Gateway Woods - Get Started

Tim Sauder, advancement director walking with teen

Residential Care

Gateway Wood has a beautiful 50-acre campus near Ft. Wayne, IN. We have five family group homes that serve a capacity of 32 residents between the ages of 12-19.

Gateway Woods serves children from state and local programs including the Department of Child Services, juvenile probation, the Department of Correction, and special education cooperatives. We also accept private referrals from families, school counselors, social services, pastors, therapists and medical professionals.

The residential program addresses the needs of two distinct groups: abused, neglected or deliquent teens and young mothers and teen pregnancy.

Because residential placement is a very big step for your child and your family please consider trying other less intensive services first. Some services that might help would be individual counseling, family counseling, and Home-Based Services.
Contact Jeff Waibel at our toll free number of 1-888-443-4283 ext. 104 or our local phone number of 260-627-2159 ext. 104. Jeff will be able to tell you whether we have openings for private placements, help guide you through the decision making process to place your child in residential treatment, and fill you in on the intake process.
If appropriate you will be asked to fill out some intake paperwork. This packet of paperwork will be mailed to you and you will be required to fill it out in its entirety before the placement can move forward.
If you are attempting to place your child from another state, you must first gain the approval of the Interstate Compact Office in your state. More information on this process can be found at http://icpc.aphsa.org/Home/home_news.asp.
When your paperwork is completed and returned an interview will be set up with you and your child in order to determine the appropriateness of placement.
After this interview you will be asked to disclose your financial situation (last year’s tax records, pay stubs, etc.) in order to determine your ability to pay. Gateway Woods operates on a sliding scale and the amount you will pay will be based on your income.
After the interview Gateway Woods’ staff members will review your request for placement and make a final decision. You will be notified of that decision within 48 hours of the interview.

School/Day Treatment

Gateway Woods School is an accredited, non-public school for students in grades 6-12. Students participate in core academic classes, daily devotions, individual and group counseling, community service, and independent living classes. Class sizes are small and all teachers are licensed by the state of Indiana. For details on our program, visit our School/Day Treatment Program page.

Students may be enrolled in Gateway Woods School by their parents/guardians, or they may be placed by a county DCS or probation department. Enrollment requirements include the following:

Completed application and Medical Consent form
Release of educational records from the student's previous school
Interview
Student registration and orientation

Please call Tim Wiegand at (260) 627-7315 if you feel Gateway Woods School may be beneficial for your child.

Foster Care

Gateway Woods is an LCPA (Licensed Child Placing Agency). We believe true healing comes from knowing and accepting the love of Jesus, that's why we license Christian homes that have a heart to help hurting youth. Our goal is to give foster children a safe environment where they can learn of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you are a Christian and you have a heart to help abused and neglected children, please call John Stoller at 260-627-2159.

Adoption

If you want to inquire about our Adoption Services, a personal phone contact is required.

Contact Jan Baumgartner, Adoption Manager, at our toll free number of 1-888-443-4283 ext. 103, or our local phone number of 260-627-2159 ext. 103 during business hours. If no one answers leave a message with your phone number and time to return the call.
After the phone contact, an informational packet will be sent out with an application included. (There is no application fee.)
After the application is returned, an office interview with be set up. If our Adoption Services are desired, a contract and other paperwork will be given at the office interview.

For Birth mothers;

Contact Jan Baumgartner, Adoption Manager, at our toll free number of 1-888-443-4283 ext. 103 or our local phone number of 260-627-2159 ext. 103
If I am out of the office or if calling after business hours please call the cell phone # of 260-615-3071.
If no one answers on the above cell phone, please call Jenny Bertsch at 260-312-0554.

Home-Based Services

If you are interested in our Homemaker/Parent Aid Services, please call us at (888) 443-4283 and ask for Jeff Waibel or Kevin Fiechter.

Gateway Woods resident

If you are a family interested in receiving help for your child(ren):

Step One: Contact Jeff Waibel or Kevin Fiechter for availability, pricing, and other information.

Step Two: Provide us with information on the family background, what major issues have developed, and what steps have been taken to alleviate the problems.