Washburn Expands Day Treatment
to Include Pre- and After-care
Five-year-old Maleah was kicked out of three schools since the start of the school year. Surprisingly, she joins 4,000 Minnesota children who are suspended annually from kindergarten, first and second grades for behavioral problems.
Maleah’s mother turned to Washburn’s Day Treatment program, one of only a few that serves preschool and early elementary students. Across Minnesota, day treatment services have decreased significantly, and most remaining programs serve older students.
"Our program serves 30 children at any given time, helping children whose problems severely impair their ability to participate in school," explained Lauren Nietz, LISCW, supervisor of the program. "Before our recent expansion, 36 children were waiting for a spot in Washburn’s therapeutic classroom where intensive intervention would help them gain the behavioral skills needed to remain in a community school setting."
With Washburn’s expanded Day Treatment services, Maleah will receive pre-care intervention instead of waiting for up to six months without support.
"Pre-Care has the potential to reduce the number of children needing the intensive therapeutic classroom portion of the program because their needs will have been addressed through early intervention," said Nietz.
After-Care services were also strengthened to give children, their families and teachers consistent support once they return to a traditional classroom full-time.
"Our goal is for Day Treatment graduates to be able to transfer the skills they learn at Washburn into their school setting. Ongoing contact with children in schools is critical to their success and it helps the educational staff support their student’s needs," explained Nietz. Through After-Care, Washburn therapists identify problems before new negative patterns take hold, ensuring that children receive support as they transition back to full days at school.
This programmatic expansion is one way Washburn is responding to the community’s needs and ensuring children have access to mental health services.