Social Services

The Social Services Department looks to assist each young man and family with the support and assistance they need to understand and access services during placement. The staff also work together as a team to provide counseling and other behavioral health services to prepare a young man and his family for successful reunification and a brighter and successful future.


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Ms. Susan Vogl, LICSW
Director of Social Services
Ms. Vogl arrived at Ocean Tides as Director of Social Services after working with Ocean Tides youth on substance abuse treatment issues through Ocean Tides’ consultant relationship with Phoenix House. She brings years of caring and working with youth in individual counseling and drug treatment to Ocean Tides.

Residential Social Services Counselors / Social Workers

Mr. Jason Laurie, LMFC
Residential Counselor
A Narragansett resident, Mr. Laurie brings years of experience in private practice and with other DCYF funded programs and agencies to his work with the young men and families of Ocean Tides.

Brother Peter Nguyen, FSC, MSW
Residential Counselor
Brother Peter joins Ocean Tides with years of experience in Lasallian Ministries in the District of Eastern North America. Most recently at La Salle Academy in the Bowery Section of Lower Manhattan.

Ms. Susan MacDonald, MA, LMHS
Residential Counselor
Ms. MacDonald recently joined our social service team at Ocean Tides. She brings years of experience in working with youth both as a private counselor/practitioner and as a clinician/counselor in various residential and outpatient programs.

Mr. Tyrone Gaye, BA
Aftercare and Transition Coordinator
Mr. Gaye, has been a member of Ocean Tides staff for several years as a Residential Counselor and Behavior Specialist.  As our Transition and Aftercare Coordinator he works in conjunction with Residential Social Workers he provides support for youth and families as they prepare for and experience transition and reunification.

Brother Vincent Pelletier, FSC, MA
Court Liaison
Brother Vincent brings years of administrative, counseling and other international experiences with the Brothers to his work in representing Ocean Tides and assisting our young men in being present in court for regular reviews or as otherwise required by their legal situation.

Special Counseling Services

Dr. Norah Sargent, PhD
Northeast Consulting Services
Dr. Sargent brings expertise in various areas of abuse and neglect counseling as well as a career spent caring for youth and families in child welfare and social service environments. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology for the University of Rhode Island.

Rev. Jerry Harbour, MA
Diocese of Providence
A priest of the Diocese of Providence with extensive experience in substance abuse counseling, Father Harbour works with Residential Social Workers and Social Service staff to provide extra counseling and support for young men identified as involved in the cycles of addiction or substance abuse.

Dr. Lindsey Anderson, PhD
University of Rhode Island Clinical Counseling Center
Center staff, particularly supervised doctoral students in Clinical Psychology work with Ocean Tides staff to support special or ongoing counseling needs that augment and complement the work of the residential counselor in achieving treatment plan goals and outcomes.
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[toggle title=’Counseling and Social Services in Residential Care’]

Each young man and his family arrive at Ocean Tides with their own story and history of events and experiences that brought them to our Narragansett campus.  The Social Service Team look to help each young man and his family understand the impact of that history, and identify the conversations that need to happen and the skills that need to be developed for a better and brighter future for the individual young man, his family, their relationship and the community at large.

Each young man and his family are assigned a Residential Counselor who is their primary contact for counseling as well as case management.  This counselor will meet with the young man and family, learn their history, review records, collaborate with other Ocean Tides staff, the Department of Children, Youth and Families staff, including probation officers to develop a treatment plan and goals to be accomplished while at Ocean Tides.  This plan guides the work and goals to be accomplished while at Ocean Tides.

Weekly formal individual counseling sessions, regular family sessions, and easy availability to support the day to day concerns of a young man are part of the work of each residential counselor.

As case managers, residential counselors are the main point of contact and communication between the family, DCYF and others, and Ocean Tides. Each Residential Counselor works with the Ocean Tides Aftercare and Transition Coordinator, probation offices, FSU workers if assigned, and others to coordinate the various residential therapeutic interventions needed as well as parent education, weekend visitation, preparation for discharge and transition.  The Residential Counselor also works with the court liaison and President of Ocean Tides to prepare each young man for court appearances.

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While each Residential Counselor is a Master Degreed prepared counseling professional, Ocean Tides support their work with additional counseling services and supports with the following resources:

Clinical Anger Management Counseling is provided for youth in need of greater insight into their emotional reactions to situations or the actions of others.  Young men are assisted in developing alternative strategies for reacting to situations that trigger anger. They are assisted in developing a toolbox of skills to aid in communication and problem solving around angry reactions.

Special Counseling Supports are provided young men when identified as a need in their treatment plan.  This may happen through extra sessions with the Residential Counselor or sessions with the Director of Social Services, or counselors from the University of Rhode Island Clinical Consultation Center, or with Dr. Sargent.

Whether involved in cycles of addiction or years of substance abuse and misuse, Ocean Tides offers both integrated treatment of those issues in sessions with the Residential Counselor, as well as added supports and therapy through work with special counselors from Meadow’s Edge who provide group and individual care as needed.

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[toggle title=’Psychiatric Services’]

Each young man who enters Ocean Tides receives an initial evaluation session. Follow up care and supports are then provided as needed with regular appointments for review of progress as well as psychotropic medication management as may be necessary.

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[toggle title=’Treatment and Care Planning’]

The Social Service Team member (Residential Social Service Counselor), joins a representative of the Education Program and Residential Services for a monthly review of the overall progress of each young man in the program.  These treatment review meetings are overseen by Ocean Tides Director of Administration/Quality Improvement Officer, and serve as a point in time look at progress in each department as well as together in the care of a young man. The need to make any modifications to the treatment plan, or aspects of services, supports and activities within the treatment milieu to better support or increase overall progress toward treatment goals.

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