Residential
Monarch Boarding Academy (MBA) for Children with Autism
A co-ed therapeutic residential treatment program that focuses on reducing maladaptive behaviors by enhancing life skills, social skills and communication.
Download a Monarch Boarding Academy Brochure
Monarch Boarding Academy (MBA) is a unique residential treatment program for individuals ages 8 through 20 with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Working in tandem with academic staff and goals, residential programming fosters improvement in life skills, social skills and overall communication. Enhancing outcomes in these areas leads to reuniting with families, stepping down to a less-restrictive setting and living a more independent young adult life.
Just steps away from the school, residents live in secure, home-like buildings with single bedrooms that are designed and staffed to enhance social, behavioral, communicative, functional, and academic growth. The current peer group of each cottage helps determine which residence is the best fit for the incoming client. Cottages include teaching kitchens to facilitate student participation in food preparation; multi-sensory rooms designed to promote relaxation; outdoor playgrounds to support physical fitness; and computer labs to incorporate the use of technology.
Each client’s day, from wake-up to bedtime, is highly structured and consistent. Residents are fully integrated with the larger Monarch School day student population. When not in class, residents participate in group activities, including arts and crafts, choice time, chores, computer lab, reading, hygienic skills, cooking, exercise, and sports and leisure activities. They also spend time in the community and develop relationships with their peers.
Residents
Individuals ages 8 through 20 with moderate to severe autism; moderate autism with higher deficits in daily living skills; or dual diagnosis autism with psychiatric disorders, neurologically based disorders and behavioral challenges.
Location
Located on a 32-acre park-like campus in Cleveland, Ohio, adjacent to Monarch School. Fitness center, therapeutic aquatic center and playgrounds are on-site.
Admission
To help determine if placement is the best option, we use a comprehensive intake process that includes: conducting a thorough review of all referral information; inviting families to tour our campus; sending our clinical team to interview the child and parents/guardian, and to observe the child at home and in school; creating an individualized transition plan to support the child and family; introducing families to our Parent Network.
Assessments
Within the first 30 days of placement, we conduct comprehensive assessments of the child’s behaviors, mental health, language, learning and functional living skills to gain insight into his/her needs and strengths. Medication is reviewed and managed by our psychiatry team. Information and data from both formal testing and observation are analyzed by the treatment team and used in the development of the child’s individual treatment plan.
Staff
Degreed, certified and experienced staff are with residents twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Teams include degreed supervisors and direct care staff, psychiatrists, board-certified behavior analysts, licensed therapists, and nursing staff. Monarch Boarding Academy and Monarch School clinicians, educators and professionals coordinate behavioral and education plans to ensure consistency in both settings, thereby leading to greater and accelerated gains.
Individualized Program
Designed based on the individual’s unique needs with goals of increasing independence in all areas including communication, behavior management, social skills, activities of daily living, and pre-vocational opportunities. An environment is created where small progress and success are celebrated. Data is continuously collected and results are integrated into the highly individualized treatment plans and crisis management plans.
Lifestyle
Residents live in comfortable, secure, home-like cottages with single bedrooms, based on peer relationship skill sets. Cottages include teaching kitchens designed to facilitate student participation in food preparation; multi-sensory rooms designed to promote relaxation; outdoor playgrounds to support physical fitness; and computer labs to incorporate the use of technology. Each resident’s day, from wake-up to bedtime, is highly structured and consistent. Residents are fully integrated with the larger Monarch School day student population. When not in class at Monarch School, residents participate in group activities including arts & crafts, choice time, chores, computer lab, reading, hygienic skills, cooking, and exercise, as well as sports and leisure activities. Furthermore, they spend time in the community, and they develop relationships with peers.
Family Involvement
Family involvement in making treatment and education decisions is vital to each child’s success. Programming includes family visits as part of structured social and recreational activities. In addition, families can communicate with their children through technology such as Skype, Facetime, telephone and other audiovisual tools. Treatment teams educate and train families on successful communication and intervention styles.