OT: Need ideas for coworker with troubled youth. Options

[Qarl]

I have a coworker that has a troubled youth.

Her son, now 13, was formerly a straight-A student, had great friends and was a nice young man. This was two years ago.

About that time, his best friend was murdered. In the same time frame, he was in two car accidents (one in which he lost one of his fingers). Ever since, he's been angry at the world, lashing out, rebelling, and getting continually out of control.

He now is getting involved with drugs, crime, hanging out with older kids and adults, failing in school, disrespecting his parents and generally being a bad kid. He skips school, escapes out the bedroom window at midnight, lies and steals

His parents are in a low-income household. THey work hard to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. His mother has tried the counselors at school (she says the really have nothing to offer), they've tried anger management, outside counseling, etc.

They are at their wits end and the mother says that she's losing her baby.

She is looking to me for ideas on how to get help for her child. Her problem is she can't afford much, if at all. Government funding, state funding... anything would help.

I've asked if he has any interests, and she says none that are good. She goes to church, but he has no interest in attending youth programs or getting involved in Scouting.

She'd love some sort of boot camp, boys ranch, boarding school, or scare-straight type program... but she can't afford anything.

Any and all ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,

Karl

[andys]

There many county/state youth camps available, but they are voluntary. If said youth has no desire to make a commitment to turn their life around and stay with the program, they're out. There's one such program in California at the National Guard facility in San Luis Obispo that's state accredited and will get them a GED. Youth must apply along with a letter explaining why they think they'll benefit from the program, and go through an interview and selection process. They have a grils program that I sent my then troubled teen daughter to, but after crying her eyes out after the first night about how she didn't want to be there, they released her from the program.

There are also a few privately run programs where they show up at 4:00am to the surprise of the youth, and wisk they them off to a controlled facility far away. That's the other extreme.

There are also many programs offered by the school systems just for these kinds of troubled youth's. Believe me, your co-worker is not alone by a long shot.

Surf the net, and you should come up with a lot of info.

Yeah, I too miss the ass-whupin days..........

Andys