Our group home youth are an asset to the community.

    Dear Editor:
    Kudos to the boys and girls of the Big Horn Basin Group Homes.  You are a real asset to our community.  We really appreciated the efficiency with which you raked our two BIG yards and rid us of all those leaves.  We were impressed with you “get-go” attitudes and your dirt-smudged smiling faces.  Jobs that would have taken the two of us days, you were able to complete in an hour or so.  Wow!
     Does our community realize that you return your earnings to the less fortunate in our basin in the form of Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets, as well as other generous ventures?  Well, it si time they knew that!
     Let’s support these generous and hardworking teens.  Dave and Ken, you deserve a pat on the back, too.

     God bless you one and all.
    Jay and Cookie Henson
    Basin

We were particularly struck by the home's organization--nothing is left to chance from the household chores to homework time. We visited often, and regardless of the time of day, or whether we were expected, or not, the group home was clean and safe.

-- Carl & Marguerite
 

  Words cannot say how much I appreciate you taking Thomas and helping him. 

           -- Caroline
 

With your love and support I have seen my son evolve from a confused, hostile and very frightened adolescent to a young man of whom I am deeply proud of.  You showed him integrity, perseverance, and faith from you and in himself. 

             -- Rebecca

                ... Warren & Linda

I have had the privilege of working with the staff of this program in a number of professional and personal capacities over the past four years. They (staff) are always professional and well organized, yet also zealous and intrinsically motivated to see that all youth succeed. They understand well the intricate balance of the "tough love" concept.

Many of the adolescents attending this program have lost their sense of direction, security, self-worth, and identity due to living in abusive and neglectful home environments. Others have committed delinquent acts, abused substances, and are at risk of placement in detention facilities. No matter the reason these youth are placed, they all feel angry, lost, confused, and hopeless.

Often these youth have attended (or are attending) a number of counseling and therapeutic programs, but have seldom had relevant opportunities and an environment structured enough to apply and practice the skills they have learned. The Big Horn Basin Adolescent Program offers these adolescents the structure and support they need to get their lives back on track. I like to think of the this program as "therapy in action" as these adolescents are able to learn and apply skills such as problem solving, getting along and bonding with others, cooperating as a team, individual responsibility and accountability, and a host of other skills.

I would recommend this program for every adolescent who is "at substantial risk" or even "just on the edge." The program is positive, motivational, character building, and gives youth opportunities to become responsible, well-balanced adults.

Brenda Casework Specialist