Its involvement was limited to funding. Program Director Jerilyn Keen identified three elements as the most important factors in the success of Bethesda. The three elements are intensive daily contact, the behavior management model, and the family-healing model. First, Bethesda operates approximately 12 hours per day, six days per week. Staff members directly intervene in the juveniles' lives from 25 to 55 hours per week without removing them from their homes.
Workers follow up with curfew checks and on-call services.
The extensive hours allow the program to make a significant impact on the lives of the juveniles involved in the program. Next, approaching each juvenile with an individual treatment plan allows Bethesda to manage the behaviors of each juvenile. The juvenile's needs are assessed initially and again every three months. The continuous examination of the changing needs of the juvenile allows the Bethesda staff to craft a treatment plan that will be most effective. By dissolving the anger, the juveniles are better equipped to handle the other issues they face.