FAQS

When a child experiences a stressful or traumatic life event that impacts their mental, physical, behavioral, emotional, or spiritual well-being, it’s referred to as traumatic stress.

The signs of traumatic stress and mental health disorders are different for every person and every child. Children may show changes in the way they behave, or in their eating and sleeping habits. They may have aches and pains, difficulties at school, or problems relating to others. They might not want to take part in activities or be around others. They may react by becoming very upset for extended periods of time. Or they may become depressed or anxious. Traumatic stress can look different for every child, and can even vary within the same child.

Here are some common signs of traumatic stress in children of different ages:

Symptoms in a preschool child:

• Feels helpless and uncertain
• Fears being separated from parent/caregiver
• Cries/screams a lot
• Eats poorly and loses weight
• Returns to bedwetting
• Returns to using baby talk
• Develops new fears
• Has nightmares
• Recreates the trauma through play
• Isn’t developing to next growth stage
• Has changes in behavior
• Develops changes in sleeping patterns and aggression

Symptoms in an elementary school child:

• Becomes anxious and fearful
• Worries about their own or others’ safety
• Becomes clingy with a teacher/parent
• Feels guilt or shame
• Develops sexualized behavior, aggression, and conflict at home or school
• Becomes upset if they get a small bump or bruise
• Has a hard time concentrating
• Experiences numbness
• Has fears that the event will happen again
• Has difficulty sleeping
• Shows changes in school performance
• Becomes easily startled

Symptoms in a middle/high school youth:

• Feels depressed and alone
• Discusses the traumatic events in detail
• Develops eating disorders and self-harming behaviors such as cutting
• Starts using or abusing alcohol or drugs
• Becomes sexually active
• Becomes impulsive
• Feels they are different from everyone else
• Takes too many risks
• Has sleep disturbances
• Doesn’t want to go places that remind them of the event
• Says they have no feeling about the event
• Develops changes in behavior and moods

The first thing you can do is to love and support your child. Let them know you’re there for them, and it’s okay to ask for your help. Listen to their story and their needs. Don’t shame them for their feelings or actions. Let them know help is available, and therapy is an option.

The good news is, children are resilient and, with good support from you and, when needed, from professionals, they can recover and thrive. If you are seeing multiple symptoms listed in the chart above that are interfering with daily life, contact us and we’d be glad to help you find the best way to support your child.

We provide three types of services to children, youth, and families:

1. Outpatient/Community Mental Health Services
   We provide outpatient therapy for children, teens, adults, couples, and families who are struggling with mental health or trauma issues. Therapy appointments are available in our clinics as well as throughout our communities, with in-home, in-school, and other onsite therapy services
   Learn more.

2. Residential Treatment Programs
   We provide short- and long-term treatment programs for children, teens, and young adults (ages 6–21) who need intensive support with mental health, behavioral, and/or trauma issues.
   Learn more.

3. Foster Care and Adoption Services
   When children enter foster care due to an unsafe and/or unstable home environment, we provide foster homes to care for these kids while their families get back on their feet.  We work hard with the child's custodial team to reunite these families. When that isn't possible, we provide adoption services that result in a loving, stable home. We support children, teens, and young adults (from birth to age 21) who need care—as well as people who want to foster or adopt children in need.
   Learn more.

Not only are we experts in mental health, behavioral health, and trauma for children and teens, but we also have a strong reputation in three key areas:

1. We boldly take on the toughest situations—the ones that may seem helpless but we are up to the challenge.
2. We’re 100% for families—and we do everything possible to keep them together, bring them back together, and equip them to stay together. We don't just treat a child. We support the entire family.
3. We are committed to serving our youth and families with a trauma-informed, evidence-based approach, bringing best practices to those in our care.

Our approach is to apply our Nexus Family Healing Ten Practice Principles to everything we do. These principles ensure the highest level of care and support our commitment to keeping families involved throughout care. Learn more about why Nexus Family Healing is the best choice for your family.

