program and continues through, to the time they leave the program.

The objective of Our Next Generation's Qualified Residential Treatment Program is to reintegrate the youths into a community life by strengthening relationships with family, friends, employers, and their community and support groups. There will be continuing community contact from the time of admission. In some cases, as the youth comes closer to release, an increase in community contacts and support will occur under decreasing levels of supervision to enhance individual responsibility.

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It is the policy of Our Next Generation that coordination of Aftercare services shall be the responsibility of the Group Leader and should be arranged as part of the case service plan. Group Leaders shall be responsible for modifying, updating, and coordinating Aftercare Plans as the youth progresses through the program.

All youth participates in weekly meetings to address their anger issues. This service is provided by all trained staff as well as outside contracted providers. Individual anger management sessions are available for those youths who struggle with anger issues. Tools are taught and practiced throughout these meetings to equip each youth with techniques to deal with anger in a positive way.

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Chemical Dependency awareness is offered to each youth on a weekly basis. This class offers insight into the harmful effect drugs and/or alcohol has on individuals, as well as their families and surroundings. Direct Care Staff who has drug and alcohol training conducts this class.

Our Next Generation, Qualified Residential Treatment Program, incorporates cultural diversity within the education program. Residents are also allowed to express their ethnicity through dress, hair, diet and religion, as long as it is appropriate for the setting in which they are placed. Speakers from different ethnic backgrounds are invited to share their culture with the youth. Our Next Generation will strive to meet the needs of each youth’s ethnicity, and look for opportunities to do so whenever possible.

Group counseling services are provided by case managers who possess a bachelor’s degree in behavioral or social sciences, or an equivalent combination of education and experience in the area of behavioral science, social science, or related field. Residents participate in daily group meetings. Throughout these meetings youths are encouraged to discuss their problem areas, which are identified in their Case Service Plan. This allows them the opportunity to make the changes necessary to return to society and make appropriate choices allowing them to succeed. Group meetings focus on building on their strengths and addressing their weaknesses.