General Information
BOYS
Port began providing services for boys in 1972. Now the boys reside in a home designed and built for group home living in 1997 and serves up to 14 boys, ages 12-18. Boys Group Home is in south Brainerd with easy access to schools, medical and mental health appointments, work and recreation.
PRIVILEGES
When youth reach individual goals, they advance in the program. All program levels have corresponding privileges that include television, radio, off grounds recreation, passes and visits home.
GIRLS
Girls Port, ages 12-18, is located behind the Dairy Queen, just east of the Mississippi River bridge.
SCHOOL
Brainerd Public Schools provide Port’s educational component. Youth begin with tutors and/or in-house special education services. Youth may attend an alternative program or mainstream classes as they progress behaviorally and academically. Program Directors and Primary Counselors meet weekly with school personnel to track the youth's progress and work on individualized educational goals.
DAILY BEHAVIOR REPORT
Youth at Port work daily on five areas of behavior that will help them transition back to their home or community. We track these behaviors so as to identify destructive patterns, intervene and teach the appropriate skills.
HOUSE CHORES/LIVING SKILLS
Youth learn the skills needed for daily chores and personal laundry. Chores change over weekly to offer variety in tasks and skills.
CORRECTIVE PROGRAMMING
Through cognitive behavior therapy/programming, youth learn to connect poor decisions with the natural consequences of their actions. Programming also takes into consideration the youth’s trauma history, development, culture, disability and gender specific needs.
SPECIAL CURRICULUMS
Curriculums include: Not a Number, Anger management, pro-social skills, rational emotive therapy, independent living skills, team building activities, sexuality self-awareness, chemical dependency awareness, spirituality, and Truthought.
RECREATION
The Brainerd lakes area provides an abundance of recreation opportunities. Port youth swim, play basketball, hike and bike on the Paul Bunyan Trail and attend plays at Central Lakes College as well as participate in team-building activities.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
With an eye to best practices, licensed psychologists oversee Port’s clinical services and provide diagnostic assessments, individual counseling, and group therapy. Youth can be referred for diagnostic assessments or individual counseling to any provider in the lakes area (and beyond) including; Ellie Mental Health, Lakes Area Counseling, Northern Pines Mental Health Services or C.O.R.E Psychological Services.
CULTURAL COMPETENCY
With a diverse population, Port provides cultural diversity training for our staff and youth and encourages all youth to respect their own and others’ culture.