High Plains Children's Home Amarillo Texas

High Plains Children's Home and Family Services attempts to provide a natural home environment much like the one most individuals envision for themselves. Although our youth arrive from assorted backgrounds including being neglected, abandoned, orphaned or abused, the desire remains for each child to have a fair chance at a "normal" childhood. With this template in mind, opportunities abound for work, play, social development and spiritual growth. Our commitment is to provide the children with basic needs such as food and shelter and to help children develop the skills that they will need to be healthy, productive and happy members of our society.

High Plains serves a target area of the Texas Panhandle, Northeastern New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas. We work with children from all walks of life. Typically, a family crisis brings children to HPCH for placement who will remain in care until graduation from high school.

In order to provide quality care, High Plains’ license requirements meet or exceed the "minimum standards" outlined for Basic Residential Childcare facilities operating in the State of Texas. High Plains’ reputation remains strong since it’s inception in 1967.

Each child resides in a comfortable 5,000+ sq. ft. home, or "cottage", with 5-7 other children from similar backgrounds. We provide cottages for all boys, all girls and sibling groups. The children are referred to the Home by friends, family, church, school personnel and County/State entities. Children on campus range in age from 2 – 17 years of age.

The responsibility for overseeing each cottage lies in the hands of dependable, trained and loving "houseparents". Building strong relationships is the foundation of our program. The childcare givers offer the children love, nurture and guidance. They teach the children the importance of making a friend and being a friend. Children interact with many people outside the home who give them the opportunity to form connections at church, school and the community.

While living in the cottage, children are encouraged to make themselves at home. Each child shares a room with one other child. They are given the opportunity to decorate their room with their own personal belongings. Elementary household duties are taught and then assigned, including learning how to wash and dry their own clothes. Each child is gradually taught how to cook, wash dishes, vacuum, detail bathrooms, perform yard work and maintain their cottage vehicle. Home entertainment is closely monitored. Movie and electronic game selections are approved based on the appropriateness of content as it pertains to Christian values and morals.

HPCH has developed it’s own method of behavior modification. We operate a system we call "Building Blocks". The idea is to teach youth specific skills, identified as Blocks, so they can build a solid, productive future for themselves. Building Blocks is composed of over 200 skills, broken down into three phases; Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. Each phase has specific skills the youth must master such as how to disagree appropriately, accept a "no" answer, say "yes sir" and resist peer pressure, before advancing to the next phase. As the youth moves through the phases, privileges increase and the youth becomes less dependent on external controls.

In order to insure healthy children, proper personal hygiene is encouraged and the Home provides all necessary items to accommodate a lifelong pattern of wellness.



Family dining is always a priority at High Plains. Each cottage contains a large kitchen, dining and social area where each resident becomes a vital part of the whole.

Recreational opportunities are abundant around our 100 acre campus. Exercise is encouraged and healthy eating habits are encouraged. Campus activities revolve around bicycling, basketball, baseball, football, soccer, horseshoes, volleyball, ping pong, weightlifting and walking.

High Plains’ offers an Equestrian Program in which each interested child is allowed to feed, water, groom and ride the horses. Along with this privilege comes the responsibility of also cleaning out the stalls and corral!

The Home is honored to have the Mabee Talent Center. This vocational training center allows our youth the platform to develop hobbies and special interests. Housed in this 9,000 sq. ft. facility is a Woodworking Shop, Auto Mechanics Shop, Computer Lab/Library, Arts and Crafts Lab and Grocery Store. This facility offers opportunities for youth to extend their knowledge of auto mechanics in a modern garage, improve carpentry skills with a complete wood shop, develop artistic abilities with an art room, pottery tools, sewing machines and more. All of this, combined with the Library and Computer Lab, provides the ultimate in educational availabilities. Talents and skills are discovered, developed and perfected as our youth foresee potential opportunities for employment.

As our children mature and demonstrate a high degree of responsibility, each youth is afforded the opportunity to obtain a driver’s license and possess an automobile provided by the Home. They are incorporated into the upkeep of their vehicle including those areas involving maintenance, insurance and daily operation.

