Short Term Boys Program

Teen Rescue's short term program is called "Focus". In this program you enroll your son for one month at a time until needed.

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Long Term Boys Program

Teen Rescue's long term program is an 18 month program geared to help teen boys who are in need of help.

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Other Programs

Teen Rescue offers family counseling services as well as a school for troubled teen girls.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long is the program?

Usually, the program lasts 15 to 18 months. The length depends on the overall progress of the student. Boys can possibly finish early, but this usually does not occur. Boys generally require a significant amount of time to change behavioral patterns. The decision concerning when a student is finished with the program is not based on how long the student is in the program. Rather, it is determined by how long the student does well in the program. In order for a child to be able to ability to maintain change in their lifestyle upon returning home, he needs a strong foundation of consistently positive behavior.

2. What if a child does not want to go to JYA?

Children usually do not want to go to JYA.  For this reason, we recommend not telling your son that you are planning to put him into the program. If you tell him about your plans to put him into JYA, he could possibly run from home or become aggressive and argumentative with you. Therefore, the ideal scenario is that you refrain from sharing your plans to place your child in JYA with your son and that you use a transport service to take him to campus. If your child does find out or if you have already told him of your plans, JYA still recommends that you use a transport service whether he wants to go or not.
We have found that using a transport service tends to have a calming effect on the student. When the students are taken to campus by the parents, this tends to have a much more negative emotional impact on the students. This makes the admission process much more difficult.

3. What do you do if a child runs away?

If a child runs from the campus, the staff is not legally permitted to physically restrain a child. Therefore, in the event that a child does run, a JYA staff member will follow him and make every attempt to ensure he is safe. Due to the fact that JYA is located in a rural area, it is possible that a runaway could evade the staff members. In this event, JYA will let the authorities know that the child has run from campus.
Most boys will probably return within thirty minutes because there is really nowhere to go. However, sometimes a student may make it back home. If this is the case, it is very important that the parents bring him back or have him brought back to campus. By bringing the student back to campus, the parents show the child that they are in control of the situation and that they are committed to helping their child change. This also helps by wearing out the student because this process is very exhausting for him just as it is for the parents. This process will help the student to realize he needs to submit to the parents’ authority. Should a child run away and make it home, the JYA staff will coach the parent throughout this process.

4. What is the cost of the program?

Julian Youth Academy (JYA) costs $52,000 for all the costs of 15 months on campus and 6 months of Aftercare Support. Therefore, the tuition involves 21 months of service. The expenses covered by this cost include all the schooling, room and board, and group outings. When enrolling a student at the school, JYA asks for a $10,000 down payment, and the remaining amount is divided between 15 monthly payments of $2,800.
The average cost of other programs charge at least $1,000 more per month, totaling around $15,000 to $25,000 more a year. JYA gives discounts for bulk payments on full tuitions. JYA accepts Mastercard and Visa.  

5. Are scholarships or loans available?

JYA gives zero-interest loans to qualifying parents lasting the length of the program. JYA parents can also work with loan companies if this is possible. A list of loan companies will be provided to the parents. However, parents are required to file all the paperwork themselves.
JYA scholarships are available for parents who are able to demonstrate legitimate hardship and prove that they are in a difficult financial situation that is no fault of their own. All the applications for scholarships are reviewed by the JYA scholarship committee and granted on a case-by-case basis. This decision to grant or deny a scholarship is made by the JYA scholarship committee and is subject to the sole discretion of the committee and the availability of funds.

6. What if my son is on antidepressants or some other psychotropic medication?

During the phone profile and on the written application, the parents will be asked whether the child is currently on any medications. This information about the student’s medication is then passed on to the school psychologist. The psychologist makes a decision about whether or not JYA can help the student based on the severity of the problem and the type of problem that the medication is treating.

7. Do the boys wear uniforms?

The boys do wear uniforms; this is for easier management of a dress code and to prevent boys from grouping one another into economical classes that would cause division. The uniforms consist of polo shirts, khaki shorts, khaki pants, navy blue sweat bottoms, a summer pullover, a summer zipper with a hood, a sweatshirt, a t-shirt and mesh shorts for PE. These items are all to be purchased through Dennis Uniform Company. JYA asks that parents send their children to JYA with two pairs of good running shoes.

