At the beginning of their journey with Youth Villages, Donna felt she had reached the very end of the road and didn’t know what else to do. “I was on I-85 and thinking to myself, I could end it all right now,” Donna said. “No one is helping me.” In what felt like a final effort to turn things around, a quick search on Google led to a life-changing experience for Donna and Dekhari. Donna discovered Youth Villages and called immediately. She’ll never forget how she felt after that phone call.

“They told me we can help you; it’s going to be okay,” she said. This began a new positive journey for Donna and her grandson. Dekhari entered the Intercept program, which focuses on providing intensive family therapy to preserve the family unit and prevent children from
entering foster care, detention centers and other juvenile facilities.

This intensive in-home program focuses on providing services to children and their families where they are, whether it’s in their homes or in the community. On average, children in Intercept spend three times a week with a specialist to address the challenges they may face in schools, courts and children’s services. Intercept focused on not only meeting the needs of Dekhari but supporting Donna as a full-time guardian. Both Dekhari and Donna had a history of trauma growing up. They had a difficult relationship because of a lack of
understanding how to communicate effectively with each other.

Dekhari dealt with the trauma of his earlier years through negative behaviors. These behaviors led him to missing a significant amount of school, causing him to miss out on his education. This had a domino effect on Donna because she had to worry about her grandson missing class and interrupting her workday to look after him. Intercept taught Dekhari and Donna new skills that would help them regulate their emotions and cope with what happened in their past. This program especially had an impact on Dekhari. He finally had someone in his corner who understood his needs and a specialist who cared about his feelings.

The work they put in together with Youth Villages has helped them make great strides. Donna built a new home for her and Dekhari to move into. Dekhari is in his sophomore year of high school after a successful freshman year in high school. He made the A/B honor roll, moved up to the varsity football team, and played in his first-ever playoff game.

His bond with his grandmother has improved tremendously. Now, they are spending more quality time together and openly communicating in a healthy way. “This success I only credit to Youth Villages,” Donna said. The Youth Villages mission to help children and families live successfully is represented in Donna and Dekhari’s journey. Focusing on the family as a unit helps mental health professionals get a better understanding of the needs of children and the why behind their behaviors. Stories like Donna and Dekhari’s are a testament to the importance of keeping families together and helping them grow stronger with each other to promote positive outcomes for their futures.

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