Troubled Teens Resources

A brilliant student, an ardent athlete, a compassionate and responsive teenager, Ben was every parent’s dream teen. Early in his sophomore year his younger brother met with a tragic accident that no one could have foresaw, yet Ben blamed himself. Therapy and counseling could not ease the young man’s guilt but drug and alcohol and rage did. His self-destruction advanced at an accelerated pace. Within 1 year after his brother’s death he was strung out on heroin and facing possible jail time.

When Ben should have been starting to look at colleges, his parents were instead seeking out boarding schools and specific troubled teen therapy programs that would not only bring about their son’s recovery, but redeem the lost time and academic achievements that Ben had once been fiercely proud of. Ben’s parent were looking for a boarding school that would summon from Ben the breadth of his talents, reconnect him to his integrity and would set him firmly on the course that his skill and intellect dictated.

They were impressed with the emphasis on discipline and structure offered by various boot camps and teen wilderness programs but sought to find that one boarding school that could answer all of their concerns. Parents of troubled teens need to invest time and deep consideration when choosing a boarding school for their teen. More so, think beyond the teenagers recovery, beyond their stay in the boarding school. Consider boarding schools whose programs will help position your teenager on a trajectory that will continue the momentum of healing and rehabilitation they achieved in school.

The John Dewey Academy is an example of one such institution. With sufficient time, a parent can find teen therapy program tailored for their teenagers needs, personality, and intellect.

“…the John Dewey Academy is a coeducational college preparatory boarding school with a strong therapeutic component.
and
JDA is unique in its strong emphasis on academic excellence in the midst of an intense (and intensely ambitious) therapeutic program. We do not believe in warehousing dysfunctional adolescents; rather, we wish to provide the setting and caring community (positive peer culture) which facilitate change.”
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It is hard for the rebellious teen to see the down side of a good high. Boredom and alienation drove them into drug abuse and, for a very short time, drugs seem to offer all of the excitement and fulfillment an empty heart could need.
Until you need more. And then more. But what every drug addict will admit is that nothing will ever match the sensation of that first time. Drugs seduce the teenager into believing that they will always deliver nirvana. By the time a teenager realizes that the first thrill will never return, a great deal of damage to body and soul have occurred as the before and after pictures on this page demonstrate.

What a drug addict will state unequivocally is that freedom from drugs results from wanting to be free. And that is the hardest part of all. What can you say to an addicted teenager to make them want to live? Drug addiction is, after all, a long drawn out suicide, a dangerous dance with death.

That is why it is critical that a parent choose a boarding school, boot camp or wilderness program that employs tools and therapies that will help the troubled teenager find the value in who they are. When a teenager has the time and space to take the aborted journey of self-discovery, with sound guidance they will slowly discover their inherent skills and gifts that past pain, trauma or chaos in their lives prevented them from nurturing. When a boarding school’s treatment program can help a struggling teen to then start honing their natural gifts - be it music, writing, or mathematics or mechanics, the teen will grow to start protecting his new found inner wealth as passionately as they once protected their stash. It is much harder to destroy what you love and an addicted teenager is incapable of self love.

“My last rehabilitation was at the Wilderness Treatment Center in Montana. That program changed my life. I am forever grateful. I learned that I was responsible for myself and the direction of my life. The program gave me the ‘tools’ to deal with my drug addiction. The first 30 days were basic counseling sessions (group and individual), mixed in with outdoor recreation and ranch work. After 30 days at the ranch, a smaller group of 4 to 8 kids went into the mountains for 3 weeks of strenuous hiking. Later, when I was a wilderness instructor at the center, I saw more change in the kids during their 3 weeks in the woods than in any other aspect of their treatment. Kids sometimes would have a dramatic shift in their perception of the world. Twelve years later, I still regularly attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as well as bringing Alcoholics Anonymous meetings into juvenile detention facilities and adult jails.”
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Recovery is often a long and arduous road, but there is hope for parents dedicated to saving their teenager from a life of addiction. Partnership for a Drug Free America has an excellent database of boarding schools, boot camps and drug treatment programs. Find one in your area.

Some teenagers have managed to make it into their teen years without much having been denied them. Spoiled by harried parents or neglected by indifferent parents, the troubled teen has experienced very little in the way of discipline.
When such a teenager is placed into a military boarding school, the shock can indeed be mind altering.

The teenager with excess makeup will be made to remove it. A sneer or an attitude will not earn the defiant teenager street creds in a military boarding school. Rather it will earn them extra duty. All the priveleges the rebellious teenager has felt entitled to now must be earned. IF they want to play a video game or watch a favorite TV show, they can only do so if they have enough “points in the bank”. Suddenly and finally, bad behavior will prove costly.

