MORE THAN 35 YEARS COMMITMENT TO CARING

Founded in 1970 by Mary C. Burt, Burt Children’s Center is dedicated to the philosophy that each child has the right to, and will receive, the best possible treatment to maximize his/her level of functioning in the least restrictive, culturally enriched environment. Burt Children’s Center provides intensive individual therapy, milieu therapy, residential care, family therapy, and special educational services to severely emotionally disturbed children. The center provides comprehensive year-round services that focus on preparing the children for successful reunification with parents, family, foster placements or a move to a lower lever of care. Burt Children’s Center is a Level 12 facility.

PHILOSOPHY AND APPROACH
The Philosophy of BCC is to provide a secure, nurturing treatment environment and specialized care to enable children to develop insight into their emotional world and address past issues. Treatment is based in psychodynamic and attachment theories. Burt Center emphasizes a well-rounded approach to help kids in the areas of physical health and well-being, social skills, self-care, motor skills, emotional development, speech, language, and communication. Staff work with the kids to recognize their needs and develop appropriate methods of communicating them.

Good physical health is maintained by a plan for well care with regular medical, dental, and medical-specialty monitoring.

EDUCATION
Burt Children’s Center provides special education services to children who require a highly structured educational setting. The School at Burt Children’s Center, certified by the California Department of Education, has two classrooms with a maximum of 12 children in each. There is an Education Director who works directly with the classroom teachers and each classroom has a Head Teacher and a minimum of two Assistant Teachers, as well as Behavior Specialists. The modalities used include: individualized and highly structured academic work, tutoring, group work designed to build social skills and increase coping skills. Behavioral issues are addressed through a Level System that provides consistent positive reinforcement and re-direction of inappropriate behaviors. The School at Burt Children’s Center also contracts with a Speech Therapist and Occupational Therapist for children whose IEP reflects a need for specialized services. The curriculum is designed to meet the requirements of the San Francisco Unified School District and placing districts.

To review the Executive Summary School Accountability Report Card, 2005-2006 please click here.

FACILITIES
Burt Children’s Center is located in a large historic Victorian building on Alamo Square Park. Our building houses our residential program, our certified school, our clinical offices, and our administrative offices. Burt Center is fortunate to have a large playground with a play structure, and room for sports and outdoor games. We attempt to provide a comfortable “homey” feel for the center. Burt Children’s Center is a 501 (c3) tax exempt, non-profit public benefit corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of California. The Center is licensed by the State of California department of Social Services.