Untitled - Excelsior Youth Center

Located on a 33-acre campus in the Denver Metro area, Excelsior Youth Center
is home to more than 180 girls, ages 11-18, who come from a variety of unique
backgrounds and situations. Excelsior has been serving young women both locally and
across the nation since 1973.
Excelsior’s individualized programming, designed specifically for young women
and the unique needs of every resident, gives our girls hope for a brighter future.
Excelsior provides them with the tools they need to transition back to their families
and communities and accomplish their goals.
SAFETY
Excelsior provides a safe and secure environment to young women
who previously have not been successful in other treatment placements.
Our staff includes a multi-disciplinary team of master’s
level therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and licensed special
education teachers well-practiced in medical and mental health to
address a variety of situations and needs.
Excelsior’s girls live in 12- to 20-bed cottages or dorms, attend
school and participate in a variety of academic and recreational
activities, all under the care and supervision of specialized staff.
STRUCTURE
Upon entry, an Individualized Treatment Plan is developed
for each girl, with input from the placing agency, the girl, and
her parents or guardians. Treatment Plan goals incorporate
information from prior history and evaluations as well as
assessments by Excelsior’s professional staff. The girl’s entire
treatment team regularly assesses these goals.
Small Classroom Sizes, Individualized Instruction
In addition to treatment, Excelsior has an accredited middle
and senior high school on its campus with an outstanding,
certified teaching staff. The primary educational focus at
Excelsior is to advance girls’ skills to an appropriate age
and grade level. Each girl is required to work toward the
completion of her High School Diploma or G.E.D. Providing
and ensuring a proper education is essential in making the
transformation to a fully functioning member of a community.
At Excelsior, girls benefit from updated materials and
resources, small classroom sizes and individualized instruction.
Each young woman’s abilities are measured by area of study,
so that she can benefit from the proper level of instruction and
catch up on school credits to graduate.
Strength Based Care
Excelsior staff members develop positive relationships with
students and work with each girl to identify, encourage,
practice and maximize their individual strengths. While setting
firm, fair limits and structure, Excelsior’s staff provides a safe
environment and positive support as each girl learns how to
make healthy choices and accomplish their treatment goals.
Gender Specific Programming
Excelsior has been providing care to young women exclusively
since 1973 – setting them apart from other treatment facilities
as an option that truly caters to the specific needs and issues
young women face. The staff is well trained to help these
young women with overcoming self-esteem issues, promoting
self sufficiency, coping skills, overcoming relational aggression,
developing healthy relationships and more.

SUCCESS
Excelsior offers a wide range of programs to fit the specific
needs of each girl. Upon entry, she receives a thorough
assessment and an Individualized Treatment Plan that is reevaluated
on a regular basis. As she makes progress in her
treatment, she can move through school and therapy within
Excelsior. The Excelsior continuum of care includes:
Day Treatment
provides an alternative school program for young women who
are behaviorally and emotionally stable enough to reside safely
in the community but struggle to function effectively in the
public school setting. Day treatment provides a stable
and structured environment and an alternative to removal
from families.
Enhanced Day Treatment
When needed, Excelsior offers family therapy, overnight crisis
care and additional psychological assessment.
Short-term Intensive Residential Treatment
Offered as an alternative to hospitalization, Short-term
Intensive Residential Treatment is available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week and admits young women engaging in
high risk behavior (runaways, suicidal, substance abuse, etc.).
Once at Excelsior, she is evaluated by a trained team and a
recommendation for appropriate next steps is developed.
Stabilization and Assessment
Excelsior’s multi-disciplinary team works with a young
woman during her stay to provide a safe and structured
environment and closely evaluate her needs. Using a series
of mental health, academic and life skills assessments, a
recommendation is then made within 30 days to determine an
effective Treatment Plan.
AT TWO YEARS
POST DISCHARGE:
84% of girls are living independently or with
their family/caregiver
70% have made progress with their education
68% are successfully employed
76% are not abusing drugs or alcohol
84% have had no new criminal charges
Residential Treatment
Residential treatment programming includes individual,
group and family therapy along with education. Evidence
based, specialized therapy includes: substance abuse
and relapse prevention, canine assisted trauma based
therapy, bully prevention, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy,
offense specific treatment, trauma specific treatment,
resocialization, independent living skills, sexuality, relational
aggression, expressive arts therapy, Reactive Attachment
Disorder treatment and more. Excelsior girls are also actively
involved in wellness activities, arts and crafts, music, spiritual
counseling, and cultural activities.

SINCE 1973, EXCELSIOR YOUTH CENTER HAS SUCCESSFULLY TREATED MORE THAN
4,000 YOUNG WOMEN WITH TREMENDOUS SUCCESS, AS INDICATED:
98% of girls are discharged to a less restrictive setting, and no girls were discharged to a hospital
Girls significantly improve their grade equivalency in math and verbal, advancing an
average of 1.4 grade levels
Girls show a significant improvement in knowledge about life skills (43%), substance abuse (25%),
sexuality (55%) and healthy relationships (41%)
Girls have a significant decrease (31%) in psychotropic medications
Girls show a significant improvement (25%) in test results for depression
Excelsior’s continuum of care
offers flexible and individualized
treatment options to meet
each girl’s needs. Referrals are
accepted from county human
services agencies, school districts,
juvenile courts, mental health
organizations, adoption agencies
and families placing privately
by contacting the Admissions
Department at Excelsior:
Jim Uhernik, LPC
Director of Business Development and
Admissions
303-693-1550, ext 239
jimu@excelsioryc.org
Christy Pennington, LPC
Admissions Manager
303-693-1550, ext 228
christyp@excelsioryc.org
For more, visit www.excelsioryc.org.