We currently offer services at 25 locations in four states, and we serve children and families from all 50 states and Canada. Click to learn more about any of our locations:

Nexus-Indian Oaks Family Healing - Manteno, IL
- Residential Treatment for Males and Females (Ages 12-21)

Nexus-Onarga Family Healing  - Onarga, IL
- Residential Treatment for Males (Ages 10-20)
- Foster Care (Ages 12-17)

Nexus-FACTS Family Healing - Mendota Heights, MN
- Outpatient/Community Mental Health Services (infant to adult)

Nexus-Gerard Family Healing - Austin, MN  and Albert Lea, MN
- Residential Treatment for Males and Females (Ages 6-18)
- Outpatient/Community Mental Health Services (Children, adults, couples, families)

Nexus-Kindred Family Healing - 7 Locations throughout Minnesota
- Foster Care/Adoption

Nexus-Mille Lacs Family Healing - Onamia, MN
- Residential Treatment for Males (Ages 10-19) 

Aspen House - Mendota Heights, MN 
- Short-Term Residential Treatment for teens in Dakota and Washington counties (Ages 11-18)
Operated by Nexus Family Healing

Southeast Regional Crisis Center - Rochester, MN
- Crisis Services for people of all ages in the 10-county region of southeast Minnesota
- Short-Term Residential Treatment for adults and youth (ages 10-18)
Operated by Nexus Family Healing

Nexus-Woodbourne Family Healing (Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility) - Baltimore, MD
- Residential Treatment for Males (Ages 12-19)
- Foster Care/Adoption Services (Ages birth to 21)

Nexus-PATH Family Healing - 9 Locations throughout North Dakota
- Foster Care Services
- Outpatient/Community Mental Health Services
- Residential Treatment for Males and Females (Ages 10-17) in Fargo, ND

Call the therapy office nearest you to schedule an initial appointment.

Click the locations below for direct contact information:

• Nexus-Gerard Family Healing
  Austin, MN or Albert Lea, MN

• Nexus-FACTS Family Healing
  Mendota Heights, MN

• Southeast Regional Crisis Center
  Rochester, MN
  Operated by Nexus Family Healing

• Nexus-PATH Family Healing
  3 Locations throughout North Dakota (Fargo, Minot, and Edgeley, ND)

The cost of therapy and mental health services varies on each individual’s needs and insurance coverage. We’ll work with you to find the best options and, if needed, to create a payment plan.

We take a client-centered, family-focused, and collaborative approach to treatment. Our licensed, experienced therapists are passionate about keeping children and families together and helping youth succeed in life. Our therapy is fully individualized, highly respectful, and evidence-based.

If the person being treated is your child, we’ll start by conducting a thorough clinical assessment to determine their specific needs. From that, we’ll develop a customized treatment plan and sit down with you to explain the treatment model we recommend and discuss how much time we expect the therapeutic process to take. You will be involved in developing and supporting your child’s treatment goals, as well as with each therapy session. Parent/caregiver involvement and support are critical for therapy to be effective.

If you (or other adults in your family) are receiving treatment, you can expect a similar, highly personalized approach.

We offer a variety of treatment methods that are trauma-informed and individualized to your child’s (and/or your) needs. Our services vary by location, and address issues like depression, anxiety, child behavioral issues, family problems, abuse, trauma, marital strife, stress, grief, loss, and parenting. Call the therapy office nearest to learn more about specific therapies:

• Nexus-Gerard Family Healing
  Austin, MN or Albert Lea, MN

• Nexus-FACTS Family Healing
  Mendota Heights, MN

• Nexus-PATH Family Healing
  3 locations across North Dakota (Fargo, Minot, and Edgeley, ND)

• Southeast Regional Crisis Center
  Rochester, MN
  Operated by Nexus Family Healing

Foster care is the temporary placement of children and youth with families outside of their own home when they are in need of a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. When a child must be separated from their family situation, we help find them a healthy and safe home until permanency can be found.

Children often enter the foster care system at no fault of their own—when their home life has become unsafe and/or unstable, often because of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Children referred to Nexus come to us with a wide range of life experiences, mental and physical health needs, and varying levels of trauma and they usually require a more intense, hands-on approach to foster care.

We serve youth from ages 0 to 21.

We are always looking for great people who want to truly invest in youth. When you become a foster parent licensed through Nexus, you have the opportunity to serve children in and near your community. You’ll be responsible for meeting their basic needs and playing a key role in their health and healing as a team member focused on the short- and long-term needs of the child. Our team of professionals will provide support, resources, and specialized training to help you successfully care for each child.

Click here to learn more about how to get involved in our foster care programs.

Foster parenting is a serious commitment. It comes with challenges, but is also highly rewarding. It requires the willingness to offer unconditional love to children and youth who are struggling. It requires the ability to bond and attach to children quickly, but still be able to separate from those children when they are reunited with their family or a permanent family is found.

We provide plenty of support and training to our foster families, and we’re always here to help.

Foster parents can be single or married, have children of their own, have no children, be grandparents, or be hoping to adopt. All that’s needed is a bedroom for the foster child, a commitment to their safety, and a complete willingness to:

• invest in their future
• accept their histories
• welcome them as a family member
• learn and grow
• and be part of the child’s support team

In order to be licensed as a foster parent, you must complete the licensure process as well as be at least 21 years of age.

