The program was developed as a joint public-sector and private-sector venture, with seven private child care agencies entering into contractual agreements with the Michigan Department of Social Services. The NCP has a relapse-prevention treatment model approach as one of its underpinnings. The four elements of this model are identification of a problem that provides motivation to change the behavior, acquisition of new skills, opportunity to practice and reinforce the new skills, and support in a community setting that attempts to integrate the new skills and behavior into daily living. The residential component focuses on the first three elements of the relapse-prevention model. Within the first 30 days of the program, each juvenile is given a battery of tests to assess his personality and determine his academic and vocational aptitudes and abilities. Residents participate in one 6-day and one 4-day wilderness trip, and prepare for another 5-day wilderness trip. Residents also will have begun classes, participated in numerous group meetings, and had two family meetings. The residential component uses a system of three levels. The first two levels focus on establishing both individual and group behavioral norms and developing a functional group. At the third level, the juvenile begins preparing for separation from the group to focus on individual accomplishment. A 4-year evaluation by the RAND Corporation found that the residential phase of the program costs less than the traditional training school or private placement and is equally effective in providing cognitive and behavioral skills.