Specialized Therapeutic Group Care Homes
Program Description
HomeSafe’s Residential program serves foster children ages 7-17 through four Specialized Therapeutic Group Care homes located throughout Palm Beach County. These children have experienced significant trauma, abuse, neglect, and instability, often resulting in complex emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges that impact daily functioning and development.
Our trauma-informed residential environments provide intensive therapeutic support within safe, structured, and nurturing homes where children can heal, build resilience, and work toward successfully transitioning to a lower level of care.
Each home is designed to foster safety, stability, and personal growth. Children have their own bedrooms and access to spaces that encourage creativity, recreation, and healthy social connection, including enrichment areas, computer labs, music rooms, exercise equipment, and outdoor recreational spaces.
In addition to clinical treatment, HomeSafe prioritizes positive childhood experiences that help counteract the effects of trauma. Recreational outings, enrichment activities, behavioral incentives, and consistent engagement with caring adults help children build confidence, develop coping skills, and experience the joy of simply being children.
Our treatment philosophy is grounded in trauma-informed care with a focus on creating connection and safety that promotes healing for children and adolescents. Our highly trained staff focus on each child’s strengths and foster a positive peer culture that encourages confidence, independence, and personal growth.
- Evidence-based, trauma-informed therapeutic care
- Individualized treatment planning and emotional support
- Art Therapy and Music Therapy to support emotional expression and healing
- Life skills development and educational assistance
- Recreational and enrichment activities that promote social connection and confidence
- Behavioral incentives and individualized support to reinforce positive growth
- Therapeutic program supplies
Common questions from Case Managers/Team Members:
Where are your group homes located?
HomeSafe has four Specialized Therapeutic Group Homes that are located within Palm beach County. We have a 12-bed girls home located in Boca Raton; an 8-bed girls home in Lake Worth; a 12-bed girls home on Lyons Road in West Palm Beach; and a 12-bed boys home located in West Palm Beach. The maximum capacity of HomeSafe’s residential program is 44 clients.
Are your facilities set up with group home parents?
HomeSafe’s group homes are not set up with group home parents; but rather, with round-the-clock staff who work three different eight hour shifts.
Do the boys and girls reside together at your group homes?
Each HomeSafe campus is dedicated for either a girls or boys home.
Common questions from Potential Residents:
Do I attend school on site at the group home?
All residents attend school in the community. We work closely with Palm Beach County school board personnel to make sure appropriate school placements are identified if the resident has an IEP or 504 Plan in place. Otherwise, residents will attend the designated school for the area where their group home is located.
Will I have roommates?
At all of our group homes, residents have their own room.
Can I have my family visit me?
We do ask for an adjustment time period over the initial 30 days a client is placed with us. We follow the lead of each child’s Dependency Case Manager (DCM) in regards to who is allowed to have communication and visits with a resident. Because the DCM is considered the Legal Guardian, they must sign off and approve everyone a resident has contact and/or visits with outside of HomeSafe.
Am I allowed to leave campus on my own?
All residents who are placed within HomeSafe’s Specialized Therapeutic Group Care homes must be supervised by HomeSafe staff, their Dependency Case Manager, approved members of their outside team, or school personnel, whenever they leave the group home.
At admission, each resident has a Client Contact Sheet that is reviewed and approved by their Dependency Case Manager (DCM). Residents may communicate with individuals who have been approved by the DCM. The DCM also determines the level of supervision required for these contacts, which may include unsupervised communication, staff-supervised communication, or therapeutic supervision, depending on the resident’s individual needs.
If you are concerned that a child you know is experiencing signs of abuse or neglect, it is important to take that first step for them by reaching out to a professional who can assess them.
- Dial 2-1-1 Helpline for resources in our area
- Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-96-Abuse (22873)
When concerns arise regarding a child’s safety or well-being, early intervention is critical. When in doubt, seeking assistance can help ensure that children receive support as quickly as possible.
Referral Process
HomeSafe understands that time is of the essence when it comes to a child’s residential placement needs. To help streamline the process and ensure timely and high-quality service, HomeSafe has a dedicated email address for referrals to our Residential program.
Contact Us
- Call Referral & Intake Specialist Beckie Ruiz at (561) 383-9800 ext. 1211
- Email Referrals@helphomesafe.org
Our Referral Coordinator will review within 24-48 hours. You will then be contacted to discuss the referral and for any additional information that may be needed to determine appropriate placement.
HomeSafe Group Homes
Sylvester Family Foundation North Campus
West Palm Beach
Sylvester Family Foundation West Campus
West Palm Beach
Simon C. Fireman Foundation Campus
Lake Worth
Bernstein Family Foundation Campus
Boca Raton