ZACHARY, La. (BRPROUD) – For over 10 years, a Zachary-based Christian organization has been helping boys in crisis by providing education and counseling while working with their families to reunite them.
Heritage Ranch is a residential children’s home for boys between the ages of 10 to 18 in crisis and serves an 80-mile radius of the campus in Zachary.
Vicki Ellis, the founder and chief development officer for Heritage Ranch, said that the whole family is the client.
“We’ve all been in situations where we fall back into old patterns that we would change if we could. A family is no different,” she said. “We partner with families to uncover behavior patterns and mindsets that are contributing to the crisis or issue they are trying to address. As a team, we help families create and establish new ways of relating that will help them flourish together.”
Although the group is faith-based, Ellis said spiritual belief is not a factor in program admissions. She said they serve any client, regardless of their faith, or lack thereof.
The Ranch offers an inpatient residential program and its Compass Service Programs, including residential care, navigation and family coaching.
“We help families find the right services that fit their needs, through collaboration with a network of community agencies,” Ellis said. “After an initial one-hour assessment between one of our coaches and the family, our coach will provide a tailored navigation plan to meet the needs of the family. If desired, the coach can work alongside the family to assist them in implementing the plan until it is complete and they are receiving the services they need.”
The family coaching program is a 10-session series, Ellis said.
“The family will learn how their parenting styles are affecting their family, how to implement our choice and consequence discipline model, how to facilitate family meetings in their home, and facilitate active listening with their kids,” she said. “The goals of the coaching program are to increase communication, set age-appropriate expectations within the home, and create a family culture plan that outlines family values and expectations for behavior. “
Fifty-six, clients including grandparents raising grandchildren, divorced parents wanting to co-parent, single mothers and more, have benefitted from the outpatient program since October 2022, according to Ellis.
“Our mission is to be used by God to transform families by instilling His love and identity into the family culture,” Ellis said. Heritage Ranch strives to be an organization that provides families with the help that they need in order to address crises and develop healthy family cultures.
Click here to see everything Heritage Ranch has to offer.
