
Program Information
Residential
Though research shows children, youth, and families are best served in their homes and communities, there are cases in which a child may require treatment outside of the home. The Buckeye Ranch has the facilities and the treatment capacity to serve children and youths with these serious mental health needs, behavioral challenges, and substance use issues. The Buckeye Ranch's family-centered treatment approach drives our commitment to preserve family relationships and believes maintaining these bonds is crucial to the success of the child's transition back into the community.
Every day in this rich, therapeutic environment, girls and boys ages 9-18 are experiencing hope and healing. For those youth requiring a secure residential setting, our Secure Campus provides the care and structure they need with locked units, cameras, and a 1:4 staff-to-youth ratio. In this environment, youth will be provided the treatment and skills they need to prepare for a successful transition back into the community.
Community-Based Programs
The Buckeye Ranch believes that all families have strengths and each member of the family plays an integral part in treatment. Our community-based programs are designed to work with children, their families, and members of the community to reduce problem behaviors while helping children, youth, and families meet their own unique goals and plans.
The Buckeye Ranch uses evidence-informed and evidence-based interventions, in collaboration with other systems, to provide the best possible treatment options. Our services provide children, youth, and families with comprehensive and individualized mental health and substance abuse treatment.
Outpatient
Outpatient office-based counseling provides help for children, youths, and families at our three convenient locations in Central Ohio:
- 4653 East Main Street, Whitehall, OH 43213
- 2865 W. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43204
- 5665 Hoover Road, Grove City, OH 43123
Professional therapists help children, youths, and families learn and manage a variety of emotional and behavioral challenges including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Substance Abuse
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
- Behavioral difficulties – at home and school
- Effects of trauma and abuse
Nurturing Parent Groups
The Buckeye Ranch offers the Nurturing Parent curriculum in groups for families with elementary-age children and youths. The Nurturing Parenting groups are family-centered groups designed to build nurturing parenting skills. The long-term goal is to stop the intergenerational cycle of child abuse by teaching positive parenting behaviors.
Weekly groups (lasting 12 weeks for youths or 15 weeks for elementary age) feature activities to foster positive parenting skills and self-nurturing, home practice exercises, family nurturing time, and activities to promote positive brain development in children and youth. Parents and children attend separate groups that meet concurrently and are designed to build self-awareness, positive concept/self-esteem and build levels of empathy; teach alternatives to hitting and yelling; enhance family communication and awareness of needs; replace abusive behaviors with nurturing behaviors; promote healthy physical and emotional development; and teach appropriate role and developmental expectations.
To learn more about Nurturing Parent programs go to http://www.nurturingparenting.com/.
Home-Based Services
Intensive Family Support Program (IFSP)
Intensive Family Support Program (IFSP) services are provided to youth and families for whom more intensive interventions are indicated. Meetings typically occur 1-3 times per week in the family’s home to aid in keeping youth and families safely together. Our staff is trained to provide 24-hour crisis intervention and targeted interventions to assist with self-harmful behaviors, severe depression, aggression, substance abuse, trauma, and defiant behaviors. Our staff is also trained to assist with youth transitioning from hospitalizations, residential care, inpatient substance abuse treatment, and foster care.
Multisystemic Therapy (MST)
Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is an evidence-based program that targets serious juvenile offenders. The program works specifically with Franklin County Children Services (FCCS), Franklin County Juvenile Court, and the Franklin County ADAMH Board. The MST program is designed to address a youth's mental health, behavioral, and/or substance abuse issues. Treatment interventions work to strengthen the relationship between youth and parent while decreasing delinquent and defiant behavior. MST provides intensive (2-4 hours/week), in-home and in-community services, including 24-hour crisis intervention, to youth and families struggling with the challenges of legal behaviors, substance abuse, oppositional behaviors, and severe family conflict.
