FAQs

Many of our students can present with complex clinical profiles and comorbidities. Our staff are trained and experienced in assisting students with behaviors based on presentation, symptoms and manifestations. Treatment Teams assess challenges, develop goals and intervene based on the individual needs of the student and the family.

Referrals are made by a student’s home school district’s Committee on Special Education. Admissions associates review and schedule interviews for students who fit the academic, social and emotional focus of our campus-based therapeutic day and residential program. Once a student is accepted, Admissions partners with parents and referring agencies to collect all necessary documentation needed to facilitate the admission. Then a date of admission is scheduled. See Referral & Application Process >

Every Green Chimneys student receives individualized planning and care, varying length of stay from one student to another. The average length of stay for students in our residential program is just over two years; length of stay may be longer for students in the therapeutic day school, as many choose to graduate from our school.

Green Chimneys is a rate-based program with costs determined by New York State. Student enrollment is covered by the student’s home school district. We do not currently offer a private pay option.

Treatment goals are established within the first 30 days of admission. Once goals are achieved, the student will be recommended for discharge. Collaborative review between the Green Chimneys treatment team, parent/guardian(s), and school district at the annual CSE meeting determines when a child is ready for discharge from our therapeutic day and/or residential school.

Green Chimneys School delivers an academic program and teaching model that supports all types of learners. We follow the New York State Next Generation Standards to ensure that each student follows an academic program for their grade level. The curriculum is differentiated depending upon your child’s individual strengths and challenges, to provide instruction at your child’s learning pace so they can experience personal success.

Green Chimneys utilizes the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt literacy curriculum for elementary and middle school students, Into Reading for grades 2-5 and Into Literacy for grades 6-8. This comprehensive product focuses on the Five Pillars of Literacy: Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension, with a strong writing component integrated throughout. Literacy is a primary focus for students and is measured 3 times per year via standardized assessments. Green Chimneys utilizes strong Tier 1 practices to reinforce literacy skills and has a response to intervention system to identify the need for further tiered supports and to monitor the ongoing process towards mastery.

Classroom selection for each student is determined by the education leadership team based on the academic, social, emotional and behavioral profile of the student, and classroom availability.

The Residential Treatment Center (RTC) is a modern and welcoming dorm complex consisting of four buildings. Single rooms in gender-inclusive living units are based on age, social-emotional development, and target behaviors. Residential students are assigned according to peer group, gender identification, and individual social, emotional and behavioral needs and presentation.

Green Chimneys’ nature-based programs promote and enrich therapeutic education and treatment and are designed to help each student develop critical skills such as competence, confidence, character, self-esteem, connection, caring and compassion. Students also learn to make meaningful contributions through caretaking jobs and interest-based opportunities. Animal-assisted education and therapy range from learning how to meet a llama with a farm teacher, strengthening emotional regulation during groundwork with horses, or participating in the everyday tasks of feeding or training animals, and observing the wildlife that inhabits our rural campuses. Horticulture activities in our extensive vegetable, fruit and flower gardens promote intellectual, social, psychological, and physical wellbeing. Time slows down in the nature-based programs, which support mindfulness, self- discovery and formation of friendships, providing a sense of accomplishment for students and observable progress for the treatment team.

Animals are a part of daily life at Green Chimneys and students have numerous opportunities to interact with the animals across our programs, at whatever level they feel comfortable and provided they treat the animals with respect and care. Animals can be found in some classrooms and select campus offices but animals do not reside in student living areas.

Each campus has its own School Nurse to provide day students with routine care, as needed. The Brewster campus also has a designated Health & Wellness Center, which provides routine medical, nursing services, psychiatric services, and nutritional counseling for all residential students.

Family therapy is provided as part of Green Chimneys’ residential treatment program. Targeted services with our family therapist are based on current intervention needs, as identified through evaluations and clinical observations. In addition to this support, each family has the opportunity to participate in parent coaching and skill-building sessions with their primary clinician, and through our formal parent training series. This integrated approach serves to enhance relationships, build practical skills, and foster stronger connections, ultimately supporting meaningful clinical progress and long-term success.

Contact information for a student’s Treatment Team is provided on the day of admission and the student’s clinician is always a resource and liaison to help answer any questions or concerns. Questions or concerns related to a specific area are best addressed to the team member associated with that program. In accordance with best practices, our grievance procedure is included in our Parent Handbook >

Your child’s assigned clinician is your primary contact and liaison to the Treatment Team. Contact takes place with families at least weekly, and with the placing district at least monthly. Teachers maintain contact through email. For residential students, the unit supervisor or residential staff are also available to provide updates and offer support. Green Chimneys designates staff to ensure accessibility by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Green Chimneys employs a trauma-informed approach to create and maintain an optimal environment for safety and recovery and staff is fully trained to develop a strong understanding and working knowledge of behavior management protocol. Our behavior management system promotes safety and healing by developing techniques and incentives for rewarding desirable behavior. This system is designed to not just prevent children from engaging in destructive or unsafe behaviors but to teach them effective alternative behaviors when faced with difficulties.

Green Chimneys follows New York State Education policy regarding use of electronic devices during the school day. Residential students are permitted use of personal and agency-owned devices during non-school hours, based on age and demonstration of positive behaviors. Green Chimneys Electronics Policy >

Student progress is carefully tracked and evaluated to ensure program effectiveness and adaptation for each student’s evolving needs. The majority of our students transition to a lower level of care. Day students may discharge back to their home school districts General Education and/or Special Education classes or other therapeutic/specialized programs. Residential students are discharged home either pre- or post-graduation depending upon their individual needs, interests and pursuits. Some also transfer into our therapeutic day school, a day program closer to home, or back to their home school districts.

Green Chimneys’ breadth of programs includes community-based services, therapeutic day school and residential treatment. Students move between programs depending upon their individual and level of care needs. Whenever possible, we provide the therapeutic resources and support our students require, whether that is facilitating a transfer for a residential student into our day school or connecting students and families with our community-based services division.

The care and safety of our students is of utmost concern, and all Green Chimneys staff members are carefully screened prior to the start of employment. Our Human Resources department diligently checks professional, personal, and educational resources and information provided by prospective employees and volunteers. We comply with New York State Office of Children and Family Services requirements for background checks and obtain a federal criminal background check through fingerprinting via the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People With Special Needs.

Green Chimneys is a New York State-approved school under the Department of Education. Oversight of our Residential Treatment Center is by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. Green Chimneys is required to report any and all significant incidents to the New York State Justice Center. Green Chimneys’ programs are accredited by the Council on Accreditation, which demonstrates our commitment to best practice standards.

Green Chimneys has policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety of students. All buildings are secured via key code access for employees only; cameras are installed throughout our campuses; 24-hour security staff monitors campus activity; and a stringent Visitor Check-in Procedure screens all non-campus individuals.