We provide each family with a licensed social worker—both for the parents and the foster child—as well as 24-hour on-call support. We also host monthly support group meetings with other foster parents and provide relief care for your foster child so you can have an occasional break.

No. All children in foster care qualify for Medical Assistance or are covered by their parents' medical insurance, so you will accrue no medical bills or responsibility to pay medical bills for your foster child. In addition, school lunches are free for all foster children. 

Beyond that, each individual state determines a reimbursement rate for foster providers. Using that reimbursement, licensed providers are responsible for meeting each youth's basic needs, including housing, food, clothing, supervision, school fees, reasonable school and recreational activities, transportation, allowances, and personal needs. Payment for extraordinary expenses are negotiated directly with your Nexus agency. 

Yes! One of our most important goals is to fully equip and continually train our foster parents on how to best meet the needs of the youth in their care. We have specific education requirements for each of our foster programs. Please speak with your Nexus foster care contact to learn the specific requirements. 

Click here to learn more about each one of these steps:

1. Let’s meet.
2. Start the paperwork.
3. Prepare for success with some training and support.
4. Wait for your licensing.
5. Welcome a child into your family.

Click to choose one of the locations below.

• Nexus-Kindred Family Healing
  7 Locations throughout Minnesota
  - Foster Care/Adoption

• Nexus-PATH Family Healing
  9 Locations throughout North Dakota
  - Treatment Foster Care Services

• Nexus-Woodbourne Family Healing
  - Treatment Foster Care Services

Residential Treatment with Nexus Family Healing is an intensive treatment experience that helps children recover from emotional, mental, and behavioral health issues. A child in Residential Treatment will live onsite at a specifically designed live-in facility with other youth. All youth in our Residential Treatment programs are supervised and monitored by awake staff 24 hours a day—and each child receives individualized care for several months. The length of their stay varies, depending on the level of need.

Our Residential Treatment programs provide everything a child needs for daily living, including food, shelter, school/education, exercise, and recreational activities. Each youth receives (and participates in) daily treatment interventions that are designed to address the underlying issue(s) causing their unsafe behaviors—usually emotional, behavioral, or mental health issues and/or trauma.

All treatment is provided by our highly trained, experienced, and skilled youth-care professionals, who are passionate about helping youth become healthy and whole. Our Residential Treatment teams include therapists, case managers, nurses, and psychiatrists, as necessary.

If you find that your child’s mental or behavioral symptoms pose an ongoing safety risk toward themselves or others, Residential Treatment with Nexus Family Healing would be an appropriate consideration. Symptoms of concern include things like aggression, running away, self-harm, harming others, and/or suicidal thoughts or actions. Placing your child in Residential Treatment may especially be necessary if their safety risks persist despite other attempts to intervene. If you have already tried our Outpatient/Community Mental Health Services—or other forms of family support and supervision, like outpatient therapy, in-home therapy, day treatment, or even psychiatric hospitalization—it may be time to consider Residential Treatment. Our program is designed to provide high levels of therapeutic support, supervision, and care so that your child, family, and community will be safe—and can heal together.

Nexus Family Healing has six residential treatment facilities in four different states: Minnesota, Illinois, Maryland, and North Dakota. Each location provides specific programs based on a youth’s age, gender, and overall needs.

Click below to learn more about—and to find contact information for—any of our locations:

• Nexus-Indian Oaks Family Healing
  Manteno, IL
  - Residential Treatment for Males and Females (Ages 12-21)

• Nexus-Onarga Family Healing
  Onarga, IL
  - Residential Treatment for Males (Ages 10-20)

• Nexus-Gerard Family Healing
  Austin, MN
  - Residential Treatment for Males and Females (Ages 6-18)

• Nexus-Mille Lacs Family Healing
  Onamia, MN
  - Residential Treatment for Males (Ages 10-19) in Onamia, MN

• Aspen House
  Mendota Heights, MN
  - Short-Term Residential Treatment for teens in Dakota and Washington counties (Ages 11-18)
  Operated by Nexus Family Healing

• Nexus-PATH Family Healing - Luther Hall
  Fargo, ND
  - Residential Treatment for Males and Females (Ages 10-17)

• Nexus-Woodbourne Family Healing
  (Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility)
  Baltimore, MD
  - Residential Treatment for Males (Ages 12-19)

Start by completing our referral form and submitting the required supporting documentation. Then contact the admissions department at the location you prefer. We will review your admissions forms and communicate with you about your child’s approval and/or any further needs. In some situations, a youth’s admission must be initiated by a referring agency on behalf of your family. In these cases, you will need to contact your county’s social service office to request a referral.

