Group Homes The Group Homes at Tampa Bay Academy offer a step-down option for children and adolescents in residential treatment or other settings who are unable to return home. The program also offers a more intensive service for children failing in community based settings such as foster care. The Group Homes at Tampa Bay Academy are located on the same 24-acre campus with our other treatment programs. The homes are built in a duplex setting with each living area housing up to 12 residents. These homes feature shared bedrooms, a large common area, kitchen and all the amenities of a family home. We utilize a staff model, and staff provide awake supervision any time children are present. For those children and adolescents who have completed the residential program at Tampa Bay Academy, the Group Homes offer consistency in their surroundings and professional staff. At the same time they can experience a sense of accomplishment as they complete one level of treatment and move to a less restrictive setting. In general, the age of our group home residents is 10-18 years old. However, our Deaf residents are able to stay living in the group homes until the age of 21 while they are still in school. This offers a better opportunity to learn independent living skills in a more structured environment until they are ready to go out on their own or be able to be transferred to a new placement. In preparation for independent living, residents at appropriate age levels can be involved in paid employment opportunities in the community. In some exceptional cases, residents can establish bank accounts or apply for a credit card, both as a means of establishing a credit history for future experiences. Group homes can serve as a means of preventing a residential placement. Tampa Bay Academy also accepts group home referrals as a step-down from other residential programs or from mental health professionals in other settings. Our clinical focus is based on a positive peer culture model, with each community receiving therapeutic intervention on a daily basis. Residents receive Family Therapy when appropriate, Individual and Group Therapy, consultative Medical and Psychiatric Services and Medication Management and Recreational Activities. Because we recognize the need for a strong educational component, our Group Home residents either have the opportunity to attend school at the Charter School of Tampa Bay Academy with the residential and day program Deaf students in inclusive classrooms with Deaf Teachers or they can attend one of the local elementary, middle or high schools with an interpreter provided by the local school system. Interpreters are provided for family sessions, medication management, medical and psychiatric services. Individual sessions and group therapy are provided by either a Deaf therapist or therapist fluent in American Sign Language. Currently, our group homes are integrated with both Deaf and hearing residents living together. We believe this integration is beneficial to both the hearing and Deaf residents and allows the hearing residents exposure to Deafness and Deaf culture while preparing the Deaf residents for return back to their home environments.