Here are some basic guidelines in seeking out a military boarding school.

What are Military Schools?

Military schools are very structured schools. Typically they have a regular school year with summer vacation. Students or Cadets can be boarded or some military schools offer a Day Student discount for those that just attend the school during the day.

Who are appropriate candidates for Military Schools?

Military schools are good for those students who do not have any major behavioral issues, but just require more structure in their lives. Military schools usually have entrance exams where students must pass with an average to above average academic background.

Who are not appropriate candidates for Military Schools?

Military schools typically have a low tolerance for students with behavioral issues such as: disrespect for people in authority, low school attendance, poor grades, etc. They do not work for students who have emotional or behavioral problems including, ADD/ADHD, clinical depression, and ODD.

Why aren’t Military Schools appropriate for behavior modification?

Military schools do not provide an in-school treatment program as a general rule. These services might be contracted through a private practice while your teen is at a military school, but the schools aren’t equipped for teens with emotional or behavior problems. Military schools don’t have a solid follow-up program and support system needed for troubled teens and their parents. Programs of a confrontational nature have been proven to create more problems for troubled teens.

How much does it cost to attend a Military School?

Most military school cost about $3,000 to $5,000 per month for a nine-month period. Most require the entire nine-month tuition up-front. Some will break the full tuition up into 2-4 payments. Uniforms and other costs are an additional cost of about $1,000 to $4,000 that is required to be paid up-front with the tuition.
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Boot camps, boarding schools, military schools, teen ranches, wilderness youth programs. Choices - a seemingly infinite number of of choices. For a parent with a teen who is advancing rapidly  down the road to destruction, the multitude of programs and treatment facilites from which to select the best treatment program can be frightening and confusing.
As you embark upon your search, be prepared for the horror stories because there are many, and some, unfortuantely, are true. Thankfully, horror stories are the exception and a wealth of information is available for parents seeking help for their at-risk teenager. But, as with any important investment, emotional detachment and objective appraisal of all the available facts will help you render a decison unclouded by the chaotic emotions at play while in the midst of seeking help for your son or daughter. And this is surely an investment that requires clarity of mind and purpose.

The following guideline provides an outline for key areas of concern.

• Who is the Director and what are their credentials and background?
• Is the facility licensed?
• Will I be able to speak with my child? How often?
• How often can I visit my child? Are there required visits for parents?
• What types of financing is offered? Do they have scholarships?
• Are there extra fees over the tuition?
• Will my insurance cover any of the tuition?
• What is the average stay? Is there after-care?
• What is their success rate? Do they have a guaranty?
• If my child turns 18, can they stay if they are willing to?
• Do they offer open enrollment?
• What are the average age and how many students are in the school?
• If it is coed, are they kept separate? How?
• What form of discipline is used? What are their consequences?
• Is their staff qualified for their position with the school? Do they do background checks on their staff prior employment?
• Educational:
• Is the academics accredited? Through what organization?
• Will their transcripts be accepted at their local school?
• Are the teachers credentialed? What is their experience?
• Do they offer special education or help with learning disabilities?
• Are SAT, ACT or other college placement tests available at the school?
• What is their extra curriculum? Do they offer music, sports, arts, etc?
• Do they offer vocational courses or college courses?
• Are there extra fees for special classes?
• Medical and Therapy:
• Is therapy offered and is it included in the tuition?
• If not, what is the fee and will my insurance cover it?
• Where is the nearest hospital to the facility?
• Is there a doctor or nurse on staff? If not, how often to they visit?
• Do they accept children on medication? Do they believe in medication?
• Behavior:
• Will they keep a child that doesn’t want to attend?
• Do they accept children that are escorted?
• Can the child be expelled? If so, what must they do to get expelled?
• Do they accept teens that are extremely aggressive?
• Do they accept Court Appointed teens?
• Do they accept teens with criminal records?
• What types of children are accepted into the school?
• Safety Measures:
• If a teen runs away, what procedure is taken?
• Is the facility staff secured 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
• What are the credentials of the staff?
• What is the staff-to-student ratio?
• Is there regulations put on mail and phone calls?
• Do staff members read the mail? Do they monitor the calls?

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Though a pervading sense of urgency may fill your every waking moment, this is the time to slow down and take measured steps to assure that the wisest choice is made for your teen and your family. There is indeed a long road ahead but, with the vast array of resources available to parents today, it is a road that can lead your child into the bright future that you envisioned.