Click here to learn more.

We accept youth from all 50 states and Canada, depending on eligibility.

The cost of residential treatment is dependent upon the youth’s medical coverage. Nexus residential treatment programs are in-network with a number of providers, however, this varies by location. We also have experience working with out-of-network providers and will assist you in the process.

In addition to medical insurance coverage, some counties and states have funds for out-of-home placement costs. Contact your county or state agency for information on funding for residential treatment.

Our Residential Treatment is based on 24-hour therapeutic programming. That means your child will be involved in many different therapy-related events throughout the day to help them learn better-coping skills. Many of these are offered on a daily basis, including individual therapy/counseling, group therapy/counseling, skills groups, and/or family therapy. Because your child will be living with us here, daily life will also include normal routines for wake-up, meals, school, recreation, chores, activities, quiet time, and bedtime.

The best thing you can do to help your child is to partner with us and participate in the process. We want you to be involved in your child’s life and in family therapy so we can help your entire family, and provide you with the tools necessary for moving forward. Continue loving your child, keep showing up, stay involved, and, when they’re struggling, encourage them to turn to our staff for help.

Our goal is to successfully return your child home in the shortest amount of time possible. The exact length of the program is different for every child and depends on their treatment goals and needs. Your therapist will involve you in all discharge decisions. Sometimes a referral agent also helps in determining when your child has successfully completed treatment. If this is the case for your child, you will still be involved in discussions about discharge and we’ll make sure you are aware of the referral agent’s role in your child’s treatment and discharge decisions.

During treatment, Nexus will work with you and your child to prepare for a successful discharge. We will be working with you to determine what services you will need  following discharge and will help in coordinating care with a community-based provider if there is such a need. Some of our programs have additional aftercare supports as well. Of course, you can always call us for advice even after your child has left. We care about your successful, long-term family stability and we want to hear from you.

The decision to send your child away from home for treatment takes courage and a lot of love. It takes a brave and wise parent to make this choice. And we know this process can trigger a mix of emotions. You may feel an extreme sense of loss, or a huge sense of relief, or a combination of many things. No matter how you feel, know that this decision will strengthen your child and your family. Our treatment approach is designed to create a lasting, positive impact that ripples throughout generations to come. And you are a part of that lasting success. Our approach is to involve families throughout the treatment process.

We believe in strengthening the inherent goodness and potential of every child—and every family—no matter what challenges you face.

To make a referral to one of our residential programs:

1. Fill out one of our agency referral forms (see below). This form captures the youth’s history, needed level of care, and past evaluations. It also has a list of necessary documents that will need to be included to start the referral process.
2. Our admissions team will meet with the child for a brief clinical interview.

Our agency referral form links are below:

• Nexus-Gerard Referral Form
• Nexus-Mille Lacs Referral Form
• Nexus-Onarga Referral Form
• Nexus-Indian Oaks Referral Form
• Nexus-PATH Family Healing
• Nexus-Woodbourne Referral Form

We accept youth from all 50 states and Canada, depending on eligibility.

The length of stay varies by individual, based on their needs, progress, and other factors.

Wait times vary by individual program and change throughout the year. Please contact the admissions department at your preferred location for more detailed information.

Each Nexus program is trauma-informed and offers individual, group, and family therapy to the youth in care. Specific therapeutic methods and interventions vary by program and are based on the individual’s needs. Some of the methods we offer include EMDR, TF-CBT, pet therapy, equine therapy, vocational and job skills training, sensory interventions, and sexuality therapy.

You can make a difference in a child’s future and change the course of their life for the better by contributing to Nexus Foundation for Family Healing. This foundation was established for people like you, who want to be a part of breaking the cycles of abuse, addiction, trauma, and pain—and restoring hope for children.

Your support ensures youth are not defined by their trauma and can live a safe and stable life. There are a variety of ways to give. Click here to learn more.

You can also support us by staying connected. Sign up for email updates here and information about Nexus Family Healing or follow Nexus Family Healing on social media.

It’s your choice! When you donate to Nexus Foundation you can designate your gift to your local Nexus Family Healing agency. Or, you can just choose “Nexus Foundation” and it will be used wherever it’s needed most.

Absolutely! Both Nexus Foundation (EIN 83-2534015) and Nexus Family Healing (EIN 41-1419064) are 501(c)(3) organizations, meaning your contribution is tax-deductible as allowed by law.

We respect your privacy and do not sell email addresses to others. We will use it to keep you informed of Nexus activities, events, and information.

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Call us today at 844-921-4079 and we’ll be glad to help.