Article

Larson Service Line

Service Line Manager: Angela Edwards

About us

The mission of the Larson Service Line is to provide care and treatment to patients in four distinct program areas.   These areas are competency restoration, ID/DD, Sexual responsibility, and step-down/transitional programming.  The care and treatment for these patients are based on the assessed needs and are carried out by qualified and competent staff.  Each program has an interdisciplinary team that guides the care and treatment for the patients in a safe, structured, and therapeutic environment.   The care and treatment of each patient is directed toward enhancing the patient’s ability and capability of living in the most appropriate least restrictive environment.

Larson 1 North

The Larson 1 North unit is a 22-bed male unit that serves as a step-down unit primarily for patients who are being stepped down to a less restrictive environment from Isaac Ray Treatment Center.   This unit also serves as a transition unit for patients who have met maximum benefit from other unit’s specialized programming i.e. sexual responsibility, etc.   The focus of the unit program is on programming that provides the patients with an understanding of their symptoms, skills needed for community re-entry, legal education review for those who are incompetent to stand trial, and other special areas related to risk management, etc.  Evidence-based practices are provided by an interdisciplinary team in order to meet the assessed individualized needs of the patients.

The Larson 1 North unit also interfaces with the Transitional Care program offered at Logansport State Hospital.  Patients who are nearing discharge are referred to the Transitional Care program where they learn skills necessary for community living.   These skills include but are not limited to budgeting, leisure education, home living skills, banking skills, volunteerism, etc.  The patients take part in hands-on experiences in each of these areas.   Each patient is then assessed regarding their strengths and weaknesses for community living and adjustments in the focus of their treatment in the program are made to provide them with the skills necessary to enhance their ability to succeed when discharged.

Larson 1 South

The Larson 1 South unit is a 16-bed co-ed unit (10 males and 6 females).   This unit provides services for the ID/DD population.   The emphasis of programming is on skill-building in the areas of community readiness, ADL’s, communication, and work readiness.   Patient programming is based on individually assessed needs within each of these areas.  When indicated, patients who have legal involvement and require legal education services are enrolled in groups to assist them.

Programming is provided by an interdisciplinary team who work together to provide a well-rounded program for each patient in order to meet their needs.

Larson 2 North

Larson 2 North is a 22-bed male unit. (Sexual Responsibility Program)   The Sexual Responsibility Program [SRP] is philosophically guided by the Risk-Needs-Responsivity [RNR] Model or offense management.  The model focuses on risk and protective factors for intervention.  The RNR model targets dynamic risk/need factors of sexual offense recidivism for change.  Decision-making, problem-solving, impulse management, and anger management skills are taught and monitored by all disciplines.  Similarly, relationship and vocational/leisure and time management problems are addressed by a set of interdisciplinary interventions.  This focus of interdisciplinary interventions is consistent with research findings on efficacy-based solutions for dynamic risk, including; reducing interpersonal conflict, diminishing personal and interpersonal supports for sexual offending behavior, and increasing involvement in more prosocial activities (Andrews, D.A. et al, 2006).

The L2N Programmatic structure hinges upon providing established (evidenced-based, best practices, emerging practices) interventions in areas as identified as critical for inclusion by the Center for Sex Offender Management.  Among these are; (1) Deviant sexual interests/arousal/preferences; (2) attitudes that support offending/abuse; (3) sexual preoccupation; (4) pervasive anger/hostility which introduces difficulties forming and sustaining emotionally intimate relationships; and (5) poor problem solving/lifestyle impulsiveness.

Progress through the program is measured through Special Attendant Staff, Treatment Team, and Nursing tracking of positive coping behaviors and therapeutic task/skill task accomplishment (green level behaviors and tasks) and behavior needs (red level behaviors) on the behavior tracking record.  Progression through levels of Yellow and Green as linked to therapeutic task accomplishment is discussed weekly for each patient during the treatment team (as a component of privileging).  Feedback about patient progress is formally presented weekly on the Treatment Team Feedback Form during case management; to provide to the patient, encouragement, direction, and a clear, behaviorally based report of what he/she needs to focus upon and accomplish in treatment prior to moving up in the red, yellow, green program.

Larson 2 South

Larson 2 South (L2S) is a 22 bed, closed (locked) unit serving female-only patients.  L2S patients present with forensic needs which include insufficient comprehension to stand trial (ICST) along with outdates from the Department of Correction.  ICST patients present with symptoms of psychosis and/or mood instability which interfere with the restoration of competency.  Determination of competency restoration utilizes the McGarry Criteria which assess a patient’s capacity to (1) Understand Charges and Potential Consequences; (2) Understand the Trial Process; (3) Participate with an Attorney in a Defense; (4) Successfully participate in a Courtroom.  Department of Correction Outdates also present with symptoms of psychosis, mood instability, and/or personality characteristics that interfere with successful transition into the community after serving a prison sentence.  Both outdated and ICST patients receive additional services to address therapeutic needs of involvement in recovery, behavioral health needs, risk behavior needs, recreational development, and medication involvement.

Larson 2 South utilizes a Red/Yellow/Green levels program that monitors and responds to risk behaviors and provides incentives for increasing levels of independent self-monitoring, self-care, and involvement in recovery.  Specific interventions utilized to reward improved self-monitoring, self-care, and involvement in recovery will include access to reward, increased opportunities to make choices among scheduled reinforcement activities, access to scheduled reward groups, and increased opportunities for independent decision making/free time.  Progress on the treatment objective will be measured through staff tracking of positive coping behaviors (green level behaviors) and behavior needs (red level behaviors) on the behavior tracking record.  Progress is further monitored through the successful completion of therapeutic tasks which are clinical measures of outcome based on reasons for admission.  As patients complete both therapeutic tasks and display increased levels of independent self-monitoring, self-care, and involvement in recovery they achieve a higher level within the L2S levels program in order to attain their ultimate goal, discharge.