Hawthorn Heights
The primary goal of Mountain Youth Resources is to maintain a juvenile in his/her natural home. If a troubled youth does require emergency or non-emergency placement outside the home, Hawthorn Heights is the Region's major service resource and provides the opportunity for youth to remain in their own or comparable community. Youth must be in need of short-term, out-of-home care for either protection, planning, crisis intervention, family conflict resolution, and/or behavior stabilization which hopefully will result in either their return home to family or relatives, or their placement in an appropriate, permanent living situation. Hawthorn is staffed by specially trained professionals who are skilled in dealing with the complexity of problems of this population. The home is licensed for up to nine young people, and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to youth ages 10-17 from Haywood, Jackson, Swain, Clay, Graham, Macon and Cherokee counties, including the Eastern Band of Cherokees, and to runaways from outside the service area. The maximum stay is 90 days. Two counselors are on duty at all times. Hawthorn is always open and accessible.
Referrals are received from any source. Youth can be referred or refer him/her self for one or more of the following reasons:
- a runaway youth: person under 18 years of age who absents him/her self from home or place of legal residence without permission of parents or legal guardian;
- a homeless youth: person under 18 years of age who is in need of services and without a place of shelter where he/she receives supervision and care;
- a youth experiencing a non-runaway related problem: youth who are living in an unstable or critical situation i.e. abused, neglected, dependent;
- a youth who is undisciplined, or delinquent.
Hawthorn Heights, (originally opened as a group home for girls in Dillsboro) is centrally located in Bryson City and is the only community-based, residential emergency shelter/runaway center in the 30th Judicial District. In addition to basic food and shelter needs, each child receives active support to continue their education, medical care, and individual, group and family counseling to begin to address the challenges which are impacting their young lives. Hawthorn Heights provides a warm, trusting, understanding environment - a safe refuge for recovery and regaining a positive identity.
Family counseling is provided during the youth's placement at Hawthorn and is continued with the child and family following the child's return home.
Placement at Hawthorn Heights is voluntary. |
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Criteria for Admission
The child must be between the ages of 10 and 17 and be enrolled in school or GED classes. Referrals to Hawthorn Heights may be made by anyone invested in the needs of the youth/family, including the youth themselves. All services are provided at no cost to the family and in a cultural competent manner. Hawthorn Heights serves the seven western counties of North Carolina - Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain.
Runaway and Homeless Youth Referrals
Runaway and homeless youth are able to sign themselves in for a period of up to 72 hours. NC laws and licensing standards for private agency shelters require written consent for placement signed by legal custodian within 72 hours of admission. If written consent is not available when the youth is admitted, (s)he is immediately given the opportunity and encouraged to contact parent(s), legal guardian or other relative. When consent for youth under 17 is not obtained within 72 hours, the Swain County DSS is contacted and the youth reported as dependent. The Swain DSS is contacted if the youth's county of origin is not known. DSS then becomes the youth's custodian, approves the admission, and if deemed appropriate, the youth remains at Hawthorn until alternate living arrangements are made.
If legal custodian suspects child of illegal drug use/addiction, results of a drug screen within the last 48 hours will be included in admission information.
Other Referrals
Other referrals are accepted from Juvenile Court, DSS, Parent(s), Legal Guardian, or the youth themselves.
Staff will collect and record information about the youth/family situation by completing a screening/referral form. The aim of the referral contact is to gather as much information as possible about the youth/family to get a clear understanding of the youth/family situation.
A child who has been treated in a mental health institution or a substance abuse treatment center, needs to be accompanied by a clear discharge plan from the hospital, including directions for medication and other after-care services.
Denial of Admission
- Under the influence of alcohol or other substance Violent or aggressive (we hold a Level 2 License)
- Homicidal or suicidal
- Client is a former resident and no consideration has been made regarding a new treatment or discharge plan
- Special services are needed that we are not able to provide
- Other special circumstances that include age differences, aggressiveness, sexually active youth, and tense atmospheres in the house.
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