When youth return home from placement in a residential juvenile justice program, including those we operate, the path is seldom easy. Residential placement means youth have been removed from the world they know and given an opportunity to explore the behaviors and root causes that led to their court involvement. However, putting practices into place and enacting a new mindset can be put to the test when youth re-integrate into the home, family dynamics, school, and the community.

We work with youth after placement to continue on a positive path by providing a system of support – for individuals and families – and continuing conversations about moving forward. Through our Aftercare Family Functional Therapy program and our mentoring programs, we help youth who have been in placement, who are court-involved, and who have been at risk of court involvement to continue to advance their lives in a positive direction.

Family Functional Therapy Aftercare

Specifically for youth leaving placement in a residential program, we work with youth and their families to ensure a successful reintegration into the home, the family, and the community. We work with youth and their families to move beyond past behaviors, family dynamics, and social influences that led to their court involvement and create a new narrative moving forward. In our Aftercare supports, we use the evidence-based Family Functional Therapy model, supported by 30 years of clinical research to help youth with substance abuse challenges and delinquent and antisocial behaviors by engaging the family.

Mentoring Programs

Rising Ground provides several opportunities for youth to share their experiences, concerns, and ideas with others who have similar experiences to envision a new path forward and create a system of support between youth and adults from similar backgrounds. We conduct two mentoring programs. Our My Next Move program works with young men leaving residential placement, those who have been court involved, and those who are at risk of involvement. Participation in this program is voluntary. Our Plus Mentoring program takes a similar approach but specifically supports youth referred by the Department of Probation. Alongside our mentoring programs, our JustUs  diversion program includes mentoring and group work that meets the unique needs of young women and LGBTQ+ youth.

Our two mentoring programs are facilitated by credible messengers, individuals who have faced similar challenges and have overcome those challenges. Our team then works to inspire and lend guidance to young people who are in a similar position. The work of the Credible Messenger provides a message of resiliency, credibility and voice that can directly connect to each youth’s inner thoughts and experiences. Our mentors help the young people we support maintain positive and appropriate relationships and provide them with support in making safe decisions.

Contact us to learn more about Aftercare and participating in our mentoring programs.