The Firesetter Treatment Program was created in response to the increasing number of youth accepted into
our programs with a history of firesetting. As a provider of specialized behavioral services, a decision was made to develop specific capabilities to treat firesetters.
Our staff secure programs provide a safe and structured milieu for adolescent males who are experiencing emotional and behavioral problems resulting in firesetting.
The program includes the best aspects of current practice and is designed to work with youth in any phase of firesetting behavior.
COMPONENTS
Harmony Hill School utilizes psychoeducational and psychotherapy approaches.
The following services are included for firesetters:
- Complete assessment
- Individual therapy to address firesettingand other behavioral and clinical issues
- Specialized group therapy
As firesetting often co-occurs with other issues, we offer a comprehensive continuum of therapy and milieu groups.
The treatment and educational components include a curriculum specifically
designed for the program and includes:
- Fire safety and fire science
- Personal disclosure
- Identification of thinking errors
- Consequences of firesetting
- Individual development skills
- Developing empathy
- Relapse prevention
- Restitution
CRITERIA
- Age 11-17 at admission
- Low, average or high cognitive ability within the normal range
- Youth who have displayed past and/or current firesetting behaviors
- Meet all other Harmony Hill school general admission requirements
- Youth and family agree to comply with the Firesetter Treatment Program requirements
- Youth is not in denial of his responsibility for the firesetting behavior
- Specific court orders may be required for some youth for this program
IS CHILD FIRE PLAY AND FIRESETTING A PROBLEM?
NFPA reports show that fires set by youth in the U.S. annually result in:
- 95,000 fires
- Over 300 deaths
- 3,000 injuries
- $300 million in property damage
IS JUVENILE ARSON A PROBLEM?
FBI Crime Index reports show that juvenile and adult arson cause an annual average of 560,000 fires, 750 deaths,3700 injuries,$1.5 billion in property loss.
- 55% of all arson arrests in the U.S. are children under age 18
- Nearly half of those arrested are age 15 or under
- 93.29% are ages 10-18
- The crime of arson has the highest rate of juvenile involvement
- Over 30% of fires that kill children are set by children
- Juveniles set 1 of every 7 fatal fires
