Options for Troubled Teens and At-risk Youth


Residential Treatment Centers: this option for troubled teens describes a program and treatment facility where a parent can send a troubled teen for therapy and structured, formal intervention and treatment. The time spent there will range from six to twelve months, sometimes longer. An industry-favourite that remains highly effective, especially when utilizing it in combination with and after-release-care plan and combined with seminar-like learning, measurable goals and objectives. Examples are behaviour modification programs and specialty boarding schools all promise help for troubled teens.

Private Boarding Schools For Troubled Teens: A program or school where a parent sends a troubled teen and they are known for their “specialty”. Periods spent there will range from three to six months on average or longer if required. Providing the tools necessary for permanent change such as seminars and the opportunity to learn more, structured, scheduled and prescribed follow-up, structure and routine – setting behavioral parameters for troubled teens while equipping them with the necessary coping skill toolkit to keep problem solving on their own in the real world, once they leave this environment.

Therapeutic boarding schools are aimed towards students who are having difficulty in a traditional school setting. While preparing students for college can also be a goal for these schools, these schools are also able to handle students who are facing challenges such as behavioral / emotional problems, substance abuse, or significant learning differences. Such students are sometimes referred to as "troubled-teens" or "struggling teens;" hence, therapeutic boarding schools are sometimes called "boarding schools for troubled-teens" or "boarding schools for struggling teens."

The “quick fix” Wilderness program for Troubled Teens : these interventative programs can range anywhere from seven to sixty days and normally leaves the after-care in the hands of someone else, troubled teens their caregivers, parents, teachers or therapists. It will not necessarily on its own lead to guaranteed lasting change in a troubled teens life.

“Boot-camp” for Troubled Teens: Youth boot camps are a confrontational environment with adversarial tone, approach and element that delinquent and juvenile practitioners like the least. It ranges from seven to thirty day periods and are intense intervention, in-your-face, challenges, routines and activities designed to break down, break through and then build back up. Usually utilized as punishment by the judicial system and should not be seen as a replacement for long term care options.

Military Schools: The military model reinforces the importance of organization, teamwork, discipline and personal responsibility. Where to send a troubled teen needing discipline, structure, order and routine – a militarized style provides an empty behavioral “shell”, structure, but they usually do not help in isolation, for changing behavioural disorders and other problems of troubled teens.



http://www.parentteen.com/troubled_teen_options.html

Those programs don't work unless they want help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These programs are designed to help them to think,
and build their lives.
To give them goals and responsibilities.

Their misdirected lives will be changed.

They aren't initially aware of their need for these programs.

Would the streets and prison be a better alternative?

I understand that! But,untill the person is ready for the life changes.They will not work.....The progams don't fail.The people in them do. Back to the old saying,You can lead a horse to water,but you can't make him drink!!

Most young people don't voluntarily join these programs.
School couselors or the court system may recommend them.
These are offered as alternatives to juvenile detentions,
which have become revolving doors
for our young men and women today.
We as parents must be supportive of these programs
and our youths. Regardless of the episodes
that led to the choosing of these programs,
we should not leave our teen with the feeling of complete abandonment.

Somewhere along the way
our youth may have lost communication with us
prior to entering these programs.

Yet, in time they may learn to express positive feelings,
ideas and goals we never imagined we'd see in them,
even remorse... for the misunderstanding
between him/herself and the parent/s.

Once he/she is in the program let it run its intended course.

These are modes of intervention.

