MOUNTAIN STATES CHILDRENS HOME INC
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Mission Statement
Mountain States Children’s Home extends Christian services to wounded children in an effort to meet their physical needs, heal their emotional hurts, challenge their minds and teach them moral principles in order to reach the goals of reuniting them with their families or preparing them for independence. This is accomplished using a family model of care, strengthened by professional counselors and teachers.
About This Cause
Mountain States Children’s Home (MSCH) began in 1960 with the purchase of 155-acres of farmland just north of Longmont on Highway 287. MSCH is a Residential Child Care Facility (RCCF) which provides services to children (licensed for 3 to 18 years old) who come from situations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and/or troubled family situations. We currently place children from eleven to eighteen years of age who are not functioning well at home or at school. Many of the children are several years behind their peers academically because of truancy. Some are associated with criminal activity and substance abuse. The children have often experienced major emotional trauma in their lives (e.g. sexual abuse, emotional abuse, the divorce of parents, the death of a parent, multiple placements . . .). They are often angry, confused, defiant, and hurt. Added service opportunities; ♦ 1998 - An on-ground campus school was added to the MSCH services. ♦ 2009 - An Educational and Recreational Complex was completed to add to the educational opportunity for children. A gym was added for recreation, event, and volunteer accommodation. ♦ 2013 - The Mountain States Children’s Home Thrift Store was opened. This has added a new revenue stream to MSCH to pay for children’s programs. This has become a constant visual presence for MSCH in the city of Longmont for learning about MSCH, donations, and volunteering. ♦ 2016 - MSCH Thrift Store moved to a larger location where additional parking and floor space provide opportunity for added revenue. ♦ 2017 - A new (house) cottage to care for additional children was completed. ♦ 2018 - Construction will begin on a new (house) cottage to care for additional children in the spring. Current Overview There are five cottages and a relief cottage (to give house parents some time-off). There are six available beds for "placed children" per house. Houseparent and their children are residents in this 24 hour, family model, home setting. MSCH receives in-kind and monetary donations with over 80% of the funding coming from individuals. The remainder comes from local business, civic groups, churches, foundations, events, and service organizations. Over 300 volunteers per year help with building maintenance, landscaping, meal preparation, auto repair, food room management, special projects, thrift store, etc. The agency has remained a private, non-profit facility for children since its inception. Principal Programs MSCH services are provided to children regardless of the parent’s ability to pay. A balance is created in a therapeutic environment which includes; a family model of care, combined with counseling, exposure to new experiences to promote individual potential, an educational component to bring children to grade level and guidance toward a spiritual base. The Family Model of Care is integrated through the guidance of house parents with 24-hour care for the children. House parents consist of a couple and their children (if any). They become a family sharing meal time, join in outings, giving support to each other in sports and other activities. They are involved in completing the child’s treatment goals. Each of the homes will house up to 6 placed children. Cottage 5 was opened in 2017 which brings the total beds available to 24 for placed children. Counselors meet individually with each placed child on a weekly basis. In addition to individual help, each home has scheduled group counseling sessions once a week. When appropriate and determined by achievement of program goals, parents are encouraged to join counseling sessions to facilitate the reuniting of the family. The client base includes a capacity of 12 boys and 12 girls at one time in this system to bring children and families together. House rules and a Behavioral Level System are in place to give children boundaries with consistent discipline for learning the consequences to behavior, whether these behaviors are improper actions or positive behaviors. Children without close family ties will stay at MSCH until they emancipate. The program focuses on the goal of emancipation through training and guiding the child to independence. Education is important to the overall balance of a child. Children coming to MSCH are behind their peers academically in basic core subject skills; Social studies, English, Reading/Language Arts, Math and Science. When children “catch-up” they are streamlined into the local school system. This school is fully sanctioned by the St. Vrain Valley School District. Our established programs have been very successful in advancing the development of adolescent children. There is an established College Scholarship Endowment for children who show an interest in further education. Children in our care see the opportunity for needed change and begin to believe that change is possible. They also feel that they are in a secure environment where they are truly appreciated and cared for as part of a loving family. Responsible parents and guardians who place their children at MSCH have been very grateful for the protection offered, coping skills developed, their child’s renewed interest in education, and an environment that created to give their child a chance to grow and improve. MSCH is committed to children and remains open to the most current quality methods of helping children achieve. Endowment programs have been established for; further college or trade school, a general endowment for improvements/sustainability/board directed funds, and a medical endowment.