Polaris Residential Treatment

Polaris is an Intensive Residential Treatment (IRT) center located within Aurora Plains Academy in Plankinton, South Dakota. The Academy is a facility of Clinicare Corporation of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The Academy was established in 2006 and is licensed by the State of South Dakota Department of Social Services to admit youth ages of 10 to 18 years old and is accredited by Council on Accreditation. Treatment areas for the residents at the academy may include emotional/psychological, behavioral functioning, personal and social development, youth with boundary issues, reasonable and prudent parent life skills, educational/vocational, occupational therapy, risk/trauma, and family relationships.

The average length of stay ranges from 8-18 months. Through assessment, the treatment team will develop a person-centered treatment plan with interventions consisting of psychotherapies, group therapies, family therapies, psychopharmacological services, treatment planning/case management, and transitional/aftercare services.

Youth attend the on-site school. The school is staffed with faculty members all certified in their areas of specialization by the South Dakota Department of Education. Each child is placed in a classroom according to their social, emotional, and educational needs. Classrooms range in size from six to twelve residents. Special intervention is also available to assist in developing behaviors necessary to be successful in school. Every student will take an education placement test upon admission to Aurora Plains Academy. This test identifies strengths and weaknesses in the areas of math and English. This data will be used to ensure the educational needs of the students are met while ensuring they can transition back to a traditional educational environment.