Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Day Treatment Program topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Millersburg Area SD to seek license for in-district day treatment program for grades 6–12
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Garcia asked the board to approve submitting an application for a day treatment program to serve grades 6–12, proposing initial enrollment of eight students (licensed up to 30), counseling via True North, and a targeted start in January, pending staffing, safety protocols and referrals from juvenile probation and county agencies.
Superintendent Dr. Garcia asked the Millersburg Area School District board to permit staff to complete and submit an application to operate an in‑district day treatment program for students in grades 6 through 12.
Dr. Garcia said the program would combine core academics with targeted behavioral and life‑skills instruction and individual counseling. "Day treatment is a program that provides, academics as well as, kind of like effective education, some building independent skills," the superintendent said, adding that curricula could address issues such as substance use and violence prevention and that the district would use existing counseling provider True North.
District staff proposed seeking licensure for up to 30 students but to open with a much smaller pilot cohort. "Up to 30 students, but to start, we are thinking to limit it to 8 students until we're kind of really have our feet under ourselves," Dr. Garcia said. He said the district hopes to begin the program in the second semester, targeting January, contingent on completing applications, licensing and background checks.
Board members pressed staff on safety and screening. A staff speaker with long experience in similar programs described the supervision model: "it's eyes on students all the time. There's no one going by himself somewhere." Dr. Garcia said the program would exclude students whose behaviors could not be safely managed and that staff would complete required safe‑student handling training.
Staff said primary referral sources would include county juvenile probation, children and youth services and other local districts; juvenile probation has already expressed interest. The district also discussed transportation logistics and said it had talked with Schlagle Transportation about routing when county referrals require district support.
Dr. Garcia outlined a staffing model to start with an administrator, two full‑time staff and possibly one part‑time position, and said the program would charge a daily rate rather than a per‑service fee. Board members asked about state funding volatility; Dr. Garcia said the district has discussed billing and operations with state Bureau of Special Education and Department of Human Services staff as it prepares the application.
The board did not take a final vote on the application during this meeting. Dr. Garcia said staff would continue planning, emphasize careful screening and training, and return with details and any required motions.
