PLL Fast Facts
Contact Information
Residential Youth Care (RYC)
The risk of relapse is greatest in the
first 3 months after discharge from
residential placement or Supervision
for adolescents.
PLL has demonstrated the ability
to reduce recidivism, reduce residential
placement, and increase parental
involvement by 70%
PLL has demonstrated efficacy in twelve
states and the Netherlands
PLL is recognized as an evidence based
practice by:
SAMSHA’s National Registry of Evidence Based
Programs and Practices
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention—Exemplary Rating
The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
The Promising Practices Network
Residential Youth Care
Main House
2514 First Ave
Ketchikan, AK 99901
Phone: (907) 225-4664
Fax: (907) 247 -4664
Parenting with Love and
Limits Groups Held at:
Parenting
with Love and Limits
®
A program that is designed to
shorten length of residential stay,
reduce the risk of relapse and
increase relational satisfaction
between teen and parents.
Residential Youth Care
Hill House
606 Hill Road
Ketchikan, AK
99901
(907) 220-9161
Parenting with Love and Limits
Family Therapy Associate
Karla Gelhar BA MS MFT
Cell: (907) 821.1543
E-mail:karlag@rycalaska.com
Residential Youth Care (RYC) has
brought the effectiveness of PLL
to the community to better support
the families that it serves
Residential Youth Care, Inc.
NORTH AMER ICAN
INST IT UT E
Overview
Program Description
Family Groups
By the time PLL has become involved in the family, it
is not uncommon for the teen and/or parent to have
emotional wounds from past behaviors and issues.
Additional time is spent healing these wounds.
The teen and family participate in six weekly classes.
The classes are for two hours each and teach the
family how to better understand and handle their
teen and teach the teen how to better understand
and manage the limits set by the adults in the family.
Dr Sells’ book has
provided valuable
guidance to parents
throughout the country
Parenting with Love and Limits (PLL) is an Evidence
Based Practice. The benefits from participating in PLL
have been clinically demonstrated through the use of
independent and clinically significant measures. These
measures are evaluated by an independent research
body. Using this system of evaluation, PLL has been
shown to reduce the length of stay for teenagers in
residential care and more importantly, it reduces the
chances that the teen will return to residential care
after discharge. PLL has also been proven effective at
preventing adolescents from entering residential care.
National data on traditional approaches in residential
treatment have demonstrated that the chances of
returning into residential care are greatest in the first
three months after discharge. By drawing on the
strengths and insights of the entire family PLL is able
to more effectively help the teen.
The weekly themes are:
Week 1 – Venting and Why Teens Misbehave
In Community
Week 2 – Button Pushing and Button Busters
In community, the therapist continues with the family
until the youth as met all of the graduation
requirements that consist of completing groups,
completing coaching, complying with the contract
80% or more of the time, in school or work, and
out of trouble with the law. The PLL Therapist will
maintain periodic phone contact and will arrange for
meetings if needed to resolve new issues or to tighten
any glitches in the contract. PLL will provide 30, 60 and
90 day call backs after the case has been closed to ensure
the treatment is sticking and provide a tune-up session if
needed.
Week 3 – Contracting and Recruiting Outside Helpers
Week 4 – Contracting and Troubleshooting
Week 5 – Neutralizing the 7 Aces
Week 6 – Restoring Nurturance
Coaching Sessions
Coaching sessions are led by the same PLL
Therapist that runs the group. The Coaching
sessions occur in the family room at the RYC Hill
House. This person will work with each family to
adapt the skills learned from the groups to develop
a solid contract between the parent and the teen.
This contract will identify all of the problems the
teen needs to manage, the benefits for handling
them successfully, and the consequences for
irresponsibility. This contract is carefully
established within the family complete with
rehearsals between parent and teen.
This is accomplished through an intensive and
focused plan of care in two areas:


The entire process takes approximately 8 to 12
coaching sessions. Families are engaged
immediately (24-48 hours) after a referral has
been made. Whether starting at home to avoid
residential care, or from a program, the aftercare
component begins after the six groups, and
development of the family contract.
The PLL Therapist and Case Manger run the group.
The focus is on building skills. Skills at managing
day-to-day issues and skills at establishing and
maintaining an iron-clad contract between the teen
and the parents. Each week is devoted to the
learning of new skills and objectives
Family Groups
Family Coaching Sessions
.
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