Akwesasne Group Home
35 Library Road, Akwesasne
Hours of Operation: 24 hours per day, 7 days per week
Phone: 518-358-9184
Mission: To provide confidential services to strengthen, support and protect Onkwehonwe and their families in all stages of life for seven generations by providing the knowledge and the tools needed to become independent and self-empowered, incorporating traditional values, language and culture.
The Akwesasne Group Home was developed as a result of the need for direct access to active and effective residential services in Akwesasne. The concern was not whether our children were receiving adequate services off reservation, rather that we wanted to develop a program that emphasized the importance of native culture and identity.
The Akwesasne Group Home goals are to establish a behavior modification based program to meet the spiritual and cultural needs of native youth placed within our facility. The basis of this methodology is that the individual is reinforced appropriately, either positively or negatively, for corresponding appropriate or inappropriate behavior. This will be accomplished through the use of native ceremonies, history and education.
The program objective is to provide a consistent, stable, normalized environment where youth will continue to learn and internalize appropriate and desirable behaviors. This environment will contribute to holistic developmental growth; mentally, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. The long range objective is to decrease and finally extinguish the dependency on external controls that regulate behavior. The program will enable youth to develop appropriate coping skills needed to become responsible, successful members of the community.
The Akwesasne Group Home will focus on three basic areas; educational, social responsibility and independent living. The emphasis for each youth will vary according to what specific behaviors and/or skills are in need of attention.
- Male and female adolescents between the ages of 13 – 17 years
- Must have proof of Native American status
- Adolescents can be placed through the court system or as an open case through the Social Services Division
- Admission packets are available
- The Akwesasne Group Home is a long-term, 24-hour facility