CSTC Orientation Information

What to Expect on Admission Day

All cottages encourage you to have an early tour of the facility. Some families request a tour when deciding which CLIP program they would prefer for their child. Some families request a tour when their child is on the top of the list and admission is near. A tour of the cottage and school will give you and your child a feel for the setting and allow the reality to set in. It also is a good time to talk about what to expect on admission day. It is not a requirement that you visit first. It does seem to make the transition easier.

 

How are boys and girls kept apart?

The boys are in Pods together, usually by age. The girls have their own Pods. Boys and girls do not share a Pod. The one exception is an area of Orcas Cottage called the Close Attention Program - CAP. There are 7 bedrooms. The building design is such that each bedroom door is visible from the day area. Both boys and girls may reside in the Close Attention Program. Boys and girls are allowed to mix in the day hall, the dining room, daily outings and school. Normal life goes on but with several watchful eyes.

 

What is in a cottage?

The three cottages are single story with a basement (storage only) and have basically the same layout. An obvious exception is Orcas Cottage. It has an attached and enclosed basketball court where the others have access to a basketball court on the campus but not attached to their building. Orcas Cottage serves older kids, some of whom were referred by the juvenile justice system to CSTC. CSTC is the only state children’s long-term psychiatric hospital. The items in common for all three cottages include a large main entry / meeting room (also referred to as the day hall), two TV / meeting rooms, a resource room, a large dining room and kitchen area, offices for the doctors and social worker, a nurse’s station, staff paperwork area and a quiet room (QR). It is also referred to as the "seclusion" room. Some cottages also have a calming room (CR). There are four Pods. The Pods contain 4 individual bedrooms and a common bathroom, shower and storage area. The kids in each Pod have a staff person who they go to for direction and help. This person is referred to as their "Primary". All three cottages are locked from the outside and on the inside going outside. Access to every interior room is locked however access to the core of the structure is not. Staff has keys to all the rooms. There is a fire protection sprinkler system. The alarm system has sound and strobe lights. The floor is reinforced concrete with tile cover in the bedrooms, dining room, laundry room, bathrooms and part of the halls in the Pod areas. The Day Room, parts of the Pod halls and the office area have carpeting.

 

The basic "Starting Point"

Upon entry, each child is oriented and assessed in a similar way. Their medical and psychiatric histories are reviewed. The doctors and staff will get to know each child and the child will get to know them. The Guardians will be interviewed and they will get to know the doctors and some of the staff who will be working directly with their child. If immunization shots or booster shots are appropriate, the Guardian will be advised and approval will be requested before the shots are given. Likewise, the medications for each child’s unique challenges will be reviewed. Each child will be observed for a few days.