No, KidsTLC is a community-based Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF), which carefully assesses, closely monitors, and provides extensive treatment to youth in a residential setting.

Youth receive individual, group, and family therapy from a Clinical Team, a Medical Team, and a Psychiatric Team. These teams collaborate with the Residential Team, which oversees the day-to-day activities and treatment of the youth. All of these smaller teams make up your child’s “Treatment Team.”

Your child’s medical doctor is Dr. Vishal Adma, board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Your child will meet with a Psychiatrist or Nurse Practitioner at least monthly. If he or she is taking medications, a registered nurse will administer these meds as prescribed. The Psychiatrist’s focus is on patient care and medical coordination. Your liaisons to the doctor are the Nurse Practitioners or the Director of Nursing. Contact your child’s Case Coordinator if you would like to schedule an appointment with your child’s Nurse Practitioner and/or Psychiatrist.

It is not standard practice for the Psychiatrist to attend. If necessary, a Nurse Practitioner may attend. Family meetings are facilitated by the therapist.

You are a vital part of the change process of your child and your family. The goal of the family meeting is to collect many different perspectives of your child’s needs and to involve all and/or parts of the family with discharge suggestions and planning. Your child’s Therapist, authorized guardians, and community-based team members attend this meeting. Your child’s outpatient provider may attend these sessions also in order to maintain continuity in your child’s treatment.

The number of meetings depends on your child’s needs. KidsTLC highly values family participation in treatment. We like to have at as many family meetings as possible before your child is discharged. These may be facilitated face-to-face, by phone, or web-based technologies such as VSee, which is similar to Skype but more secure and HIPAA compliant.

There is a nurse on duty daily. KidsTLC does not offer 24-hour nursing services. However, there are licensed professionals on call 24-hours, seven days a week. The nurses are Registered Nurses or Licensed Practical Nurses who have experience in managing a therapeutic environment. Residential Care Specialists, who are trained and educated in the behavioral and emotional effects of trauma and therapeutic interventions, work directly with your child. They help your child set daily goals, and work on learning new skills that will help them cope with stressful situations. Your child’s attending psychiatrist, Dr. George Thompson, or a Psychiatric Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) will be available daily and will meet with your child at least monthly for medication management and other psychiatric needs.

It is rare, but if another child or staff member is injured, they have the right to press charges for assault and battery. Charges may also be filed if illegal substances are brought onto KidsTLC’s campus and used or passed to other children.

The typical length of stay is 60 days and generally depends on your child and family’s treatment needs. The Plan of Care for your child as well as your child’s response to treatment will determine how long he or she stays. Ultimately, the decision to discharge your child will be based upon his or her safety and if she or he can be managed in a less restrictive environment.

KidsTLC partners with the Olathe School District to provide up to six hours of classroom time per day, excluding week-ends or holidays. If you would like for us to contact your child’s school, please alert your Case Coordinator. Schools are welcome to fax assignments. Students receive assignments during the day and do not have homework after school. This allows them to focus on therapeutic activities when not in school.

KidsTLC’s therapeutic environment (or milieu) is designed to provide a safe place for your child to begin to initiate positive change. All therapeutic activities are designed to encourage self-examination and teach new skills that will enhance your child’s ability to cope with problems. Residential Care Specialists and Therapists assist your child by providing various groups such as: Goal setting; Social Skills; Coping Skills; Anger or Emotional Management; Life Skills; Recreation Skills or Positive Expression through Art or Music. Specialized Groups that involve Substance Abuse issues are provided as recommended by KidsTLC’s substance abuse counselor. Your child’s therapist is also responsible for providing individual, group, and family therapy.

KidsTLC’s on-campus Chaplain offers chapel and Bible study as well as non-denominational spiritually-based groups for all ages on a weekly basis. KidsTLC youth have access to FREE Youth and Children’s Bibles, magazines, and other resources to equip and encourage personal growth. KidsTLC Youth may request a visit from clergy of their preferred faith tradition. Submit your request to the Chaplain. Every effort will be made to fulfill your request.

After the initial assessment, a Case Coordinator and a Primary Therapist will be assigned to you and your child. During your child’s stay, please contact them for any questions or concerns. If your assigned Case Coordinator or Therapist is not available, contact the Program Director.

Yes, you may call your child, but in order to provide maximum safety and privacy for you and your child, you will be assigned a “contact code number” during the assessment process and asked to give this code number every time you call or visit your child. Please don’t get offended. We are doing this so that unauthorized persons possibly detrimental to your child’s care cannot interfere. You will be asked to create an “authorized contact list” with your Case Coordinator. Only authorized persons on this list will be able to contact your child. They will be asked to give the contact code number also, so please ensure that they have this number. Your child’s care and progress are important, so he or she will not be taken out of therapeutic activities unless it is an emergency.

Depending on your child’s discharge plan such as reintegration into the community, he or she may have pre-arranged “passes” to leave campus with families/custodians as part of their treatment program. Passes are important because it allows youth to “practice” the new skills they are learning in a home and/or community setting. KidsTLC uses a five step system for reintegrating youth back into the community.