Center guides teens to safer ground

贝琪·林奇

“Adolescence can be a turbulent timLaurie Klith说. Yet in her 23 years advocating for kids with emotional, 行为, 以及药物使用问题, she’s found area teens to be respectful and cooperative with staff offering a healthier path.

“Sometimes people have a stigma about teenagers, but once you understand who they are and what they want their lives to be, you just want to help them get there,克里斯说, founder and director of The Center for Family Outreach (TCFFO).

When a student is referred to the Center, Klith doesn’t see a “troubled teen.”,而, she sees a smart and capable individual who has yet to learn the life skills needed to successfully navigate this complex world.

Teens are naturally curious, experimental, and sometimes impulsive. They might want greater independence. They may not think about the consequences of high-risk behaviors such as drinking alcohol, 药物使用, 无保护措施的性行为, 战斗, 网上交流, 跳过学校, or other self-harming choices. 添加压力, 焦虑, 抑郁症, 来自同辈的压力, 不安全感, 欺凌, 家庭功能障碍, and other challenges to the mix, and it’s not surprising that some teens find themselves failing in school, 与父母争吵, 物质成瘾, 或者触犯了法律.

Rather than let these youth continue down such treacherous roads, the Center provides counseling, 治疗, and classes to raise self-esteem, 改善沟通, and address emotional and 行为 problems so teens can get back on safer footing.

The Center’s staff includes therapists, 辅导员, 教育工作者, and case managers who work with approximately 250 students and their families each year. 推荐人来自老师, 父母, 学校辅导员, 少年司法官员, 社会工作者, and mental health professionals.

“I feel so privileged to be able to work in Larimer County, a community that advocates for its young people,克里斯说. “We are united in our efforts on behalf of our kids.”

The organization partners with the Health District of Northern Larimer County’s Child, 青少年, and Young Adult Connections (CAYAC) team when teens need a higher level of treatment than TCFFO can provide. CAYAC staff includes a child psychiatrist, 心理学家, and care coordinators who promote early identification and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders for young people, including psychological testing, 短期咨询, and brief medication management. They also connect families to community resources that meet their needs.

TCFFO has offices in Fort Collins and Loveland, where classes such as “Navigating Life” and “Power of Conversation” are taught in age-appropriate groups. There’s also a Parent Navigators Program that teaches strategies for interacting more effectively with teens.

服务 are provided on a sliding fee scale. No one is turned away due to an inability to pay. To learn more about TCFFO and its programs, go to tcffo.org，或致电 970-495-0084.