Allendale Association receives prestigious award
The Allendale Association recently received an Innovative Practices Award for its REStArT treatment model. REStArT (Relational Re-Enactment Systems Approach to Treatment) is a comprehensive systems-approach to treatment with youth who struggle with emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges.
REStArT is based on thirteen principles that guide human service professionals, family members and youth in developing interventions to help break chronic “conflict cycles”, repair relationships and learn new ways to be successful at home, in school, and in the community.
The award was presented by The Council on Accreditation (COA), a 34 year-old independent not-for-profit international accreditor of the full continuum of community-based behavioral health care and human service organizations. Allendale was one of three groups to receive the 2011 Innovative Practices Award.
“We are so pleased to receive this special recognition because it validates the work we are doing at Allendale,” said Mary Shahbazian, president of the Allendale Association. “This award also acknowledges the REStArt program as an innovative and evidence-based team approach to helping kids and families in need to learn better ways to cope, deal with conflict and implement a positive life plan,” concluded Shahbazian.
The COA Innovative Practices Award was created to acknowledge accredited and first time applicant organizations that implement new and forward thinking practices that enhance the quality of services provided to vulnerable children, youth, adults, and families and are consistent with theory, practice, wisdom, and expert consensus reflected in current professional literature.
COA's Innovative Practices Award is designed to provide organizations the opportunity to share and be rewarded for uniquely meeting the needs of a service population and/or implementing distinctive methods for improving organizational capacity.
In a formal statement, the COA said, “It is extremely proud to recognize The Allendale Association for their creative work and innovative use of resources, and is honored that they are part of the COA family.”
The COA also awarded the The Children's Village in Dobbs Ferry, NY for its Permanency for Teens and the Andrus Children's Center in Yonkers, NY for The Sanctuary Model. The following organizations received runners-up status: Catholic Charities in Spokane, WA and Urban Plunge and Brewer Porch Children's Center in Tuscaloosa, AL, for their Community Autism Intervention Program.
For more information about the Allendale Association and its programs, please call 847- 356-2351 or visit the Web site at www.allendale4kidgs.org.
Background Information About The Allendale Association:
Founded in 1897, the Allendale Association is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to excellence and innovation in care, treatment, education and advocacy for young people who suffer from mental illness or relational trauma resulting in severe emotional or behavioral disabilities. Allendale is one of the largest residential treatment centers in Illinois for children and adolescents aged 7 to 21. Currently, the Allendale Association serves over 1,260 children, adolescents, young adults and families in need annually. For more information about the Allendale Association, please visit www.allendale4kids.org or call 847-356-2351.