Suggested Links
Help Is At Hand Mouse
Although programs, schools and resources available to the parents of troubled teens are located around the United States, many have cooperative relationships with similar organizations in other locations. So don't be discouraged. Take time to browse through these hundreds of Mama Hill’s annotated alternatives.
In addition to local schools, private day and boarding schools, you will also find a host of innovative after school and special interest programs designed to save kids’ lives. With all of these choices we're sure that you'll find something worth investigating further. Just think, your answers may be as close as one click away.
Selected Schools for Troubled Youth
Placement, Outreach & Other Resources
- Drugs & Alcohol
- Parents & Family
- Mental Health/Helplines
- Get Involved
- Public Safety/Violence Prevention
- Especially for Young Folks
Weekend, After School, Summer Programs & Camps
Faith Based Programs & Resources
Selected Schools for Troubled Youth
At the Troubled Teens Dot Com site, you'll find some good tips on everything from teen suicide to truancy and a group of schools that may be effective, but may also make you cash in your 401K.
All 50 of the State Departments of Education, alternative schools and links to juvenile justice, literacy programs and libraries.
The Education Planet is exactly that; a web guide for parents, educators and students. Definitely worthy of a bookmark. This Planet links to programs, schools, resources, issues, grants and articles.
Piney Woods School started in 1909, is the largest of the four remaining historically black boarding schools. Located in the beautiful Mississippi countryside [miles from anywhere] Piney Woods is credited with saving thousands of young lives. More than 95% of its graduates finish college.
The Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States roster schools (secondary and post secondary). Most are high priced, but maybe you can work a scholarship deal.
The purpose of the Grizzly Youth Academy, in California, found through the National Guard website is to improve the life coping skills and employability of at-risk youth, using a military model of discipline.
Find vital school information on all 105,000 K-12 schools in America. If you know the name of the school, a particular district or zip code, try doing your research here: the American School Directory. Search over 20 million University and education pages, plus three encyclopedias, the dictionary, thesaurus, almanacs and biographies, all from one search box, but it’ll cost you a small subscription fee!
From the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance you will find all there is to know about private schools in this “trade” directory. Lists institutions, resources, associations and codes of ethics.
If your adolescent tests well, is a scholar and perhaps is just making so-so grades out of boredom with his or her own brilliance, try contacting A Better Chance. Through a range of programs, A Better Chance, Inc. works with talented students of color—from sixth grade through college —helping them access expanded educational and career opportunities. P-s-s-st, Oprah sezs so and Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick is just one shining example!
The American Association of Boarding Schools offers information on hundreds of boarding and day schools in the U.S., Canada and overseas. Can you say maxed-out Master Card or Visa, anyone?
Parents and professionals can get FREE information and referral services for kids with special needs at the National Association of Private Special Education Centers. Virtually visit schools and get professional advice.
Placement, Outreach and Other Resources
Drugs & Alcohol
Is your life affected by your child who is under the influence? Al-Anon/Alateen
“Gives hope and help to the friends and families of alcoholics.”
Does your friend have an alcohol or other drug problem? The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information brings you “A Guide For Teens” as well as a list of resources and places where you can go for help and support.
Many desperate parents have Googled for home drug testing kits like Drug Test Success, with their “lowest price guarantee.”
But before you reach for your wallet, read this About article, Parents Warned About Drug Testing Kits. They suggest you consult a professional before you get carried away.
Parents/Family
Because I Love You is a parent support group designed to help parents whose children (of all ages) have behavioral problems. This is a 25-year-old organization that appears to have a lot of heart and excellent resource links. In English and Espanol.
If you are a married dad, single dad, divorced dad, custodial or non, whatever, and you have questions, legal issues or just need a clue on how to be a better father, start your search at the National Center for Fathering site. You won’t be disappointed.
Speaking of guys, Menstuff “the national men’s resource,” is one-stop browsing for everything from health issues to support groups, from the latest literature to tons of Menstuff Family and Relationship Organizations and resource links.
Formerly Dads & Daughters, The Dad Man, empowers men to become better parents to their girls. The extensive site includes a plethora of national resources.
Stop Family Violence Dot Org “The people’s voice for family peace” you can “get help, get informed and get involved.” From what we see, this site is extremely current.
Click Focus Adolescent Services for help with troubled teens and healing for families. Free resources, schools, programs, support groups, state directory of helping organizations, listing of national hotlines and helplines and a great subject index.
Mental Health/Helplines
Does your child have a mental illness? The Healthy Minds Healthy Lives website by the American Psychiatric Association, gives you a wide range of selections to research in their Find Topic section. PDF document “Let's Talk Facts About Teen Suicide” is particularly helpful for parents of kids who may be at risk.
Don’t wait for something tragic to happen. Some Things You Should Know About Preventing Teen Suicide by the American Academy of Pediatrics is a quick read on this very hard subject.
The National Runaway Switchboard is a resource we hope you don’t have to use, but let’s face it, more than a million youth a year think that they can run away from their problems. This resource is for parents, teens and educators.
The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline and carries out programs to prevent sexual assault, help victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.
Get Involved
Mentors Peer Network, out of Canada, can help you find a mentor or become one, and includes hundreds of mentoring organizations and links.
Speaking of mentors, one of the best is Big Brothers/Big Sisters. A great place to volunteer, but guidelines are strict. If you want to sign your kid up, better do it before he or she is born. That’s how long the wait list is in most locations.
