Who We Are
New Beginnings program for girls is located in the Owens Cross Roads community of Huntsville, Alabama. The program provides therapeutic services in a residential setting for females between the ages of 12 and 18. The program campus is secure and serves girls who cannot be served in a less restrictive setting. Our girls typically have not achieved lasting benefit from outpatient treatment or short-term hospitalization and may have a series of unsuccessful placements.
Our goal is to serve adolescent girls with behavioral and emotional issues who require a secure setting and structured environment to learn to lead fulfilling, community-minded and responsible lives. We provide the resources, opportunities and protection necessary for the physical, mental and spiritual development of our residents.
How We Help
We believe the first step in modifying a child’s behavior is to immerse her in an environment where she learns that there truly are others like her — that she is not alone. Our foundation of positive peer culture and reality-based treatment instills and encourages a sense of pride and responsibility in a girl, nurturing her self-respect and helping her to become a productive member of her family and school, and your community.
- Common Diagnoses
- Depression
- Oppositional-Defiant Disorder
- Conduct Disorder
- ADD
- ADHD
- Abuse Issues
Treatment
Treatment at Three Springs New Beginnings focuses on the “here and now” issues of an adolescent girl’s life, helping her to understand proper roles and boundaries that exist in a family and in society.
Residents at new Beginnings participate in a positive peer culture, away from the distractions of the home environment, and learn about themselves by working through a Stage System. A multi-disciplinary team including a consulting psychiatrist, psychologist, family workers, counselors and teachers creates and manages each resident’s individualized treatment plan.
While “group process” is seen as the primary therapeutic intervention necessary to achieve lasting change, New Beginnings recognizes the need for additional therapeutic efforts and utilizes them as part of its comprehensive treatment program. Each resident receives two to three group counseling sessions daily. Family conferences are conducted monthly, or as needed, in order to address issues related to the home environment. These may be telephone conferences or conferences on-site, depending on the needs of the family. Individual counseling is conducted once weekly. Each resident receives Alcohol and Drug Abuse Awareness education in order to address various issues related to this topic.
At Three Springs New Beginnings residents are confronted with concrete, immediate challenges and expectations through reality-based counseling, group process, experiential education, and specialized support treatment and educational services. All of these activities occur within a nurturing and protected environment. Residents find they are able to overcome many of their problems, compensate for their weakness and return to their communities successfully.
Education
The educational component of the New Beginnings program consists of a year-round, state-supported on-campus school providing girls with the opportunity to attend regular academic classes, receive high school credits and earn a diploma. Alternately, girls are able to prepare for and earn GED certificates.
The educational program at New Beginnings offers a wide range of academic levels to include emotionally conflicted and learning disabled students. This Special Education program is a competency-based learning program that allows each student to work at her own pace and academic level with one-on-one learning opportunities. Students are given the opportunity to excel in areas where previous behaviors have had a detrimental effect on their educational development. Thanks to small classroom sizes and a low teacher-to-student ratio, students may surpass their expected grade and educational development level.
Three Springs New Beginnings School is staffed by certified teachers and classes are held for an average of six and one half hours daily. During this time students attend academic courses, experiential learning classes, physical education/health activities, vocation training and life skills classes. Students are also provided with the opportunity to use computer-enhanced learning and to familiarize themselves with basic computer skills. Throughout the school day students participate in individual and group activities and enjoy opportunities for enrichment and remediation. Cooperative learning activities and tutoring are part of the daily curriculum.
Children in need of special education services work from an Individualized Education Plan. In accordance with special education legislation and policies, the educational plan is evaluated at least once each year and is reevaluated every three years; the evaluation process may include state-appropriate testing, if recommended.
Our Greatest Strength
The staff and faculty members of New Beginnings School are firmly committed to the belief that each student is capable of learning and can succeed with appropriate educational placement.
Through Skills Development Training and Adventure Based Programming adolescent girls are given the opportunity to develop a positive work ethic, increase self-discipline, and improve self-esteem.
Life Skills Training provides an assortment of stress-reducing and life-enhancing strategies to keep students emotionally and physically balanced. Focus topics may include Socialization Skills, Stress Management, Communication Skills, Values Clarification and Assertiveness Training.
New Beginnings offers an array of Adventure Based and Experiential Activities. These exercises include cultural enrichment, therapeutic outdoor activities, arts and crafts, field trips and water sports.
Examples of trips and community service projects include rafting trips, camping and hiking trips, maintenance of local hiking trails, and serving food at local soup kitchens
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