Overview
The Bridges Program at the Homewood Center is a special education program for middle and high school students that provides:
- A supportive, therapeutic environment to students who can not be supported fully within their comprehensive school environment.
- Including spaces for students to complete work with reduced distractions and regulate emotions.
- Staff who prioritize relationship building and partner with students to meet their educational needs with compassion and care.
- Therapy and counseling in different formats including individual and group.
Bridges is designed for students who face challenges due to mental health needs (like anxiety, depression and/or other mood disorders) or neurological conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many students in the program benefit from support with developing social skills and ways to cope with school and personal challenges, which can often affect their emotional and academic performance.
As a community school, Homewood offers additional resources and supports that benefit the whole child, such as free breakfast/lunch, vocational experiences, and access to medical/psychological care. Therapeutic staff are able to collaborate with community providers as needed. Family involvement is highly encouraged, and opportunities to build relationships and collaborate as multi-disciplinary team members are provided in order to ensure students have all the support they require to meet graduation requirements.