dont let your kid near one of these places detention centers are no good your kid will end up more messed up than you can imagin and if its you thats sent them there they will hate you for it and it will be in the back of there mind forever trust me also they will learn alot in there and i dont mean in a good way the people they will meet and mix with on a daily basis will teach them things your child will go in a petty thief with a few anger problems that can be sorted out by bit of quality time love and attention and come out an armed robber with a crack addiction there are better ways to help kids most of the time there crying out for attention not detention you tell me how your helping a child by locking them up taking there freedom do you no how it feels to be locked up like a dog it degrades you makes you feel worthless ive sat there and listen to kids cry kids that didnt deserve to be in that position good kids that made honest mistakes some of them never make it out of these places through bullying selfharming even rape i hope anyone who sends a child to one of these places has to experince it for themselves and lets see how they end up when they come out i agre with the wildernes projects camping fishing trips rockclimbin kayaking holidays that sort of stuff make them feel liked and loved compliment them and when they misbehave dont shout or disaplin them ignore it they will soon realise that it doesent work like i said it more than likely its the attention they want also lookat there back groundwhere theve come from some children have grown up and seen nothing but violence from an early age at home and in the area where they live drugs and various other things its not fair to throw a kid in front of a judge that comes from a nice area nos ****ALL about life in the real worldor the childs background and send him to dc would they send there own kids NO i dont care whwat any one says no child is bad its the adults that make them bad when i was a child i had a friend hes locked up now doing 20 years his mother was on heroin he never had a dad he used to steal not because he was bad because he needed money to buy food as his drugy mom used to spend there money on smack he got caught a few times and eventually got locked up since then every time he got outof jail within days he be back in for something petty but these charges build up and up and before you no it youve spent your life in prisonfor what started out as a bit of petty shoplifting because you are hungry through no fault of your own any way i could go on all night my point is children are not bad we make them bad give them love and care and a bit of your time and they will make good honest adults one day abandon them or write them of as bad and there on the road to nowhere ive got time for any child no matter what they have done

I can't fathom how any form of isolation is going to help a kid.

I worked with at risk youth for 7 years. Some programs work for some kids, but generally, programs do not work.

I think these programs are nothing but out for money. I would never put my kid in a program like that...most likely when they come out, they rebel even more!!!
Do you work for these people or something? I don't see how leaving a teen in a place like that for a long period of time away from loved ones is going to help...sorry but you are wrong!!!

i couldnt agree more

from an early age i expreiencd these places so i no what there like but i was 1 of the lucky ones i went to live with a good foster family who give me every thing i need to sucseed in life i battled drugs depresion i even tryed to kill my self but this family helped me through this bad time in my life and i wil always be gratfull for what they done for me we are still very close to this day ind i visit regular it could of easyly gone the wrong way for me but i got the help i needed im older now and have 2 kids of my own who i love to pieces i do voluntry work 3 days aweek at my local youth center to help the kids where i live ive done it for some years now im there for them when they need me and i try my best to help and support them i even get a lot of the older ones coming back to visit i love what i do and i feel its my duty to give to these kids what i can and the only reward i get for this is seeing them make somthing of there lives

Ive seen Martial Arts turn alot of kids around too. Just on a side note.

I've seen even more kids turned around by drugs.

I am sure they turned around but not in a good way!!!!

Didn't see good mentioned anywhere...can't have the ying without the yang.

I guess you are right...but this is coming from an aunt that lost a nephew from a drug overdose, so I am totally against drugs!!! I guess people don't think about what drugs honestly do to the family and the children of the ones that pass away!!

We're quick to lock them up if their caught with drugs on them..
yet we can't get them proper care AFTER THAT.
IF they keep them for six months or even a year,,SO WHAT,
They went in fked up and their come out more fked up,,and be right back on the drugs,,,we need to have rehabilitations that TEACH and TRAIN them a job skill THAT WORKS OUT HERE,,where they CAN FIND A JOB,GAIN SOME SELF RESPECT AND PRIDE in who they are,,give um some goals to shoot for and at least FUNCTION AS AN ADULT as they still die as one if not...its sad that WE ARE HERE,,with drugs and youth,,and NO REAL PLANS THAT WORK FOR MOST...
Why,,,Because no-one wants to find the funds to MAKE THAT HAPPEN,,
And the kids are the ones who suffer,,and if they live through it,,their kids as well....I have two nephews who are in there thirties and have never worked much and both on many drugs,,,
They get busted,,released and again and again,,,till they die I guess
Because to get someone off ANYTHING,,you have to give them an OUT for something to look forward to,,,and many need jobs and the ability to do them and to stand tall adain in public eyes,,