Our focus is preventative, and we strive to reach the children before they are scarred by delinquency, substance abuse or emotional strain. We accept no placements from courts, and are not equipped to work with children who have a history of drug or alcohol abuse or emotional disturbances. Our children come to us after their parents or legal guardians make application to place them in our program. We thoroughly investigate the needs and background of the child to determine if we can serve the child's needs, and our staff conducts extensive interviews with the child and family to assure that the child can benefit from our care. Typically, a child will go home during the normal school breaks to visit, and for two weeks every summer.
Children also can attain an occasional weekend pass.
Any home visit, however, depends on the wishes of all parties involved. When a child finishes our program and graduates from high school, we will either assist the child in finding employment or we will pay the cost for that child to attend the college of his or her choice, providing that the child maintains a certain grade-point average and remains free of disciplinary trouble. The cost per family depends on the family's financial situation. No child is ever turned away because of an inability to pay. Often, child support or social security monies help cover some of the expenses.