Success Stories
“Hector” is a seven-year-old boy who lives at home with his father, step-mother, and three siblings, ages ten, five and two . He was referred by his school teacher due to classroom behavior problems stemming from a history of non-compliance, unprovoked violence toward peers and adults, and poor social skills. His mother reported that Hector had always had problems following directions and that his violence had increased in the past year. He would hit, scratch, bite, “wander away” and always be “fixing things” in the classroom that did not belong to him. He would throw a tantrum or cry suddenly if things did not go his way or if he made a mistake. Hector did not respect authority figures and became agitated when he had to accept consequences. He ignored his class assignments and was frequently loud and disruptive. He also suffered with frightening and disruptive nightmares.
Hector was admitted to the St. Vincent SAPH program and participated in both regular and summer sessions. He was evaluated by the psychiatrist, diagnosed with ADHD and bi-polar disorder and started on medication. He participated in individual, group and family therapy. Due to the severity of his behaviors, he attended group sessions three times a day and was admitted to the Extended Day program to provide further structure.
After a year of intensive treatment, Hector's social skills had improved, his “wandering off” had decreased and he had almost no negative outbursts.
He transitioned back to his SED classroom where he continued to do so well that he eventually was mainstreamed back into a regular classroom. His mother still periodically calls the agency to praise the treatment program and has referred several other families for services.