Functional Family Therapy (FFT)
Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is an evidenced-based program effective with youth struggling with behavioral or emotional problems. This program works specifically with Franklin County Children Services (FCCS), Franklin County Juvenile Court, and the Franklin County ADAMH Board. FFT is a short-term, intensive, high-quality intervention program with an average of 12 to 14 sessions over three to five months. FFT works primarily with 11 to 18-year-old youth, and their families, who have been referred due to behavioral or emotional problems by the juvenile justice system, mental health, school, or child welfare systems. Services can be conducted in both clinic and home settings, and can also be provided within schools, child welfare facilities, probation and parole offices, aftercare systems, and mental health facilities.
Somali Outreach Program
The Somali Outreach Program provides culturally-specific, intensive, and non-intensive clinical and case management services. Through the use of Somali-speaking interpreters, we provide support for Somali children, youth, and families struggling with symptoms related to loss, trauma, and resettlement, as well as issues that are common to the process of merging two or more cultures. This program also connects Somali families to community resources specific to their needs. Our staff has been trained to provide 24-hour crisis support and intervention.
Medication Management
The Medication Management Department at The Buckeye Ranch consists of a team of physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and support staff who specialize in child and adolescent mental health. We collaborate with families and clinical staff to assess, diagnose, provide treatment, and prescribe medications when indicated. Children and youths who require medication management are seen on a regular basis by our prescribers and have access to the clinical treatment team when there are questions or concerns about their child’s progress.
Foster Care
The Buckeye Ranch Foster Care is a network of treatment foster homes and service providers committed to the wellbeing of youth and families who need security and assistance. Our program provides care for children from infancy through 18 years of age and sometimes beyond. We have foster homes across the state of Ohio.
The Ranch’s large continuum of care extends from supportive respite services to crisis stabilization. We have a full staff of professionals who provide licensing, case management, and training to our network foster families.
Educational Services / Day Treatment
The Bonner Academy at Cross Creek
The Bonner Academy at Cross Creek integrates education and intensive mental health treatment for middle and high school students with behavioral/psychological disorders and their families, to reduce barriers to learning and education. The Bonner Academy at Cross Creek provides the foundation for students to learn and manage their symptoms and behaviors, focus and concentrate, and demonstrate the acquisition of new information. Students will increase their attendance, reading, and math skills, as well as participation while at Cross Creek. The program deals with crises by providing 24-hour crisis services and in-home counseling to support the students and reduce further academic barriers. Students can receive transition services as they return to their home school district so that they maintain their newly acquired skills.
The summer program bridges learning and therapeutic gains from one academic year to the next with recreation, outdoor adventures, and continued therapies.
The Bonner Academy at Rosemont
The Bonner Academy at Rosemont provides integrated mental health and educational programming for elementary school students with serious behavioral/psychological disorders that affect their ability to function in their assigned public school, home setting, and community. Students attend a six-hour “program day” with instruction provided in-group and individualized formats. Individual, group, and family therapy are also provided throughout the school day. Due to the high acuity of student behaviors, we provide 24-hour crisis services to support families and youth in managing mental health symptoms and behaviors.
The therapeutically supportive program focuses on both behavioral and academic goals, building upon the students’ existing strengths. To reduce barriers to academic learning, students learn to manage symptoms and increase their level of functioning and stability so that they may return to their home school district. Transition planning with home schools is key to future success.
My Place
The My Place Transitional Age Program is designed to help young adults who are ready to transition from residential care, group homes, and/or foster care, but are not ready to live completely on their own. This program provides services to both males and females, ages 16- 21 years old. One of the unique components of My Place is the placement of young adult parents along with their children.
The young adults in the program reside in one of 15 fully furnished, one-bedroom apartments. The program is located on the east side of Columbus, which allows easy access to public transportation. My Place property is a secured apartment building with staff present 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The outside perimeter of the building is monitored by surveillance cameras to provide a safe and secure environment for residents.
The Buckeye Ranch is committed to helping these young adults transition successfully into adulthood. They will receive case management services through our experienced staff, including an onsite team leader and staffing 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The areas of need for each young adult in the program will be assessed individually through discussion with the young adult, as well as a review of the Ansell Casey Assessment and other independent living assessments completed upon admission. The My Place staff will assist the young adult with various skills, including but not limited to: budgeting, nutrition, employment, and education.