About

The Mission

Boys ranches are treatment centers dedicated to enriching the lives of at-risk boys. Generally, they offer comprehensive youth services and provide innovative intervention services to at-risk boys.

According to Abraham Maslow, self-actualization is the need to develop ones potential fully, to lead a rich and meaningful life, and to become the best person one can become. We believe everyone has this potential. We provide extraordinary experiences and relationships that allow youth and families to understand their accountability within their environment, and by so doing, experience new heights of self-esteem.

At a good boys ranch, the humanistic psychology view—the need for love, self-esteem, belonging, self-expression, and creativity—govern.

• Youth are respected, youth are safe
• Family unity is supported
• Communities are protected and involved

If we define success as self-esteem motivated by self-improvement then success is what makes good behavioral health fun.

Accountability Centering

Boys ranch treatment philosophies, such as goal oriented and accountability centering, are aimed at redefining the individual self-esteem of at-risk boys. With individual, personalized treatment and education plans, the aim is to help troubled boys attain stability and balance in their perceptions, emotions, and behaviors.

In the accountability centering approach, boys are encouraged to explore the fundamental problems in their past, current, and future lives in relation to abuse, abandonment, and civil issues.

Through many ranch mentor and tutor programs, boys develop the skills necessary for academic, vocational, and community success. By being accountable for their success in these fields of challenge they learn to assess and act rather that to react to challenging situations with violence, frustration, and anger.

Ranch programs combine proven therapeutic activities and interventions designed to help clients understand their pasts and plan for success in an alternate future. By being accountable for their success in these programs a client can re-define his potential.

Program elements often include:

• Supportive Staff who encourage, nurture, and reinforce positive, personal discipline. Although trained to intervene to maintain a safe community, self-discipline traits are taught so clients can connect positively with their community and hold themselves accountable.

• New environments and experiences to allow a client to break free from learned disciplines and behaviors.

• Physical challenges such as biking, camping, riding, and construction experiences to allow clients to experience success in teamwork.

• Education challenges to bring clients closer to their own peer level goals. Daily accountability builds personal accomplishment and self-esteem.

• Vocational experiences and planning to help clients to realize their potential in their stage of life and to be successful in a chosen career.

• Treatment modalities which include: personal and group counseling daily; family counseling at least weekly; and therapeutic experiences in music, art, and working with animals which allows clients to experience new levels of self-esteem and responsibility. All therapy programs are developed by personal individual assessment.

• Community service programs develop community awareness and self-worth on a contributing level.

• Family reunification by involving the family to understand the new level of self-esteem that the client has developed. Understanding the importance of continued development and interaction after the program is essential.