The Calo Aftercare program is designed to provide a step-down transition from the intensive residential treatment setting to the home environment. This is ultimately accomplished through the transference of accountability and emotional intimacy of the residential therapist to the family and support system within the home community.

Prior to transition, the therapist leads the family in developing an extensive plan for life after Calo and home environment dynamics. This plan requires the assembly of a Success Team which serves to establish support, accountability, and meaningful relationship, for the student and the family’s success. The Success Team is the process of strengthening the nuclear family, extended family and existing social supports within the local community rather than just having the therapist be the “head coach” remotely. The Success team maintains a solution-focused, positive and strengths based aim while the therapist deals with clinical issues and trains the Success Team when needed.

The Success Team is lead by a facilitator who knows the family well and is able to maintain contacts, organize meetings, track goals, sustain effective communication, work directly with the therapist, and match members strengths with the family’s needs. The assumption is that the family members now knows most of what they need to do (because the student just graduated) but need to be empowered to do it in a new environment and on a consistent basis. The team approach assists the family in development and gradually empowers them to effectively manage crises on their own.

Aftercare is focused on utilizing the trust, intimacy, and relationship established with the therapist to make a transition to interdependent living in the home environment.

The role of the therapist is to continue needed therapy, actively coach family and team, and work directly with the parents and student to make the transition home. This transition includes communicating expectations for emotional and behavioral functioning, household and relational boundaries (social/peers), scholastic and vocational requirements, and continued person development (outpatient therapy, counseling, therapy groups, etc.).

The therapist performs an in home-visit (approximately 1.5 days) where personal meetings with resources (school counselor, outpatient therapist, teachers, etc.) become an opportunity to create accountability, sensitivity, and empowerment, within those environments and relationships. The in-home-visit also serves as the first meeting of the Success Team where expectations for involvement and interaction are established.

Aftercare leaves the door open for a student to return to Calo for a two-week “Tune-Up” during the Aftercare period if unexpected difficulties arise. This provides a safety net for families and provides safety for the student if a relapse occurs. Families utilizing Aftercare also may re-enroll a graduated student if set-backs are significant.

The intervention and involvement of the therapist tapers down as the period of Aftercare passes. The intention is for the accountability, emotional intimacy, and vulnerability of the therapist to be transferred to other meaningful relationships within the family and support system. Initially, the therapist allocates sessions to reflect the intensity of the program and then incrementally tapers off as needed (emotional and behavioral appropriateness). The therapist and the family use this time to implement the interventions, coaching, strategies, and therapeutic techniques, to adapt and adjust to living interdependently within the nuclear family and community (without residential therapist).