Group Homes

<span style="color:var(--secondary-color-bg)">Campus Highlights &nbsp;</span>

Campus Highlights  

The Marsh Foundation operates three licensed, QRTP-compliant group homes—Clymer, Vance, and Marsh Halls—located on our expansive and secure 2,897-acre campus in Van Wert, Ohio. Each home is licensed to serve up to 10 youth and provides a safe, stable, and structured environment that supports healing and growth.

Every youth in our care is given their own private bedroom, creating a sense of personal space, dignity, and belonging. The homes also include comfortable living areas, kitchens, dining rooms, and recreational spaces that encourage community, structure, and healthy social interaction.

Our homes are staffed 24 hours a day by a dedicated team of highly trained professionals, including awake-overnight staff. Staff use the Teaching-Family Model to deliver consistent behavioral support, life skills instruction, and emotional guidance. This evidence-informed model emphasizes relationship-building, positive reinforcement, and skill development—all within a trauma-sensitive framework.

We prioritize individualized care. Each child has a personalized treatment plan tailored to their needs, goals, and circumstances. These plans are designed to teach adaptive life skills, build emotional resilience, and prepare youth for the next step in their journey—whether that’s reunification with family, transition to foster care, or independent living.

Our group homes provide:

  • Safe, home-like settings with personal bedrooms
  • 24/7 care and supervision by trained staff
  • Structured routines and behavior support
  • On-campus access to school, clinical services, and activities
  • Skill-building and therapeutic experiences aligned with treatment goals

We are committed to offering more than shelter. We offer a place to heal, to grow, and to belong—while working toward long-term success in family and community life.

<span style="color:var(--secondary-color-bg)">Home-Life&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>

Home-Life  

All three group homes on campus, Clymer, Vance and Marsh Halls, are licensed to house up to 10 boys. The homes are staffed 24-hours a day by highly trained staff who consistently provide behavioral treatment using the Teaching-Family Model. The homes are multi-staff secure. 

Life at The Marsh Foundation extends far beyond school hours. Our beautiful campus features a full-sized gym, an equine center, and a scenic pond where youth can swim, fish, and enjoy water activities like canoeing. Through our Independent Living Program, youth gain hands-on experience with cooking, budgeting, job readiness, and more — empowering them to transition into adulthood with confidence. Whether it’s horseback riding, shooting hoops, or learning to plan a meal, every part of campus life supports growth, wellness, and lifelong learning.

Teaching-Family Model

At the heart of our program is the Family Teacher Model, a nationally recognized approach that emphasizes positive relationships, structure, and skill-building. Each cottage is supported by trained staff who serve as mentors, role models, and consistent caregivers. This model creates a stable, home-like environment where youth can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. The Marsh Foundation is proudly accredited through the Teaching-Family Association (TFA), ensuring our program meets the highest standards of care and outcomes for youth and families. With individualized support and a focus on personal growth, our staff help youth gain the confidence and tools they need to build brighter futures.

TFM is a unique approach to human services characterized by clearly defined goals, integrated support systems and a set of essential elements. The model is not a punishment model or traditional counseling model. Programs emphasize the positive teaching of functional skills and behaviors. It is a combination of low tolerance for poor behaviors and high praise for good behaviors. TFM promotes the development of relationships with clients that are maintained through trust, respect and positive regard within professional boundaries. The Marsh Foundation has been using components of the Teaching-Family Model since 1991.

<span style="color:var(--primary-color-bg)">Clinical Services &amp; Activities</span>

Clinical Services & Activities

The Marsh Foundation offers an array of clinical services to clients. Services can include individual counseling, group counseling, family services, community support programs and/or home-based services. 

The Marsh Foundation employs a full-time activities coordinator to plan and coordinate events and projects for the youth. These activities are designed to contribute to a holistic treatment approach. Youth participate in team building, garden activities, community service projects, 4-H projects, nature study, an extensive horse program and athletics.

Clinical Services
The Marsh Foundation

Group Homes

The Marsh Foundation campus features three licensed QRTP compliant group homes. Each home can accommodate up to 10 youth. All homes offer private bedrooms for each youth. The group homes are staffed 24 hours a day, including awake-overnight staff. 

The Marsh Foundation provides effective behavioral interventions which are trauma sensitive for all children in care. Each youth has an individualized plan with specific target areas. Throughout treatment, intervention is focused on replacing maladaptive responses and implementing new learned skills sets to utilize within the identified discharge plan. By implementing this new approach, it provides the youth an alternative, healthy way to reintegrate into the existing family dynamic and preserve already established relationships and supports.