Program Description

Youth today face a number of unfamiliar and even unfair life situations while making the transition into adulthood. These circumstances as well as dysfunctional family situations can lead them to make careless choices like running away, joining gangs, using drugs and alcohol, unplanned pregnancy, getting involved in delinquent behavior, or entering into destructive relationships. Through the Higher Ground program Gateway offers individual youth, family, and group counseling designed to help families avoid these situations.

The program's goal is to help youth and their families learn healthy ways to cope while working on solutions. Using strengths the family may already have and working on the skills needed to build a stronger foundation for a new and healthier relationship, Higher Ground helps family members reach agreeable plans for the future. All services are free.

Uniqueness

• Counselors carry cell phones and are available to clients 24 hours-a-day for crisis intervention.
• The program strives to reunify families within 14 days and usually accomplishes reunification within 10 days.
• We can provide emergency shelter (Maximum of 14 Days) for the youth during a cooling-off period while we do more intensive crisis intervention.

Typical Client's Profile

• Youth age 10-17 and their families
• Low-income