The work we do at The Barry Robinson Center begins before a resident’s admission and extends beyond their discharge. Before a youth enters our facility we make sure our program is the very best fit for them. If it’s not, we can recommend other resources in the community.
From the first day of treatment, we are planning for the resident’s discharge back home to the family, community and school. We work to make sure that transition is smooth and that parents are ready. We also plan the next steps after a discharge and follow-up to make sure all of our residents continue to receive the support and resources they need.
The average stay is about 6 months. Because we are only in our residents’ lives for a short amount of time, we strive to make every interaction a therapeutic moment.
Our campus, located on the border of Virginia Beach and Norfolk, is open and inviting. Youth walk to and from school, meals and activities. They spend their days with our trained and compassionate staff, including teachers, residential coaches and therapists, all of whom truly care about our residents and focus on providing supportive care.
Residents stay in dorms decorated just like a youth’s bedroom, with colorful murals on the wall and cozy common areas where they can hang out, watch TV, read a book, work on a project or join in group activities. There are no uniforms or scrubs. Youth bring their own clothes and their own bedding, just like home.
The connections that grow between residents and staff are the engine that drives our entire treatment program. Residents also learn to relate to and respect others. Many of our residents have similar backgrounds and understand those shared experiences in ways their peers can’t. By learning and building social skills, residents see each other as individuals, not objects.
We are cheerleaders for our residents, always encouraging them to do their best and to challenge themselves. We identify each youth’s strengths and give them every opportunity to learn new skills and succeed, no matter what success may look like in any given situation. Sometimes it could be something as simple as learning that a basketball game doesn’t have to lead to a fight. With every interaction, no matter how big or small, we show our residents that they can approach life differently.