Youth Villages stories

Blake struggled with anger for most of his childhood, and as he got older, he became more physical. He attended weekly therapy, but it didn’t have much of an impact on his ability to cope. At 15, his aggression reached a boiling point, and his mom called local law enforcement. Blake was placed into state custody for the safety of himself and those around him, and the judge recommended residential treatment.

He went to Youth Villages’ Inner Harbour campus in Georgia, where he received experiential recreational therapy to help him learn healthy coping skills and how to handle his anger without violence.

Blake loves to be outside. While in residential, he enjoyed the outdoor aspects of campus like fishing, and connecting with the staff. He also recalls his favorite outings: Six Flags and Savannah Beach. His parents visited when they could and sent care packages with his favorite snacks: Takis.

He’s been back home in Nashville for three and a half months now and has not had a single outburst. To help with the transition, the family participated in Intercept, Youth Villages’ in-home treatment program, which meets with families multiple times a week to establish safety and stability and keep families together. Their family intervention specialist worked with them on how to handle difficult situations together and support each other’s needs. They role-played and continued to emphasize healthy communication, so it could become more second-nature.

Blake is now able to identify when he’s starting to feel upset and chooses to listen to music, play basketball or take a walk to cool down. If he’s getting mad while with his family, he’ll communicate that he needs to take a break. He then takes at least 10 minutes to himself, and they are respectful of his needs.

He’s talking about the desire to graduate high school, a goal he did not previously have, and he hopes to pursue a career in mechanics or landscaping. His relationship with his younger brother has greatly improved since his return, and they enjoy playing video games together.

Blake is officially back in the custody of his parents. His mom is thankful to have him back and describes Inner Harbour and as a “godsend” and really appreciates the time that the staff took to work with him. While he has completed his work with Youth Villages programs, his specialist connected him with an organization that can provide ongoing mental health support and guidance for the family.

To protect the privacy of children in the foster care system, the names and identifying details have been changed.

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