“Give a Child a CHANCE”
The CHANCE Residential Center, established 18 years ago with the girls’ residence was expanded to include the CHANCE Center for Boys at Indian Mound in 1991. The CHANCE experience is offered to teens that are wards of the State of Tennessee. The purpose is to give teenagers an opportunity to change their lives through a therapeutic, disciplined routine in a safe, nurturing environment.
 Helping Teens Cope with Trauma
Most CHANCE residents have undergone trauma that normal youths cannot begin to imagine except in their nightmares. The impact of the traumas such as physical, sexual, and emotional abuse on boys and girls is long lasting. Without proper intervention, these youth might not have an opportunity to lead productive lives.
Levels of Care
There are several levels of care defined by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. Most teenagers in foster care cannot be adopted. However, placement must be found that will allow these youth to grow and mature in an environment as close to that of a “healthy” family as possible.
The first level of care for the wards of the State is foster care in a private home. Family foster care can be with specially trained families for children who have suffered trauma. Alternatively, family care can be with generous volunteers who open their hearts and homes to foster children.
Group Therapeutic Care
The second level of care for wards of the State is “group” care. Again, there are at least two levels of care within the group setting – group care in a regular family setting or in a therapeutic group home. These residents receive a wide range of therapy designed to give each resident what he or she may need to succeed in school, in work, and in home life.
 Physical Nurturing
Assigned to CHANCE by the Department of Children’s Services, teen residents receive extensive care on many levels. The most basic level of care given is on a physical level.
Both CHANCE homes – the one for girls in Bloomington Springs in Putnam County, and Indian Mount Farm for Boys in DeKalb County – provide a safe and secure physical environment for the teens. No unapproved visitors are allowed on campus.
Physical nurturing also means teens live in a home-like setting with nice furniture and surroundings. Learning to care for the objects around them can lead learning to take care of their physical bodies and then learning to take care of themselves on a deeper level. This process of learning to care for themselves is encouraged in many ways at CHANCE.
Residents are instructed in Independent Living Skills such as preparing a budget, maintaining personal hygiene, and engaging in daily household chores that consists of cleaning, cooking and doing laundry. These simple activities help build self-confidence.
Individual and Group Sessions
In addition to on-site counselors, CHANCE residents have individual psychologists and psychiatrists to help them cope with their past. Designed by adolescent psychiatrist Dr. John Looney of Duke University, psychologist Dr. Bill Sewell of Western Mental Health Institute and Dr. Bob Freeman of Behavioral Health Care System, the individual program for each CHANCE resident is developed to deal with the particular behavior of the child.
Residents also attend individual and group therapy sessions with psychologists from Plateau Mental Health Center. In addition, psychologists conduct group sessions on campus at regular intervals to help students with anger management and other problems. An accredited school at both centers, plus vocational school, insures youths continue their education. |
