April 23, 2010
A Doctor's Advice
Ask Youth First!
BY DR. WILLIAM WOOTEN
The Youth First site, www.YouthFirstInc.org, includes a page entitled ASK YOUTH FIRST. On this page, I respond to questions emailed to the site by anonymous writers from around Indiana, the United States and a number of other countries. About 15 percent of visitors are from outside the U.S. Visit www.YouthFirstInc.org and ASK YOUTH FIRST your own questions. Any reasonable question will be answered. The names, below, may be changed.
Franklin asked Youth First:
I am a parent of a 14-year old boy. I have tried to raise my son to be respectful and follow rules. I recently caught him using tobacco and alcohol. I have tried to talk to him about this and have taken away cell phone, computer, TV, video games. He is doing very poorly in school and has a general attitude that the classes he is doing poorly in are not important so it does not matter. I have exhausted all means of talking and explaining and still feel that he does not realize the seriousness of his actions. What services do you offer that might be of assistance and what are the costs of these services?
Dear Franklin,
Your concerns are certainly justified. When alcohol and tobacco use start early in life there is greater risk of serious, life-long problems. The consequences you have provided are also very reasonable. If the behavior continues, your son may be “offered” additional consequences (school discipline, legal, accidents, relationship problems, health issues, etc.) that have more impact. These consequences may get his attention and provide you with opportunities to have additional conversations. In the meantime, your son may benefit from some assistance from Youth First or another agency.
Youth First offers a variety of prevention/intervention strategies. Check to see if there is a Youth First social worker school and, if so, make an appointment for evaluation. The Youth First web site, youthfirstinc.org, shares information on some of these programs. They are based on the age, school, level of involvement in harmful behavior, and other risk factors. There is no charge for any of our services. We depend totally on donations and grants to sustain Youth First services for children and families.
If you will contact Josh at Youth First (812) 421-8336, ext. 0 and leave a message for Dr. Wooten or Davi Stein, clinical supervisor of Youth First Social Work Department, we will call to share what resources we have at your son’s school and help him connect to those services or make suggestions regarding other community resources.
Rebecca asked Youth First:
I am the mother of a 14-year old boy who is currently in detention because of his behavior and anger issues. He is currently scheduled to be transferred to the Youth Opportunity Center in Muncie, Ind., later this month. I spoke to his probation officer and she has no ideas for aftercare programs when he comes home (I don’t know when that will be yet), or for any programs that will help me help my son transition from detention to home. He has been in placement for nine months. I am extremely worried that, without the correct aftercare and programs put in place, my son will end up using again and end up back in detention. All of your programs seem very helpful. If there is any way that you could give me any more info about when they start, registration guidelines, etc. it would be wonderful. I live in Evansville, and my son will be coming home to Evansville. Please, any help at all would be appreciated. I am doing the research for programs alone. Thank You.
Dear Rebecca,
You will need to view this as a long-term effort on his part. There are no quick fixes for the problems you describe.
If he has a substance abuse problem, you should see if he can get into a proper treatment program. If you have the resources, he may benefit from a long-term residential program such as Aspen Ranch (Google it) in Utah. There are some out-patient treatment services for substance abusing teens are available in Evansville.
If your son has a serious conduct disorder, he may require far more help than any of the Youth First programs provide. The key to success for him will be an intense personal desire for positive change. If he doesn’t want to change his behavior/attitude/lifestyle and accept the advice/guidance of those who want to help, it is less likely that he will be successful.
Intensive supervision by his probation officer, random drug screens, an individual therapist, school social worker support, along with clear limits and immediate, reasonable consequences for misbehavior in home, school, or community will be helpful.
A Youth First program could help if he’s receptive and motivated to consider a change in his behavior. If there is a Youth First school social worker at his school, she would need to meet your son for a thorough evaluation and determination of which programs might be of help. If he is not a “fit” for a Youth First program, he still might be eligible for Youth First social worker support, along with the other support systems mentioned above, when he returns to the school setting.
Youth First social workers and our programs are not available at every Evansville school. You may want to contact the Youth First office, Davi Stein, (812) 421-8336, to find out what is available at your son’s school.
The opinions, advice and information contained herein are not intended to provide professional medical advice or treatment, but are merely responses to questions from unidentified persons without advantage of actual knowledge of specific facts, circumstances and history of such person; and therefore, all responses contained herein should serve only as a suggested guide or possible course of action based on the question. Responses provided herein cannot replace professional assessment a person may receive from a visit with a healthcare professional. Youth First, Inc. hereby disclaims any and all responsibility or liability, which may be asserted or claimed arising from or claim to have arisen from reliance upon opinions, advice or information disclosed herein.