Organization: POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES INC
Mission: POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES EQUIPS AT-RISK YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL & DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS NEEDED TO FLOURISH. SERVICES TO YOUTH AND FAMILIES ARE PROVIDED BY PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND GROUP HOMES PROGRAMS.
Activities: GROUP HOMESTHE ORGANIZATION MANAGES FIVE GROUP HOMES; POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES AMERY, POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES MENOMONIE, POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES RIVER FALLS, POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES WOOD COUNTY, AND POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES MARATHON COUNTY, EACH EIGHT BED GROUP FOSTER HOMES. AMERY AND RIVER FALLS SERVE FEMALES ONLY. EACH HOME IS LICENSED BY THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. OPERATION OF EACH HOUSE IS GOVERNED BY WISCONSIN ADMINISTRATIVE CODE DCF 57. THE HOMES PROVIDE STRUCTURE, SAFETY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO YOUTH IN NEED OF ALTERNATE CARE. EACH HOME OFFERS LONG TERM, SHORT TERM, TEMPORARY SHELTER, NON-SECURE 72-HOUR HOLDS, RESPITE, AND CRISIS PLACEMENTS. THE GROUP HOMES OFFER 24-HOUR AWAKE SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT TO YOUTH AGES 12-21. THE MARATHON COUNTY HOME SERVES YOUTH FROM THAT COUNTY ONLY. IN 2019, MENOMONIE SERVED 62 YOUTH, AMERY SERVED 10 YOUTH, RIVER FALLS SERVED 38 YOUTH, WOOD COUNTY SERVED 60 YOUTH, AND MARATHON COUNTY SERVED 38. YOUTH PRIMARILY FROM WESTERN AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN COUNTIES WERE SERVED.
COMMUNITY BASED SERVICESCOMMUNITY BASED SERVICES (FORMERLY INTERVENTION SERVICES) WORKS WITH YOUTH AND PARENTS TO IMPROVE FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS AND TO PREVENT OUT OF HOME PLACEMENT. THE PROGRAM IS ALSO USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH WAIVER AND COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY SERVICES FUNDING TO ASSIST IN STABILIZATION OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND BEHAVIORS IN THE HOME AND SCHOOL. CASE MANAGERS ARE TRAINED IN THE USE OF MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND USE THESE SKILLS TO HELP THE YOUTH AND THE FAMILY TO REACH THEIR GOALS. COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES PROVIDES IN-HOME, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES TO PROVIDE YOUTH WITH TOOLS FOR SUCCESS. SERVICES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH THE PROGRAM'S DAY SUPERVISION (35 CLIENTS IN 2019), MENTORING (62 CLIENTS SERVED), AND SUPERVISED VISITATION (31 CLIENTS SERVED).
Religious classification: None