“It takes a village to raise a child.” This old adage has special meaning in the community of ODTC. Successful treatment takes a variety of disciplines and professional experience, and the ODTC multidisciplinary team approach to treatment does exactly that, utilizing the skill and expertise of all members of the treatment team.

Our treatment program has several integral components. Among them are individual therapy and group therapy, year-round educational/vocational programming, and independent living skills training.

The Clinical Services Department is comprised of Clinical Specialists/Therapists, a Psychologist, and on-staff Psychiatrists.

Clinical Specialists, many with Master's degrees, function as the children's primary therapists/case managers, responsible for providing individual psychotherapy, group therapy, family counseling/therapy, individualized Behavior Treatment Plans, child management training, and staff education. The Clinical Specialists also coordinate all aspects of the residents’ Individual Treatment Plans (ITPs). This includes maintaining family, county, collateral and court contacts, supervising the ITPs and facilitating discharge planning.

The Clinical Services Department also includes psychological and psychiatric staff. They assist in developing and implementing the ITPs and behavioral intervention strategies. A full-time psychologist is on staff and available for formal diagnostic evaluations, while psychiatrists provide psychiatric diagnostic evaluation and medication review and monitoring.

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ODTC’s nationally recognized school programs are designed to educate special needs children. Educational needs are different for every child, so individual attention and planning is crucial in the success of every treatment plan.

After an extensive evaluation to determine the unique strengths and needs of each child, an Individual Education Plan is developed creating an ongoing program using techniques tailored to meet each student’s needs. Special Education teachers with certification, training and experience in cognitive, learning, emotional or behavioral disabilities implement the Individual Education Plan. The devoted teaching staff of ODTC creates a sensory-rich learning environment encompassing sensory integration, and sensory and vestibular stimulation. On-staff certified Occupational Therapists and licensed Speech Pathologists complement the teaching staff, providing the highest quality care available.

Program components include academic instruction, adaptive physical education, occupational therapy, pre-vocational and vocational training, and speech and language therapy.

ODTC’s commitment to providing the best in educational opportunities for dually-diagnosed individuals doesn’t stop with just our residents.  Children who are able to remain living in their own homes, but are unable to be maintained in their community special education programs are accepted from local area school districts to attend class on campus as Day Students.

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Daily life for our residents begins with the caring supervision of our dedicated Youth Care Staff. Responsible for the implementation of the residents’ Individual Treatment Plans, the Youth Care Staff teaches day-to-day life skills including personal hygiene, eating, dressing and bathing, as well as recreational activities and interpersonal skills. 

Each Youth Care Staff member acts as a guide for residents throughout their day from classes to meals and everything in between, providing compassionate care and consistency in the residents' daily lives. 

Youth Care staff members also enjoy the opportunity to get residents involved in Special Olympics activities, enhancing cooperation and learning skills and significantly improving self-image and confidence.

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When it comes to the health of our clients, ODTC is committed to providing the best health care available. Staffed by Registered Nurses, ODTC’s Health Services Department takes pride in meeting the medical needs of our residents. Weekly visits by a physician and bi-monthly visits by a neurologist complement the Health Services Department. Psychiatric and psychological services are provided by on-staff psychiatrists and an on-staff psychologist. At ODTC, medical staff is on call 24-hours a day.

A variety of high quality hospital services are located within close proximity to ODTC including Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, world-renowned University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

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Dedicated and caring service doesn’t stop at the classroom. Our support staff is made up of spectacular individuals committed to providing the best living and learning environment in the country.  Every member of the ODTC staff from food services to housekeeping to maintenance knows that at the end of the day, it is all about the kids.

The center comes to life as residents fill the cafeteria with laughter and activity during meals. Taking pride in creating delicious and nutritious meals, the dietary staff provides a meal plan tailored for each individual resident, matching their specific needs. All menus are reviewed on a regular basis by a licensed dietitian.

The cleanliness of ODTC is one of the first things many people notice. It’s thanks to the hard work of the housekeeping, laundry and maintenance staff, who are committed to providing the cleanest and safest living environment.

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Respite care can be one of the most difficult and challenging situations for children as it takes them out of their normal routine. However, ODTC’s experienced and caring staff create a structured and calming environment for special needs children allowing free time for parents or regular caregivers.

We pride ourselves in providing the same level of care to our respite visitors as we provide to our residents. The additional structure and supervision built into our programs is designed to meet the needs of children who, due to severe behavioral problems, may not be able to be served in other respite programs. Respite care for up to nine consecutive days can be provided for children from states other than Wisconsin without Interstate Compact involvement.

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The goal of ODTC’s Diagnostic and Assessment Program is to work with families and the local human service agencies to provide treatment recommendations for a child who is experiencing behavioral difficulties in the current environment. This program may consist of various psychological, psychiatric, medical, educational, behavioral and psychosocial assessments to be completed within a 90 day period. During the assessment process, the child will reside at ODTC and benefit from our multidisciplinary approach to providing treatment, with the ultimate goal of returning the child to the least restrictive environment.

Program Services and Expectations

Our Diagnostic and Assessment Program may include the following assessment areas:

• Behavioral
• Educational
• Health/Medical
• Psychiatric
• Psychological
• Psychosocial

We provide an admission staffing to present the process and discuss program expectations. Our program includes a minimum 90-day stay with 24-hour supervised milieu treatment and Special Education programming. At the end of the stay we hold a multidisciplinary staffing to discuss completed assessments and recommendations and begin discharge planning to facilitate the transition process.

Referral Process

Requirements for placement consideration include: past psychiatric/psychological evaluations (including diagnosis), social history, and an Individual Education Plan. Upon receipt of the information, a pre-admission screening may be scheduled.

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