Program Description

Our two, six-bed Children’s Treatment Homes provide small-group treatment in a community-based, family neighborhood setting. Children, after completing treatment successfully, are later placed out into specially trained foster homes or back home with birth or adoptive families. Our foster families are trained in the model, as will the birth or adoptive families, and committed to work toward eventual permanency for each child. The Program helps children see and work toward feelings of safety, security and an ability to trust adult caregivers as essential to their eventual success and permanency in a family and, later, their adult lives. The Partnership offers group care and supports the foster care, adoption and post adoption phases of each child’s treatment, with the ultimate outcome of providing these children with safety, permanency and security throughout childhood. In both the Sherry Francetich Children’s Home and the Rosemary Gallagher Children’s Home, children can heal and grow without leaving the Missoula community. This unique blending of two experienced partners integrates a campus tested treatment model with knowledge of the community and a history of bringing treatment into the community that insures the best treatment practices and the highest potential for success and permanency.

The Homes

Both homes are located in Missoula, just a half-mile from the other. The Rosemary Gallagher Home for Children is located on a half-acre site at 2823 S. Third Street West. The Sherry Mahon Francetich Children’s Home is situated on three acres at 3233 S. Third Street West. They are both six-bed homes with single bedrooms and serve both girls and boys, ages 4 to 11 years old.

Program Structure

At each Home, children can expect:

• A safety-first, creative environment with six full-time counselors.
• Awake, overnight care from two trained support counselors.
• A specially designed treatment program aimed at teaching safety and learning trust of adult caregivers.
• Staff who are trained to act as “practice Moms and Dads” for the children in our care.
• Respect for and involvement of the family when possible and appropriate to treatment.
• Individual, group and family therapy to continue to learn about trust and safety issues as well as promote healthy emotional expression and interpersonal relationships, increase self-esteem, and teach problem-solving skills.
• Fair and consistent discipline and a structured daily routine, including school attendance.
• Close proximity to family through visits and therapy sessions.
• After-care and follow up services in foster-adoptive placement or birth family.

Placement Criteria

The Francetich and Gallagher Homes accept girls and boys, ages 4 - 11 years, who have severe relationship issues and have a good prognosis for benefiting from participation in this structured environment and design for therapy and care. Although many children placed in these homes are diagnosed with attachment disorder, many others can be, and are, served with mood or behavior disorders. Many have suffered trauma, loss, rejection, family conflict and collapse, neglect and abuse. Our average length of treatment is 18 months. All admissions are overseen by our Clinical Director, Liz Kohlstadt, PhD, Clinical Psychologist and our Treatment Team.

The Francetich Children’s Home is named for the late Sherry Mahon Francetich, a social worker and devoted caregiver to Missoula’s children. Sherry worked as a child protective services worker and was a foster parent to over 100 children.

The Gallagher Children’s Home is named for the late Rosemary Gallagher. Rose was a dedicated supporter of ours and surrogate grandmother to the children in our car, often hosting parties for the kids at her University area home. Rosemary, with her husband Bill, was a highly successful business owner and always had Missoula’s children in her heart as she contributed to their well being in so many ways. We were honored and proud to have had her support while she was alive and humbled to be a part of her legacyof caring, a legacy that we hope will live foreverthrough our work.

Contact Information:
Barbara Cowan, Director of Operations
2825 Stockyard Road Ste A11, Missoula, MT 59808
Phone: 406-543-5531 Fax: 406-541-5532
bcowan@youthhomes.com