Port provides residential programming to youth who are in need of a safe, structured, caring and respectful environment and who will benefit from 24 hours of supervised living, independent living skills and social skill building.

Port's program encourages youth to set individual behavior goals that are outlined in their individual treatment plans. The length of treatment will vary depending on the individual youth, their goals and input from the families and referring agencies.

Through an assortment of experiences including individual and group counseling, youth can begin to heal and take responsibility for their own lives. Schooling and recreation are also a part of the Port program. Port’s goal is for youth to show success in their program by showing increased progress on their targeted goals as outlined in their individual treatment plan. This progress is measured daily on their individual daily behavior report. Any service identified by the screening as needed by a youth and not provided directly by Port will be provided by an outside community partner.
Upon admittance, youth are assigned a primary counselor who will read all available history on the youth, look at the assessments and meet with the youth to develop an individual treatment plan. The treatment plan is updated monthly and as needed and will be shared with the referral agency and family.

Culturally Diverse Environment
Port's goal is to create an environment that respects differences. Port’s practice is to allow youth opportunities to speak their primary language with each other when appropriate. Port will make every attempt to find language interpreters for parents or guardians when necessary and appropriate services for deaf or hard of hearing youth.

LGTBQIA+ Youth
Port works with LGBTQIA+ youth and addresses individualized needs. Although the programs are licensed "male" and "female" Port works with the youth and their support team to determine the most appropriate fit for programming at either program (when appropriate) with sleeping and hygiene being practiced at the program that is congruent with their biological gender.

Port educates staff in LGBTQIA+ issues and welcome this population.

How Youth come to Port:
1. Court ordered through the juvenile justice system.
2. Through a Social Service agency. Social Services have custody of the youth and determine when the youth is ready to leave.
3. Through Voluntary placement. Placement is coordinated with social services. The parents or legal guardian retains rights to release the youth.

Length of stay
Referral agents contract with our behavioral/cognitive program for a time frame based on the youth’s needs.

Groups

• Power of Choice
  This group is designed to teach youth to think critically about choices. Youth face a variety of issues including peer pressure, self-esteem, drugs and alcohol, beliefs and behaviors, sexuality, etc. One group may include the viewing of a video, group discussion and sometimes a written assignment.
• Skillstreaming
  A curriculum developed by Arnold P. Goldstein to teach social skills. In Skillstreaming group youth practice 50 pro-social skills by role-playing in small groups. Social skills are addressed one or two at a time and build on one another. Other youth in the group offer supportive feedback to the youth involved in the role-play exercise.
• Emotions Anonymous
  In Emotions Anonymous groups, youth read Emotions Anonymous materials and discuss selected topics. Youth are encouraged to share personal issues. The facilitator encourages youth to offer feedback and support their peers.
• Rational-Emotive Therapy
  Counselors use texts, videos and workbooks, to provide step-by-step guidelines for individual goal setting and goal achievement. In this group, youth connect to their personal power to change through thought, feelings, and action. The curriculum addresses feelings, anxiety, depression, anger, shame and perfectionism.
• Weekly House Meeting
  In weekly house meetings, staff reviews any issues and concerns that affects the youth. Youth are encouraged to air any issues or concerns they may have. The youth have the opportunity to ask for level advancement and feedback from the group on interpersonal relationships and their progress. Staff recognizes youth who are progressing in the program. Staff and youth vote to select the youth who was the best role model during the past week.
• Chemical Awareness Group
  In this group youth learn about substance use and abuse, peer pressure and how to cope when someone near to you is chemically dependent. Staff encourages sharing and emotional support from the group.
• Law-Related Education
  Law-related education (LRE) teaches youth how the legal and political systems affect them and how they can affect the law. LRE also helps youth develop the knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes necessary to survive in a society governed by laws.
• Sexuality Self-Awareness
  Many youth at Port lack an understanding of sexual issues, have been sexually abused and participate in unhealthy sexual behavior. Port uses the "No Easy Answers" curriculum developed by the Illusion Theater. "No Easy Answers" helps youth express their feelings, attitudes and expectations and teaches skills to identify and avoid abusive and unhealthy sexual behavior.
  One-to-Ones
  Youth are required to have two one-to-ones (discussion with staff or other youth) every day of the week. Five one-to-ones per week are with staff, two of those with a primary counselor.
• Spirituality
  The spirituality curriculum encourages youth to explore their own spirituality in a respectful and tolerant environment. Mindful of each youth’s own belief system, a facilitator leads residents through lectures, group discussion, music, story and creative activities that are spiritually based and not aligned with any one particular religious denomination or belief system. Youth may also have individual sessions with a pastoral care counselor.
• Truthought
  “Charting A New Course, Truthought Corrective Thinking Process” was created from the work and research of Dr. Samuel Yochelson and Dr. Stanton E. Samenow. Truthought curriculum encourages clients to evaluate barriers to thinking and to replace those barriers with responsible thinking and behavior.
• Anger Management
  This group teaches youth to identify angry feelings and those situations that trigger them and presents healthy strategies for managing anger.