Summer Program Consultation Services

YouthCare MGH now provides consultation services to agencies and school systems regarding their summer programming for children with social-cognitive deficits, including Asperger’s Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-NOS (PDD-NOS), and related conditions.  Based on over 10 years of experience serving over 70 children aged 5-16 each summer in our summer programs, we now offer consultation to other programs that aim to effectively serve this population of children.  YouthCare consults to various programs including: school- and community-based summer programs, and inclusive as well as specialized programs.  YouthCare also provides consultation to agencies seeking to create new programs in addition to those aiming to improve their current programs.  YouthCare works closely with programming and leadership teams, as well as direct service staff during the summer.  Our program consultation services may include the following components:

1. Collaborative goal-setting and planning of the consultation process.
2. Exploration of structural options, including:
1. Timing
2. Location
3. Key activities and methodologies
4. Enrollment procedures
5. Scheduling
6. Physical site setup
7. Staffing structure
8. Cost structure
9. Marketing needs
3. Program development, including:
1. Creating a therapeutic and fun summer community and culture
2. Embedding social skills lessons and instruction in a camp experience, including developing social skills lessons
3. Promoting transfer and generalization of skills learned during the summer program to home, school, and community
4. Behavioral management
5. Group planning and structure, including how group children by diagnosis or across diagnoses (e.g., children with Asperger’s Syndrome alone or with children with PDD-NOS, other special needs, or no special needs)
6. Matching activities to the developmental level of children with various diagnoses and clinical presentations
7. Leading activities and teaching skills
8. Individual goal-setting and measurement for children
9. Family-camp communication, and developing a family community
4. Training of year-round agency personnel.
5. Training of summer-specific staff members before the summer season begins.
6. Observation, feedback, consultation on individual children, and ongoing staff training during the summer season.
7. Observation of year-round programming, if applicable, as part of the program development and staff training process.
8. Development of evaluation mechanisms.
9. Email, phone, and in-person meetings with program staff, clients’ parents, and other constituents to assess the program’s mission, goals, values, and strengths, and to understand its current methods, procedures, and needs.

The schedule and time commitment of program consultations vary, and is determined in collaboration with the agency to be served.  Agencies are charged an hourly consultation fee.  For more information, please call 617-726-0060, email mghyouthcare@partners.org, or visit www.mghyouthcare.org.

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