About

 Destiny House Group Home

Destiny House Group Home is a 501(c)3 non profit organization founded by Tresa Wickliffe and her five nieces, Eboni, Brandy, Champagne (daughter), Kim, and Micole. 

 

It was eight days after my tenth birthday, when my father who had been an excellent provider, was tragically murdered.

Devastated by the trauma, the loss of love, protection, and provision, I began seeking those things. By the age of 13, those things had found me!

 

I was trapped in a relationship with a man who was old enough at that time to be my father! And would spend the next seven years exposed to a life that my "loving father" would never have planned for me. But through it all my mother and grandmother (Cookie) "loved" me unconditionally; Later I realized that "love" was the glue that held it all together! 

 

After returning home from school for two years, I was confronted by the fact that many of my nieces were facing the same "risks" that I had experienced. "Love" responded to the call, and in 1991 I opened the doors of my home as a foster parent. 

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Destiny House Group Home "for girls, by girls", is founded on the principle of "love" and dedicated to providing quality program services that improve the lives of adolescent girls ages 12-17 who are at risk. We educate and empower girls with the skills, tools, and resources they need to be successful and live a life of quality, excellence, and Destiny! 

 

At Destiny House Group Home we are committed to girls physical, emotional, mental, educational, and spiritual well-being.

 

What sets DHGH apart is our commitment to supporting girls not only with a loving home environment, but strengthening them holistically; And building relationships with them that last eternally. 

 

Our purpose is to is to ensure that all girls have the opportunity, resources, and environment they need to succeed.

 

Destiny House Group Home is located in Alameda County, CA. The Group Home's primary responsibility is to youth in Alameda County, but the agency will provide services to girls statewide.

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  CORE    VALUES
 

B~Belief: We believe our people and our girls have the power to beat the odds and to succeed

 

I~Integirty: We simply do what’s right. Always. We set the highest ethical standards, upholding a duty of care to our girls, our partners, ourselves, and to the communities we serve

 

R~Respect: We value differences and appreciate each person for their unique qualities

 

T~Trust: We build environments that are safe and open — where girls feel free to take risks, to share their point of view and to speak the truth as they see it

 

H~Humility: We’re not always right — we don’t have all the answers — and we know it. We’re always learning, and growing, and we’re not afraid to ask for help

 

 CURRENT PROGRAM ORGANIZATION

The Group Home has a capacity for eight girls
        Six short term court ordered placements and two run away placements 

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• Six short term beds

• Two run away beds

• Operating hours 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

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 ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARDS

At the heart of Destiny House Group Home program is a belief in the inherent value of the individuals we serve and in their capacity for personal change. This belief is lived out by providing a nurturing and therapeutic environment where adolescent girls can put forth their best effort to realize their hopes and dreams.

Once placed with us our goals are:

1. For youth and families alike to recover, reunite where possible, and work on transitioning the youth back into their homes and communities

2. To treat each individual with dignity and respect

3. To empower girls with new skills that will enable them to succeed

4. To make accountability a requirement, rather than an option

5. To restore virtue, value, and a sense of destiny

6. To advocate for each child’s well-being and best interests

7. To work from the premise that all have strengths and resilience
   
   Praise and positive reinforcement are effective methods of behavior management. When children receive positive, nonviolent, and understanding interactions from adults and others, they develop good self-concepts, problem solving abilities, and self-discipline. Based on this belief, DHGH uses a positive approach to discipline and practices the following discipline and behavior management techniques.

 

WE DO

• Communicate using positive statements

• Communicate with girls on the level appropriate to their understanding, and prior to any disciplinary action

• Talk in a calm manner

• Explain unacceptable behavior

• Give attention for positive behavior

• Praise and encourage  

• Reason with and set limits 

• Apply rules consistently

• Model appropriate behavior

• Provide alternatives and redirect to appropriate behavior 

• Give opportunities to make choices and solve problems

• Help to talk out problems and think of solutions

• Listen to them and respect their needs, desires and feelings

• Provide appropriate words to help solve conflicts

• Use discussion to work through common conflicts