Evening hours after school are a critical time for youth. That time can represent either an opportunity to learn and grow or a time of risk to youth's health and safety.

These hours are often peak times for juvenile crime and risky behaviors such as alcohol and drug use. The McCrossan Evening Treatment Program in Sioux Falls, SD is here to help during those hours. The program is committed to the purpose of helping young men and women achieve their potential within their academic, social, and home environments through structured educational activities united with the guidance of group and one-on-one therapeutic support.
 
Raising a troubled teenager can be difficult, the McCrossan Boys Ranch Evening Treatment Program is here to help.
 

WHO DO WE HELP?                      
The Evening Treatment Program is designed to help individuals referred to us by the DOC, DSS, Sioux Falls School District and through private application. Students that are not referred by DOC need to be Medicaid approved or privately paid for in the program. Targeted populations are young men and women from the ages of 10 to 18 who are struggling behaviorally or academically. Each student’s treatment will be individually evaluated and catered to their specific areas of concern in order to better help them and more clearly prepare them to exit the program and remain within their community without further intervention.
 
HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?                  
Upon beginning the program each student will be in attendance five days per week from when they are picked up after school until 8 p.m. after programming has been completed. Students will spend these hours in the following activities:
 
Study Time will focus on working with collaboration between students and staff members in order to ensure improvements in academic performance. Students that will need one-on-one or group tutoring will receive it as needed while helping each other to understand their subjects.  

Skill Recreation will involve some sort of game, interaction, or role-play tied to skills identified as areas of concern for the students. A skill activity should be conducted with the purpose of helping the students learn to work together and build a sense of community amongst the individuals within the program.
 
Solutions Group will be focused on allowing the students to process and ask for help regarding past and present issues within their life with a focus on coping mechanisms, anger management, and problem-solving issues within their home, school, and community.
 
Rewards Activities will be fun times on campus and in the community where some students that have excelled in their program after the past week will be able to enjoy the freedom that comes with positive choices.
 
The McCrossan Evening Treatment Program also provides a snack and evening meal for all attendees. A gymnasium, horse riding arena and an outdoor recreational field are also available to be utilized in the program.
 
As a student begins to progress through the program they will move down in their intensity of levels based on the amount of programming they will attend. A student will need to earn rewards for two weeks in a row in order to be put into consideration for “dropping a level”. These changes in their expectations will be based on the treatment team’s recommendations and then collaborated upon by the other parties involved including the student’s family, school, and referring worker. 
                       
HOW DO I GET MY CHILD INTO THE PROGRAM?
 
All referrals will adhere to the following process:

1. Call Steve Wahl at McCrossan Boys Ranch at (605) 339-1203 and request information. By giving us information about your child we can assess what is going on in their life right now. You can also email Steve at Steve.Wahl@mccrossan.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it.
   
   
2. A thorough evaluation will be conducted in collaboration with South Eastern Behavioral Health Care in order to comply with Medicaid Funding Standards. The referral and evaluation will be reviewed and either approved or denied by SEBHC and McCrossans.
   
   
3. The student's treatment will then begin through daily attendance at the Ranch as well as an evaluation from McCrossan based on Medicaid standards in order to create a complete history of their social, medical, and familial experiences.

• Not putting their best effort into school including inconsistent attendance, not completing their assignments, or acting up in class.     
  

• Struggling socially to make new friends or associate themselves with other kids that will not be a good influence on them.     
  

• Having problems coping with conflicts or emotions that lead to argument or defiant behaviors in the household.     
  

• On their way towards a difficult future including troubling behaviors and in need of some support and structure to make sure they get back on the right path. If your child has a history of making bad choices, maybe we can help!

HOW IS THE MCCROSSAN EVENING TREATMENT PROGRAM DIFFERENT FROM OTHER AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS?

While there are many options for after school help within the Sioux Falls Community, our program is unique in the fact that it offers a high level of structured therapy time and also combines the distinct experience of being on a working Ranch with equine therapy offered. The program is also operated year-round when school is not in session. It offers services between the hours of 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. which is longer than most after-school programs.