When working with children, family involvement becomes such a critical part of ensuring that our residents can be as healthy as possible.  Norris Academy strongly encourages and requires regular family involvement to assist with generalizing interventions, to help with planning and to encourage hopefulness in our residents.

Our case coordinators and education staff facilitate weekly phone calls between residents and individuals on their approved contact lists. These calls take place twice a week, lasting 10-15 minutes, and can be conducted via video upon request. Residents have the option to choose whom they’d like to call from their approved list. If a resident exhibits disruptive behavior, the call may need to be canceled, and a notification will be sent via email or phone to inform of the change. While we cannot accommodate daily calls, therapists can provide regular updates or address questions as needed.

Visitation:

Discussion about visitation begins almost immediately after admission into Norris Academy and caregivers are strongly encouraged to assist in that discussion with their child’s therapist.  Visitation is intended to serve two purposes: First, to allow a resident and their family to bond during a challenging period of growth for both the resident and their family, and second, to ensure that interventions that are being attempted at Norris Academy can be effective upon the resident’s return to their home and community.  Caregivers should be prepared to do their “homework” during their visits to ensure an effective continuity of care.

Visitation will be first discussed with a child’s therapist, but will include conversation by a child’s entire treatment team to discuss an effective plan to manage behaviors.  While visitation is considered to be a right and an integral part of treatment, there may be instances in which visitation might be rescheduled if a resident is struggling with safety towards self or others.