Back on Track is a Day Treatment program based in a community high school (Immaculata High School). This program focuses on aiding students with severe and generalized social anxiety. While academic programs are based on the Ministry of Education curriculum, the treatment of the program emphasizes emotional and social learning through understanding anxiety and strategies to help cope with it in everyday situations. Services include psychiatry, social work and psychology. The average length of stay in our program is one or two semesters. Referrals to our program are made by the student’s community school and program admission is decided upon by the Coordinated Referral Committee through Coordinated Access. Transition support is provided. The program has 8 spaces for youth 13 to 18 years of age.
Students in our program are working towards meeting the Course expectations outlined in the Ontario Curriculum. All students have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) created by the classroom teacher in collaboration with the youth’s parent/guardian. In order to focus on Social Emotional Learning, all students in our program have Alternative pages in their IEP which focus on Learning Skills.
While at Back on Track, students may have the option of completing some courses online. Regardless of the method, all students work towards the completion of additional credits in Learning Strategies to help them understand their individual learning profile, and how to use their strengths and interests to leverage challenging situations.
Each week students participate in a community outing with the purpose of increasing engagement and exposure to extra-curricular and volunteer options for teens in our community. Examples include volunteering at Big Sky Ranch, organizing supplies for the Food Kitchen, learning new skills like curling or ceramic glazing, and enjoying popular peer activities like skating on the canal or laser tag.
In addition to their regular academic programming, students are given opportunities throughout the year to work with a McHugh Itinerant Tech Teacher on a variety of projects to develop hands-on skill, and to create meaningful learning opportunities.
At the completion of their time with McHugh, students and staff are provided additional support from a McHugh Transitions Teacher, to ensure a safe and successful transition for those involved.
