Lutherwood

Lutherwood is a residential treatment center for children who are recovering from the effects of abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment.

Admission Criteria
Boys and girls age 6-21 who are experiencing chronic behavior and/or emotional problems and/or with a history of hurting themselves or others are eligible for admission to Lutherwood. Most have problem at home or at school and have failed hospitalizations or other less restrictive programs. They are suffering the effects of physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse and may exhibit symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Lutherwood is licensed to care for up to 73 children.

Youth with a minimum IQ of 65 are eligible for placement through referral from juvenile courts, mental health centers, the DAWN Project, or similar social service agencies as well as through private placement by hospitals or individuals. Youth whose IQ are lower than 65 are considered on an individual basis.

Referral information should include:

• Reason for referral
  

• Educational testing scores

• Recent psychological evaluation
  

• Source of funding
  

• Social and medical history
  

• Permanency plan

• Medical immunization records/history

Cost
A per diem rate for the open or secure units covers the cost of:

• Room & board
  

• Weekly allowance
  

• Daily sessions with youth counselors

• Spiritual growth activities (optional)
  

• 24-hour supervision
  

• Behavior management/therapy
  

• Recreational therapy
  

• Aftercare

Lutherwood clients are able to access Medicare/Medicaid Rehab Option through collaboration with Community Health Network, which also provides psychiatric supervision, staffing, and therapy services.

The per diem rate does NOT include intensive treatment services, psychiatric consultations, case management, and individual, group, or family therapy that is provided in collaboration with Gallahue Mental Health Center, a program of Community Health Network of Indianapolis.

For the current per diem rates, please call (317) 359-5467.

Levels of Care
Individual treatment plans are created for each resident according to their needs and the specific emotional issues they must address. Reunification with the family and/or the community is a goal established for each and every child.

Each child's care team includes a psychiatrist, clinical director, clinical program manager, psychiatric nurse manager, education specialist, and youth counselor. We offer a continuum of residential care settings and levels of treatment to provide greater flexibility in meeting the needs of the children. It also facilitates on-campus "step-down" care in an efficient and clinically effective manner.

Depending upon the severity of the child's problems, the danger presented to him or the community, and the level of family involvement, the child is assigned to a secure unit, an open unit or the family & community program.

School
In collaboration with Indianapolis Public Schools, certified special education teachers provide remedial education in several on-site classrooms with a full-day, complete curriculum for grades K-12. Their goal is to prepare students for public school placement.

Up to 20 students from IPS also attend Lutherwood's therapeutic day school. Children enrolled in this program still live at home, but are at risk of being removed because of behavior problems. Typically, these children have a diagnosis of mental illness. In addition to following a normal IPS curriculum, each child receives one hour of individual therapy and one hour of group therapy each week that is provided by therapists from Gallahue Mental Health Center's family preservation program. A caseworker is also assigned to each child's family to help them access community resources.