Troubled Teens Resources

Probably the most effective teen crisis intervention is that which provides juveniles with a vision for the future and the training necessary to achieve that vision. And far better than the government underwriting the entire bill are those non-profit and corporate entities who provide the funding for programs for troubled teens in their respective communities.

Back Track in San Francisco is a good example.

“Through Back on Track, Simon and her team create collaborations with business and labor as well as the public sector. The focus is getting corporations and nonprofits to notice that there is a population of young people who want to work, but are harming themselves and their communities through low-level drug trade.

“I’ve been able to do some public education, along with (Harris), who’s really spearheading a lot of these conversations around the nation, that public safety is about providing opportunities for people to do the right thing,” she said. “It’s also about ensuring that there are consequences for folks who don’t.”

In addition to Back on Track, Simon runs the district attorney’s Changing the Odds, a summer employment and internship program for at-risk youth.”
(source)

Some communities are blessed with program after program for troubled teens. Though it is unfortunate when a teen needs such a program, it is even more unfortunate if the community that they live in have none to offer. Parents would do well to offer support for those programs helping teenagers in their own communities. Teen drug abuse impacts the entire community through increased crime, pregnancies and broken lives.