[Skip to Content]

Programs & Education

Programs & Education

Welcome to Benchmark Behavioral Health

Since 1986, Benchmark Behavioral Health has treated those with various forms of mental illness. Today, our programs are designed for adolescent males ages 13–17 with a variety of psychiatric and behavioral disorders. Some of the conditions we treat include conduct disorder, sexual disorders/sexual misconduct issues, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, Asperger’s disorder, developmental disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders and substance abuse issues.

Benchmark Behavioral Health’s chief concern is the youth we serve. By providing cognitive behavioral therapy, psycho-educational interventions and a wide array of therapeutic services, we are committed to developing youth who can return to their communities more prepared to lead pro-social, productive lives.

Our Programs

Behavioral Misconduct
In our residential Behavioral Misconduct program, we provide 24-hour supervision for teen males between the ages of 13–17. The youth in our Behavioral Misconduct program have various psychiatric issues such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, reactive attachment, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant, depression or other problem areas that have resulted in their dismissal from other outpatient services or other treatment facilities.

Sexual Misconduct
This residential program is designed for adolescent males with sexualized behavior issues (most are adjudicated for sexual offenses). The youth in the Sexual Misconduct program are teens ages 13–17 who often have a myriad of psychiatric issues. These may include impulse control, sexual abuse, anxiety, bipolar disorder, reactive attachment, depression, or other problem areas that resulted in their failure in outpatient services or other treatment facilities.

Education and Vocational Training
Benchmark Behavioral Health offers both educational and vocational opportunities for the youth in our care. The Benchmark School is designed to provide a positive learning environment, differentiated instructional strategies and quality instruction to help students become lifelong learners. And the Vocational Program at Benchmark gives residents the opportunity to experience and learn life skills like completing a job application process, going through an interview, clocking in and out, receiving a paycheck and getting employee evaluations. Resident employees are mentored by our on-site job coach, who encourages and instructs youth through each stage of this program.

Recreation Therapy
In addition to our residential programs, we offer recreation therapy, a daily recreation therapy group, community reintegration activities, a fitness program and a community outreach program. Each of these services is designed to help residents enhance their health, their functional abilities and their quality of life.

Our Approach

Our mission is to use the principles of restorative justice and empathy along with Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to create a treatment system to help residents change problematic behavior patterns in a manner that allows them to live more pro-social lives.

We focus on three main objectives:

  • Guiding residents toward accountability for their actions
  • Developing competency
  • Enhancing community safety

By our balanced use of these objectives, our environment can allow residents to repair the harm done by their behavior, build the skills they need to live successful lives, and reduce the likelihood of committing future acts that are detrimental to themselves and others.

We believe all individuals have the potential to change and become a positive contributor to society, and we strive to use interventions and provide tools appropriate for the stage of change in which each individual is functioning.

While at Benchmark Behavioral Health, residents will work on two broad areas of their life:

  • Improving day-to-day behaviors. At Benchmark, we utilize a level system to provide youth with daily feedback on their behaviors. The behavioral level is explained in a handbook given to the youth upon admission, and is also explained in detail with the unit staff members as part of orientation.
  • Addressing individualized issues. We use an individualized phase manual to help guide youth through the process of change. The phases in treatment are designed to help guide the therapeutic process and assist the resident in identifying where they are in the healing process. These phases contain steps within the general scope of treatment that represent the changing treatment focus as the resident moves from initial entrance into therapy, and to successful completion.

Trauma-Informed Care
Benchmark Behavioral Health recognizes that trauma and attachment wounds can have a profound effect on behavioral problems in youth, and we have incorporated a true trauma-informed care model in our treatment approach. The trauma-informed care model contains four key elements:

  • An evidence-based trauma-informed treatment program
  • An objective assessment of the effects of treatment
  • A competency-based awareness for staff that focuses on the effects of trauma
  • Self-care provisions for staff (tools, resources and support) to balance work in a challenging environment

Our Staff

The Benchmark program utilizes a multidisciplinary treatment approach to assist residents in accomplishing their treatment goals.

Clinical Staff/Therapists
Every Benchmark resident is assigned an individual therapist at the time of admission into the program. All primary therapists hold a Master’s degree and are state licensed in their respective fields. The resident’s therapist will be responsible for overseeing the treatment plan, for holding weekly individual therapy sessions, and for providing family therapy, psychodynamic group treatment and crisis management therapy (when necessary). The therapist will also be the link between the referring agency and Benchmark Behavioral Health.

Department of Psychology
A full-time staff psychologist works closely with therapists and administration to meet the individual needs of each resident through targeted testing. The psychologist provides consultation services consisting of psychological and psychosexual testing, sexual and violence risk assessment, penile plethysmograph testing, adaptive behavior testing, cognitive assessment and career assessment.

Psychiatry
Benchmark employs two full-time psychiatrists (M.D.) that complete all psychiatric evaluations and updates. The two psychiatrists are responsible for supervising other contracted psychiatrists who serve to provide comprehensive 24-hour coverage for all residents. In order to provide youth with the best care, psychiatrists participate in a weekly staff meeting and interact with all levels of staff to evaluate and treat each Benchmark resident.

Nursing
Benchmark residents have access to a team of nurses who are employed around the clock to dispense medication (when needed) and monitor the youth’s medical needs. Nurses also assist on the unit in milieu management and often lead psychoeducational groups that apply to their field of expertise.

Education/Special Education
Benchmark School services are provided by a Northwest accredited high school and in an on-campus environment. We offer a low student to teacher ratio, and we aim to have our classrooms have one teacher and two staff members per 12 students. Many of the teachers are special education certified, and can address special education needs and conduct Individualized Education Plans (IEP) when needed.

Recreational Therapy
A recreation therapy department supplements the resident’s school program and is also available after hours and on weekends to provide activities for healthier living.

Milieu Treatment Team
At Benchmark the milieu, or whole living environment, is considered one of the primary avenues in facilitating a lasting change. The therapeutic communities strive to generate an environment that exerts a therapeutic influence on the resident. The therapeutic community is run by trained staff workers who are a minimum of 21 years of age, all of whom are college educated as many are pursuing a career in the mental health field. Each unit has one manager who directly supervises two mental health workers on staff.

We Change Lives

Call 801-299-5319 to learn about admissions to Benchmark Behavioral Health. Our referral staff is available to answer your questions and guide you through the admissions process. If you are currently experiencing an emergency, please dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.