8. Can you describe a typical day at JYA?

The following is a schedule of a typical weekday at JYA:

8:00 am – 8:30 am – Devotions
8:30 am – 9:15 am – Breakfast
9:15 am – 12:30 pm – Schoolwork
12:30 pm – 1:15 pm – Lunch
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm – Class
2:15 pm – 3:30 pm – Chores
3:30 pm – 4:15 pm – PE
4:15 pm – 6:00 pm – Free time: shower, read, homework, etc.
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Dinner
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Evening activity
8:30 pm – 9:15 pm – Back in dorms
9:15 pm – 9:30 pm – Quiet time
9:30 pm – Lights out

9. Does it matter if the child and/or the family members is/are not Christian?

No, this does not matter. JYA wants to help families and children regardless of their religion. Although the JYA administration and staff members are all Christians, it is not necessary for the child to be or become Christian. Whether a child decides to become a Christian or not, their decision will in no way affect a student's standing in the program. However, the parents should be aware that the child will be exposed to Christian beliefs. Many of the JYA Christian events are optional for the students.

10. What is the diet like at JYA?

The food is prepared by the staff and the students who take turns preparing the meals. The daily menu is composed of three square meals of healthy and well-balanced foods. The students also have juice or milk each day and eat fruits or vegetables at every meal.

11. Are dietary preferences accommodated?

Physician confirmed food allergies are accommodated by JYA, but we do not accommodate preferences. Beginning a healthy eating routine is a necessary component to beginning an overall healthier lifestyle.

12. How is school conducted?

School is conducted year-round, allowing the students to do schoolwork no matter what time of the year they are enrolled in the program. This year-round schedule gives the students a much better chance of succeeding academically by providing them the most amount of time possible to do their schoolwork.
School is in session Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:15 and 12:30 and resumes after lunch from 1:30 to 2:15. The students work at computer stations that have no internet access, and the staff members are there to help the students whenever necessary. In addition to their schoolwork, the boys have PE for 45 minutes almost every weekday.

13. What do the students do for fun?

The JYA staff members do many activities with the students including playing games, swimming, water-skiing, hiking, playing sports, whale-watching, and going on special outings, to name a few. The staff members and students celebrate holidays together sometimes by having an outside barbecue and a joint celebration.

14. How long does it take for the boys to begin to feel comfortable?

Almost all the students start settling in and enjoy the activities after a few days. The exact time varies from student to student.

15. What if a child gets hurt or becomes sick?

All JYA staff members are CPR trained within three months of being hired. JYA has an evacuation plan for fires and earthquakes and several response levels for different sicknesses or injuries. If a student is sick with something minor or requires routine medical treatment, this situation would call for a Level 3 response. In this situation, he can contact the staff and they can provide him with what is appropriate for his current needs. A Level 2 response would be if a girl needs treatment from a physician. A staff member is always available to take a student to the hospital or the doctor's office, depending on the situation. JYA also has life flight and paramedics available in Julian, which would fall under a Level 1 response, used for the most urgent situations.

16. What if my son has braces?

JYA asks the parents to switch to the orthodontist that JYA uses. A staff member will drive the student to his appointments.

17. Who can be involved in writing and visiting the student?

The only people permitted to write or visit the student are the parents/legal guardians on contract. Also, the parents/legal guardians on contract are the only ones allowed to visit the students on the JYA campus. Initially, parents are permitted one visit on campus every month. After the third visit, parents are allowed to bring siblings if they are younger than ten years old.
For students who have progressed farther into the program, both the number and length of parent visits increase. Students receive off-campus visits after progressing further into the program and eventually are permitted to go on home visits. JYA encourages the parents to spend those visits alone with the child to work on their relationship with her. Students have related that having too many visitors during these times away from JYA tends to overwhelm them. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, or siblings will have increased involvement as the student moves forward in the program.

18. While the child is in the program, how can the parents support him?

Parents can also help their children by attending the parent meetings and the parent seminars. Doing this gives the parents information about parenting and also helps their son because the boys receive points for the parents' attendance. Also, if the student sees the parent is invested in JYA, this encourages the student's participation as well. If parents are not able to attend the meetings, they should call other parents who attended to get the information that they missed. The student will receive points in this situation as well.
Parents are strongly encouraged to visit their children and write to them on a regular basis. This helps the relationship between the child and the parents.
JYA also encourages parents to call each other when they are struggling with their child so as to provide support for one another during this difficult time.

19. Do the boys get to go home for holidays?

Yes, they may go home when they have reached level J in the program.

20. What are the living arrangements like?

{Get information from Phil.}