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Butler Mission:
JRI implements a Hardware Secure Treatment Program plan that is designed to meet the complex mental health and treatment needs of DYS-involved youth. The full range of services addresses security (youth and community), behavior management, clinical, health, substance use, education, recreation, family engagement and support, facility operation and community transition. Services include supports for family members and treats the whole youth as an individual as well as family and community member. Programming incorporates cognitive behavioral approaches, positive youth development and trauma-informed care as well as curriculum-based treatment groups that focus on teaching Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills to improve emotion regulation, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Specific offender groups (i.e., problematic sexual behavior and violent offender) and substance use treatment and prevention groups are also provided. Butler strives to help youth be the best version of themselves so they can be successful members of society upon return to the community.
At a Glance
This service is for
Focus: At the Butler Center, boys with significant emotional and mental health needs, who have been committed to the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, are able to develop and practice strategies that will enable them to modulate their behavior.
Age: 13 to 20; Committed to the Department of Youth Services
Gender: Male
Capacity: 12; Closed referrals via DYS
Let's Connect
Hiram Rivera
Program Director
288 Lyman Street
Westborough, MA 01581
Westborough, MA 01581
(508) 475-2607
hrivera@jri.org
Program
The Butler Center is a temporary home. Our professional team will help the youth work towards minimizing or ending destructive behavior(s) and aid them in developing new pro-social behaviors. Occasionally, residents within secure care can feel hopeless and at times make poor decisions around their personal safety. The Butler Center personnel are trained to address these feelings, and all levels of program personnel will become involved to help residents who are feeling this way. The youth’s safety and well-being as well as the safety and well-being of all residents are the single most important goal of The Butler Center. The program will do everything within its power to meet the individual needs of each and every resident. Given that the physical safety and well-being of each resident and staff person at The Butler Center is of the utmost importance, The Butler Center staff will move quickly to interrupt or prevent any behavior that might place a youth or others at risk.
Resident of the Week:
The Butler Center Ad Team identifies one resident each week who put forth their best effort, had a positive attitude, exhibited role model behavior, and went "above and beyond."
Honorable Mention:
The Butler Center Ad Team identifies one resident each week who demonstrated improvement in a certain area/areas. This resident may not have had a "perfect" week, but something they did stood out and deserves recognition.
Educational Department:
The school program at The Butler Center is designed for the student on an individual basis. The youth will be taught at the level at which they are working. That means some students will have different books and programs. The goal of the school program is to provide special education services, which afford all students the opportunity to reach their full potential and lead lives as contributors to the community. Classes in the school program include English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Technology, History and Social Science, Health, and Creative Arts. The student will have the opportunity to work towards earning their high school diploma or passing the HISET while at the Butler Center. If this is accomplished during the student’s time assignment, they will have the opportunity to enroll in college courses so they can advance their knowledge in an area of their choosing.
Student of the Week:
The Butler Center teachers identify one students each week who put forth their best effort, had a positive attitude, exhibited role model behavior, and supported their classmates.
Clinical
The youth will have an individual clinician assigned to them from the moment of their initial intake, so they have someone to talk to about things that go on around them, past events that happened in their life, and how they understand themselves. Group therapy is offered where the youth can receive feedback from other residents and staff while helping other residents deal with their obstacles. Family play an important role in who the resident is and what they will become, they may also have family therapy, which can help both the youth and your family understand what goes on with them and help them see how their behaviors impact others.
Activities and Recreation:
An important part of a young person’s life is the opportunity to have fun! While the youth is at The Butler Center, the program will provide a variety of athletic and recreational activities to keep their attention and enthusiasm going. Activities are scheduled monthly and a calendar is developed and posted in advance. Some activities include bingo, board games, card games, tournaments, fantasy football, Spa Night, family events, and many clubs that are run by staff, such as model car club, guitar lessons, and music studio.
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