CoHear Fire Stopper Programs
HELPING EVERYONE ACHIEVE RESULTS
CoHear has developed an
approach to the assessment and treatment of juvenile firesetters
which incorporates educational, psycho-social, family systems and
correctional models. This multi-faceted intervention allows us
to be responsive to the wide variety of children and adolescents who
are referred to our program, as well as to be effective in reducing
the risk of future firesetting behaviors.
Children kill almost 300
people each year when they use fire in an unsafe manner. Along
with this, over 3000 injuries and close to $250 million in property
will be lost, all due to children playing with fire.
Juvenile firesetting is a
growing and seriously dangerous problem which requires the attention
of Fire Departments and mental health professionals alike.
Addressing the problem in an effective manner requires coordination
and training, as we develop more sophisticated means of treatment.
In treating young people
with potentially dangerous behaviors, it is essential that the
safety needs of the family and community be given significant
consideration and priority. With this in mind, we approach our
assessment with a high degree of time, attention and concern.
The participating Fire
Departments throughout King County conduct an initial screening
interview with the young person and their family. Based on the
data received, the Fire Department then provides the child and
family with fire safety education, then sends the information to
CoHear for compiling and refers the family to CoHear for treatment -
if indicated.
We then conduct a
psychosocial assessment including: family, developmental, academic
and substance abuse histories; projective assessment; collateral
contacts with previous counselors, teachers or community members;
and detailed firesetting history. This background information
allows us to determine the relevant firesetter category and
appropriate level of treatment for any given child and family.
Our attention then moves towards the intervention and eventual
recommendations regarding the child/adolescent's individual and
family ongoing treatment needs.
Throughout the
intervention, attention is given to evaluating the responsiveness
and efforts of the family to address problems, the degree of
engagement and participation in treatment, the presence of thinking
errors or lack of empathy, and the presence of remorse in the case
of previous firesetting damage to property or persons.
A high incidence of
attentional problems, learning disabilities, family trauma or
crisis, prenatal or neonatal trauma and anger management problems
among the juvenile firesetters has encouraged particular assessment
of these areas. Other negative indicators include
participation in other delinquent activities in the neighborhood,
substance abuse among family members or history of mental health
problems.
Interviews with families
who have been involved with the youth firesetting intervention
program in Washington, Oregon and Alaska are being conducted.
The SOS Fires Project is trying to learn how families view high-risk
behaviors. The intent of the overall study is to assist the
youth firesetting intervention programs to continue to improve their
juvenile programs.
Firesetter Categories
Our review of other
treatment approaches in addition to our clinical experience confirms
four basic categories of juvenile fire setters:
-
Curiosity Firesetters:
Children two to seven years of age who lack adequate education
about fire safety and set fires with no intent to harm.
-
Treatment of Choice:
Education through the Fire Department, and systemic family and individual intervention, if needed.
-
Crisis Firesetters:
Children of any age who appear to fireset in response to family, social or psychological stressors.
-
Treatment of Choice:
Education through the Fire Department, and systemic family and individual therapy.
-
Delinquent Firesetters:
Latency-age children and adolescents who fireset in an angry or deliberate attempt to violate the rights of others.
-
Treatment of Choice:
Education through the Me Department, and cognitive behavioral individual, family and group treatment with clear focus on accountability.
-
Severely Disturbed Firesetters:
Children and adolescents whose firesetting is but a part of an
overall pattern of destructive and dangerously maladaptive
behaviors combined with major emotional instability and evidence
of thought disorder.
- Treatment of Choice: Education
through the Fire Department, cognitive behavioral individual
and family treatment, and referral to highly structured
residential care or psychiatric hospitalization,
when/indicated.
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