FAQ
What is your history?
Epworth Village began in 1889 as Mothers’ Jewels Home. We have literally been open 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week for more than 122 years. Epworth is proud to be a National Mission Institution of the United Methodist Church.
Our name changed officially in 1959 from Mothers' Jewels Home to Epworth Village. The name change signified a change in programming from a focus on orphaned and homeless children to youth and families with more behavioral and emotional issues needing to be addressed.
How are children placed in your program?
The initial referral or inquiry can be made from any person or source. Frequently this would be from a social service agency, school, therapist, parent, another treatment program, hospital, or psychiatrist. For the majority of the Epworth Village program, a youth must have been identified as having a medical need for treatment for a placement to be considered. For admissions information contact:
Brenda Sterns
Admissions Coordinator
1-(402) 362-3353 ext. 1134
brenda@epworthvillage.org
fax: 1-(402) 363-7821
What services do you provide?
Our family-centered therapeutic services include: Residential Treatment, the Epworth Village Learning Center, In-Home Safety Services and Foster Care.
Do girls live in the cottages?
No. Epworth Village offers several levels of care. Girls are only served by Epworth Village in either the day treatment program or in the Learning Center, but they reside at another location. However, in the 1980's and before we did have one or more girl's cottage. During the 1980's we temporarily stopped using these cottages for youth. When the units were reopened the overwhelming need and referrals were for boys.
How are you funded?
Epworth Village is a public benefit corporation that operates as a private, not-for-profit agency. Epworth Village is not a state facility. As a public/private partnership, we must raise 20% of our budget each year to fulfill our mission.
How many employees do you have?
Currently we have approximately 200 full-time employees. Another 20-30 employees are on-call. Many of the full-time employees are In-Home Safety workers and direct care workers staffing the cottages with awake-staff 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Other staff include Master's level therapists, certified teachers, teacher aides, health care, food service, maintenance, and administration.
Are your services accredited?
All Epworth programs are accredited by the Joint Commission. Anindependent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.
Where do they go when they leave Epworth Village?
80-85% of our youth leave Epworth Village and either return home or to a less restrictive level of care usually closer geographically to their home. The remaining 15-20% of our youth leave Epworth Village and go to a more restrictive level of care such as a hospital. This, too, is a positive move since the youth would be making necessary advances in their treatment.
How successful are you?
Our success is viewed on many different levels. One of the most visible is a youth's ability to function well in the least restrictive environment possible- such as home. For that measure over the past several years we have between 80-85% of our youth making enough progress in treatment to do well in a less restrictive environment. Other measures of success include following-up with our youth at the three-month, six-month, and 12-month intervals following their leaving Epworth Village. In these follow-ups, most of the youth are still in school, out of "trouble", and still living at a less restrictive level of care (usually at home). That does not mean to say that the youth have had an easy time always. But what we have found is that they have gained the skills necessary for them to better cope with life's ups and downs.
Are you a locked facility?
Epworth Village is not a locked facility. The youth and families choose Epworth Village as a place to receive treatment.
How old are the youth?
For most of the levels of care offered by Epworth Village, the youth can range in age from age 7 up to their 19th birthday.
Do you offer any kind of outpatient treatment?
Epworth Village is a recognized, Medicaid approved, Out Patient Service provider. Out Patient services are available to assist a client and their family in transition and for support in the short term. Epworth Village will also assist in the client and family finding appropriate out patient services in their local community.
Does Epworth Village assist in independent living?
The Independent Living component is for those youth that are at or are nearing the age of 18 and have advanced in treatment to be successful in a less structured, more independent living situation. Generally these youth will be older and where it has been identified that returning home is not an option. The youth will reside in their own apartment or other arrangement. The Epworth Village staff will supervise and serve as a resource to them should situations arise that require guidance.