The Outpatient Day Treatment (ODT) program is a school-based for elementary students from the Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS). We contract with the Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS) to provide educational and mental health services to students living in the city of Tuscaloosa.
Our goal is to assist students in returning to their home schools, functioning in the least restrictive educational environment. A student’s return to their home school is based on several measures, culminating with a decision by the treatment team and the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team that the student has shown improvement and ability to function in their home school.
An average day is scheduled much like the students’ home schools, with a typical length school day. During the school day, Students are provided individualized and therapeutic interventions, including individual and group therapy, psychiatric assessment, medication monitoring and day treatment focused on developing/improving self-control, coping skills, social skills, stress reduction, anger management and other social skills to enable them to function more adaptively within the regular school setting and within the community. The high level of staff to student ratio allows for the most intensive treatment in the least restrictive environment.
Visit our Outpatient FAQ for answers to common questions about our outpatient programs.
Contact the Outpatient Program Coordinator, Maura Cain, via phone (205) 348-9359 or email mecain2@ua.edu with any further questions.
The ODT program serves elementary school age children (grades K-5th) zoned for the Tuscaloosa City Schools. Children are typically referred due to psychiatric, emotional and behavioral needs that require more intensive supervision and therapeutic services that are more specialized than available in the home school setting.
Our goal is to assist students in returning to their home schools, functioning in the least restrictive educational environment. A student’s return to their home school is based on several measures, culminating with a decision by the treatment team and the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team, as well as the family, that the student has shown improvement as well as the ability to function appropriately in their home school.
An average day is scheduled much like the students’ home schools, with a typical length school day. During the school day, students are provided individualized and therapeutic interventions, including individual and group therapy, psychiatric assessment, medication monitoring and day treatment focused on developing/improving self-control, coping skills, social skills, stress reduction, anger management and other social skills to enable them to function more adaptively within the regular school setting and within the community. The high level of staff to student ratio allows for the most intensive treatment in the least restrictive environment.
The length of is determined for each student in consultation with the treatment team, the IEP team and the family.
The referral process begins at the school level. The child’s elementary school will typically complete the referral, which is then approved by the special education coordinator before being sent to Brewer-Porch.
Once the child has made sufficient progress, as determined by the treatment team, IEP team and the family, thoughtful plans to transition back to the home school will be made. These plans often include partial day and partial week attendance at the home school, while Brewer Porch continues to provide therapeutic services to ensure a successful transition back to community education in the least restrictive environment.