Boys and Girls Clubs of America “Gives young people a safe place to learn and grow.” Check them out.
The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights is a strategy and action center working for justice, opportunity and peace in urban America. Based in Oakland, it includes the famous “Books Not Bars” campaign.
Give Kids Good Schools is a national campaign to guarantee a quality public education for every child in the nation. Through national activities and online resources, learn/vote/act.
Public Safety/Violence Prevention
In regard to school violence and conflict issues, the Keep Schools Safe website is a source of articles, organizations and resources designed to keep schools safe and violence free.
From Canada, Stop The Violence, Face The Music is where you’ll find a nonprofit organization offering a nonviolent, anti-crime, anti-drug message through music, videos, literature, and public awareness. The site includes news and statistics as well as samples of S.T.V. programs and information about their efforts.
We thought you’d like to know that the California Attorney General’s Safe State, Preventing Crime and Violence In California website, extremely helpful for whatever state or state of mind you were in, is NO LONGER IN OPERATION. The site once covered variety of issues from child or elder abuse to hate crimes or community conflict, with research, articles and resources. But, like we said, it no longer exists. Does anyone besides us want to know why???
At the National Crime Prevention Council website you’ll meet McGruff the 30-year-old Crime Dog, and hundreds of resources to help yourself, your family and your community fight against crime and for public safety.
The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, out of the University of Colorado, draws models, presents information, conducts research, and offers technical assistance in an effort to reduce violence in the community.
From infant maltreatment to elder abuse, preventing violence is the aim of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: Division of Violence Prevention. It's a site with lots of statistics and information about youth and adult violence, including suicide. It also contains information on current CDC Division on Violence Prevention projects and initiatives.
The National Education Association website, help for parents and community in a plethora of areas. For citizens who “hate” government intrusion, check it out and see the good side of your taxpayer dollars at work.
Especially for Young Folks
The reason they call it a generation gap is because there is one, okay??? Without nagging, turn your kid onto Teens Help. They can discuss and sometimes answer many questions that you and I can’t. A lot of reading, this site will appeal to the more mature, thoughtful and literate teenager.
And, for the rest of us, and kids with limited attention spans, we recommend BAM! Welcome to Your Life, from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. It covers a wide rage of topics from a kid’s point of view…with loads of color and sound-effects.
Next Steps Dot Org is a product of the Calgary Youth Employment Centre. It is a full featured employment, career development and job finding resource for youth, particularly in Canada. Very user-friendly.
Youth Build USA works with unemployed young people ages 16 to 24, helping them to acquire practical skills, complete a high school education, and receive leadership training. There are over 200 operating programs in most states. They don’t mean to brag, but First Lady, Michelle Obama is key supporter.
Go YMCA ! “Together, the nation's 2,617 YMCAs are the largest not-for-profit community service organization in America, working to meet the health and human service needs of 20.2 million men, women and children in 10,000 communities in the United States.
Weekend, After School, Summer Programs & Camps
The My Summer Camps website breaks down thousands and thousands and more thousands of camps by age, interest and region, profiling each one in detail.
In the Peterson's Planner you’ll find resources on K-12 schools and summer programs. Pick an activity, choose a location—day camp, weekend or all summer long—and click an infinite number of choices and prices.
Go Camps Dot Com is another site that has more choices in activities than Walmart. Just one surprise we discovered was Wellsprings Family Camp, for teens with weight loss challenges.
So your kid wants to be in pictures—in Paris or London, maybe—and you've got the bucks, check out the New York Film Academy and explore filmmaking programs in Europe and the U.S.
And…if money is no object, maybe you'll get more than a ho-hum from your teenager with one of these adventures offered by American Adventures Ventures Everywhere (AAVE).
For the rest of us, in or near almost every city and town across the country, there is a Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
A Place Called Home in Los Angeles is a dynamic youth enrichment center with loads of programs for at-risk youth.
The Los Angeles Youth Opportunity Movement works with families, schools and community partners “To create opportunities that help youth reach their education, employment, and personal development goals.”
Also check your local Department of Recreations & Parks, library and other community outreach organizations for activities that will hold your teen's interest.
Faith Based Programs & Resources
At Alcoholics Anonymous, with the help of a Higher Power, 12 great steps often lead to one big leap towards sobriety.
Amachi Program Philadelphia based, the Amachi Program pairs children of incarcerated parents with positive mentors.
On the national level, Angel Tree is a ministry that reaches out to the children of inmates and their families, through prayer, programs and many needed resources.
The Baptist Child and Family Services is a human services organization has locations and programs throughout the world.
Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA - There may be a better national character-building organization, but we haven’t found it. How many Eagle Scouts do you know in prison? There, I rest my case.
“A Positive Place for Kids” is the motto of the Boys and Girls Club of America. “Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.”
Covenant House International is the largest privately-funded agency in the Americas providing shelter and other services to homeless, runaway and throwaway youth.
East of the River Clergy-Police-Community Partnership serves the youth of Southeast Washington D.C. Their mission is to provide “life transformation through community-based, school-based & re-entry focused programming.”
If you’re in need or ready to put roll up your own sleeves, you should know that “Habitat for Humanity International, Inc. "has built more than 225,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.”
Here’s a list of United Way agencies (by state) that deal specifically with Domestic Violence.
Other Suggested Resources:
Prisoners with Children - A helpful resource and support group for the forgotten crime victim, the children.
Books Not Bars - The Ella Baker Center fights to redirect California's resources away from youth incarceration and towards youth opportunities.
