For parents:
1. How often can I call my child? Can he/she call me?
ARC staff make weekly contacts to the parents or guardians of our students. Some times, it is necessary to contact parents more frequently, such as in the case of medical or health issues. It is customary to allow the student to speak with their parent/guardian during this time as well. In addition, our students have a period of free time in the evenings after all program components such as education and group counseling have ceased, when they can both make and received calls to their parents. All calls coming in and going out of the facility have the callers and recipients of calls verified by the staff on duty. A standard call is fifteen minutes in length.

2. When will my child come home?
It is ARC'S goal to work on reintegrating the student back into the family and community. Within 60 days of admission, the student is accompanied to the family home by several staff for their first visit. The student receives similar visits every month thereafter. When a number of these community visits have occurred and the student has made progress in his treatment goals, an unsupervised day pass is granted to the student's home. If that is successful, a student is granted an overnight home pass at the next home pass weekend, with regular home passes earned every other week thereafter. After a series of every-other-week home passes, the student begins home passes each week for a period of time, until he or she transitions into being home the bulk of the time to attend school or to work in the home community, returning to ARC on weekends for continued counseling and support.

3. When will my child be discharged?
Your child will be discharged when juvenile probation and ARC agree that your child

has completed all of the program requirements. You and your child will be updated monthly with a written report of his or her accomplishments and remaining areas of concern. Additionally, while on home pass, your child will need to demonstrate the use of the new skills he or she has learned while at ARC. For most residential programs, this is usually demonstrated by the 9-12 month range. For most special needs programs, this is demonstrated within the 18 to 24-month range.

For juvenile probation officers
1. How does one make a referral?
Alternative Rehabilitation Communities, Inc. has a centralized intake department. This department handles referrals for all of the ARC programs. To access this department by telephone, please call (717) 238-7101. You may also send email to Gayle Granger at gayle.granger@arcfamily.com or fax information to (717) 238-6392.

2. How can I find out what programs are available? Where can I get directions to your programs?
Please refer to the Programs page of this site.

For juvenile justice professionals:
1. Whom do I contact about becoming a foster parent for your organization?
Alternative Rehabilitation Communities, Inc. is always looking for foster parent for our organization. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent and would like more information, please call (717) 238-7101.

2. Whom do I contact about employment with your organization?
Please refer to the Employment Opportunities page of this site.