Social Service Wing

Objective: Construct a social service wing to the west side of the administrative building that will add five additional offices for social workers and counselors.  An open area will be used as a waiting area and for staff/parent training and support group activities.

In 1978 the management staff included an administrator and a caseworker. The administration facility was appropriate for its purpose when built in 1978.  At that time, the children served were delinquent and pre-delinquent teenagers placed by juvenile probation officers.  The focus was on discipline and respect for authority.  On average, from 1975 to 2001 Texas Boys Ranch served 12 boys at any given time.  Today, we serve 28-32 children at a time (50+ annually).

Expanding Services

In 1997, the Texas Boys Ranch leadership shifted focus to include children who were physically/sexually abused and physically/emotionally neglected.  This shift required a new approach to caring for children.  Today, nearly every child comes to Texas Boys Ranch because of abuse and neglect.  In 2002, the philosophy continued to change as it became clear that a more therapeutic approach to childcare was needed.  Since 2002, the program at Texas Boys Ranch has continued to evolve from a simple behavior management philosophy toward a more therapeutic approach to childcare.  In 2008, Texas Boys Ranch began training and implementation of an even more therapeutic program of Trauma Informed Care.

Meeting Children’s Needs

The abuse is more severe, the behavioral and educational challenges are greater, and the children are more broken than ever before.  Caring for the abused and neglected children of today requires greater skill, better education, and a passion for sharing hope.  Today, Texas Boys Ranch has an executive director, a program director, three case managers, and three licensed professional counselors dedicated to a trauma informed model of care that is evident in every aspect of the Ranch’s activities, from childcare to counseling, from education activities to cottage and ranch chores, and from spiritual programs to recreational activities.

Solution

We currently have five employees with desks in hallways or working at off campus locations.  Our social service staff currently office in the administration building.  Privacy and confidentiality are critical components of any quality social service program that includes therapy and counseling activities.  Today, if privacy is needed, our social workers must ask other employees to give up their work area in order to have the privacy needed to perform their duties.  This disruption often prevents other important activities from being accomplished.