Bridges Homeward Restructures Residential Services Program

Residents with Wilbert, one of our long-time beloved group home counselors.

Earlier this year, Bridges Homeward’s Residential Services Program was restructured! Our two residences for youth ages 16 to 21 in foster care, Putnam Place and Teens Learning Choices, will now be managed together under one administrative team led by Karlah Paul, our new Residential Program Director. Karlah’s Residential Program team consists of a Residential Clinical Coordinator, who will provide support to case managers at both homes, and Program Managers and Assistant Program Managers for each home.

Previously, each of our residences was managed individually by a Program Director and their own house-specific team. With the new team, Karlah plans to streamline systems at both houses and work with the Residential Clinical Coordinator, Madison Summers, to ensure consistency in the trauma-informed care we provide our residents.

“It will change the program a lot!” says Karlah of the restructure. “It will push counselors out of their comfort zone but in a positive way... But it will further the program as a whole because it will help residents meet their goals better.”

Residents smiling with Bridges Homeward staff and Board members.

One of the biggest changes this program restructure brings is that now, our homes are in communication with each other. All staff, from leadership to counselors, are in touch about what’s going on at each home. Documentation for both homes is now under one system as well and in one location

All residential staff are now receiving the same training as well, regardless of which home they work in. With communication and trainings becoming unified, we intend to foster a strong team of residential staff who are capable of working at either home and providing trauma-informed support to all our residents, regardless of their gender identity.

“The change is not for us personally, but for the program as a whole: for our mission, our vision, and the residents,” Karlah says. “We choose to come to the programs every day, so why not work together to make it the best program possible for the youth we serve?”

Karlah also hopes this new system of communication will build relationships between our counselors in Dorchester and Malden. "[I want them to] form healthy, positive working relationships with each other and build trusting relationships so people can feel comfortable working at both homes,” she says. “With this, we will be using each person’s strengths and experience.”

Our Residential Services program provides a safe, therapeutic environment for young adults ages 16 to 21 to strengthen and create healthy, secure family relationships. We provide residents the educational, vocational and social-emotional support to move successfully into adulthood.