“We want the very best for the kids, and we can review a child’s situation on a case by case basis. One year we had a mother come in the middle of the night on New Year’s Eve with nowhere else to go for shelter for her toddler.” – Gretchen Herndon, Board Member, Noyes Home
Over the past century of service the Noyes Home has continued to tailor its services to meet the needs of families and children going through difficult times. In 2015, 225 children were admitted to the Noyes Home, with 50 percent admitted for emergency shelter reasons.
There are four types of admissions at the Noyes Home:
- Emergency Shelter: Children who have become homeless are placed in the safe keeping of the Noyes Home by family members who have lost their home. Families who experience emergencies and do not have a place where their children can stay can also utilize the services of the Noyes Home.
- Respite Care: These children are referred to us by parents who might be experiencing a short-term problem or are in great need of time to regain their coping skills.
- Foster Care Placement: These children are referred to the Noyes Home by the court system, Juvenile office, Children’s Division or a contracted entity that offers child protective services for the state. These children are placed with the Noyes Home on a temporary basis until a foster care home is secured or they are returned to their home.
- Behavioral Intervention: Children in this category are referred to the Noyes Home by parents, mental health facilities, schools and social workers. They may be having problems at home, in school or both – but children with violent behaviors are referred to other community resources who are specially trained to help with this type of challenge.
Safety is a Top Priority: To provide the safest environment possible, the Noyes Home does not admit children with severe behavioral problems that include violence or whose behavior may put other children at risk. These children often need referrals to specialized community resources who can provide advanced, specific care for serious behavior problems, suicide risk or similar circumstances.
What is the Admissions Process Like? The admissions process is simple. A phone call anytime can set up a meeting with staff and begin to talk about how the Noyes Home can help a child and a family. There is an admissions form with basic questions to help the Noyes Home team understand the child’s situation. From this information, a treatment plan can be established. Questions on the admissions pre-placement form include finding out more about a child’s behavior at home or school, any issues or concerns about the child, if they have any health diagnoses, and if they are taking any specific medications.
Children with the following criteria are not admitted by the Noyes home:
- Children or teens who have been named as a violent offender, charged or who have a pending charge for serious assault with a history of violence toward care givers and siblings.
- Sex offenders or children with a history of sexually acting out.
- Children who are actively suicidal or meet criteria for acute psychiatric inpatient hospitalization.
- Any other situation which would compromise the safety of the residents and staff.