First-class Medical, Dental and Hospital care is provided via local doctors. The physical well being of each child is priority. Counseling sessions lead by local professionals are provided for our children who need special attention due to special behavioral or emotional needs and require resolve to circumstances that have occurred in their short lives. 

The prospects of an excellent education is a highlight at High Plains. Residing within the well-respected Canyon Independent School District, High Plains is located only a short distance from most school related activities. CISD encourages academic excellence and the district takes a special interest our children. School locations include Sundown Lane Elementary, The Greenways Intermediate, Westover Park Junior High and Randall High School. Our children participate in athletics, band, choir, service clubs and student government.

Computers are recognized at High Plains as a vital part of our society and significant attention is given to making the latest technology available. Prior to graduation from High School, each child is encouraged to investigate the possibility of a future in college or vocational training. For others, assistance is granted in locating employment and safe housing. In either category, when welcomed, the Home is available to assist with guidance, lodging and financial needs as resources allow.

The Home encourages regular church attendance and participation because we feel that teaching the children spiritual values is essential to their overall development. The children are involved in numerous youth activities within Church of Christ congregations in the area. There they make new friends, network and strengthen relationships. Often, youth develop skills in the areas of song leading, Bible study, prayer, service and volunteerism. Many youth soon recognize the need for a closer relationship to God, and wish to be baptized. The opportunities are presented for each individual youth to prayerfully consider this important decision for themselves. All of our youth are presented with opportunities to assist those less fortunate than themselves … which is quite impressive when you think about it!

Once a child is placed in our care, we encourage the family or managing conservator to maintain contact with the children. We also expect them to be involved in their child’s treatment planning as well as short term and long term goals of placement. Once every six months, they will be asked to participate in a review and planning meeting for their child.

HPCH does not discriminate against any client based on race, national origin, color, religious creed, sex, age, financial background, disability or political belief, other than those restrictions imposed by licensing agencies.

Child Care Policy

Pre-placement Visits

HPCH policies and the State Minimum Standards require that every child being considered for placement have a pre-placement visit. The pre-placement visit gives the parent and child an opportunity to visit a cottage, the houseparents and the other children in care. It provides the houseparents and the HPCH staff the opportunity to evaluate the child in order to make placement decisions.

In the interest of good placement practice, the pre-placement visit should last one to four hours. After the pre-placement visit, the social service staff should meet with the managing conservator and child in order to answer any questions.

At the conclusion of the pre-placement visit, a mutual decision should be made about placing the child in care. Concerns of the houseparents and social service staff will determine the final decision to place. The parent and child also make the decision about whether or not they want to continue with placement plans.

Placement

The Admission Assessment and the pre-placement visit should determine whether the child’s needs can be met in placement at HPCH. If it is mutually agreed that the placement is desired, then a placement date will be set. At the time of placement, the placement agreement, other authorizations and releases related to child placement will be signed by the parent or managing conservator. The signing of the legal papers can be accomplished at the HPCH office or in the cottage where the child will be living.

Types of Placements

Most children coming into care at HPCH will be placed privately by their parents or managing conservator. Children on juvenile probation who are not violent or actively using drugs or alcohol may be considered for placement at HPCH. Most of these will be in the managing conservatorship of the referring probation department. In some incidents the referring probation department may not be the managing conservator. In that case, we will work with the child and parent responsible for placement.

Building Blocks Program

HPCH believes in the value of positive reinforcement to motivate a child’s behavior. We believe it is in the child’s best interest to live with clear expectations of behavior. The child should have a sense of accomplishment when he/she meets those expectations. That sense of accomplishment will build confidence and self- esteem.

At HPCH, our goal is that children in our care develop the social skills needed to function as healthy young adults. To accomplish this goal we use the Building Blocks Program. Building Blocks is based on three phases: Basic Phase, Intermediate Phase and Advanced Phase. Advancement is accomplished by mastering the social skills that make up each phase. At each phase, the child will increase privileges and responsibilities.