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Families Learn to Help Their Troubled Teens

Sixteen-year-old Donisha was out of control. She received phone calls at all hours of the night and would disappear to meet with people she met on the internet.  Her mother, Donna, was frightened. One night, when she went missing, Donna called the police. Normally Donisha would have entered the juvenile justice system.  Because of the availability of The Children’s Village Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) Program, she and her family got the help they needed without that stigma.

This program is funded by Westchester County and the U.S. Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  CV uses MST to help Westchester families in crisis, helping families stay together and keeping young people who have just become involved with the justice system from becoming further involved.   Therapists focus services on the entire family, helping parents find alternative methods of dealing with their at-risk child and helping both parents and teens to create a stable home. 

To give both Donisha and her parents a chance to “cool down” before beginning the real work, Donisha spent a week at CV’s teen shelter.  Therapist Emmanuelle Bioh then brought everyone together to help pinpoint what was making Donisha take part in such dangerous behaviors and find alternatives for her and her parents that would keep her safe and out of trouble.

“I asked each of them why they thought these things were occurring,” says Mr. Emmanuelle, as he is known. “I then helped them come up with other activities to keep Donisha busy and helped them communicate what they expected from each other, such as creating behavior contracts.”

After three months of intensive therapy, Donisha no longer meets with strangers and the late night phone calls have stopped.  She is doing well in school and is thinking about college. She joined the cheerleading squad and was featured in a Journal News ad.  Donna now works hard to keep calm and make her expectations of Donisha clear.  She meets each of Donisha’s friends and makes a point to talk to them regularly.  Mother and daughter also spend time together and enjoy each other’s company.  Donna says, “I just told her the other day how proud of her I was for all the changes she has made and how good she is doing.  This program was a big help for us.”

The Children’s Village is an MST network partner and was recently awarded three government contracts from three different government agencies—U.S. Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, New York State Office of Children and Family Services,  and Westchester County. These grants will expand CV’s MST Program to serve a total of 800 families each year.  The Children's Village is currently the largest provider of MST services in New York State and works with families of at-risk teens to either prevent them from being removed from the home or, for those who are returning from juvenile justice facilities, prevent them from reoffending.

Homeless Kids Get a Break and A New Start

When Jodi-Ann W. was 15 she was living on her own, going to school and working to pay a week-to-week rent that was constantly being raised.  When she finally realized that she was facing homelessness, she called CV’s Westchester Youth Services hotline and asked for help.

Jodi-Ann became one of 30 homeless youth in CV’s Supported Housing Program who are given a rent-free apartment for 18 months, help with budgeting and living skills, and help getting a job. In return they are required to finish high school if they haven’t graduated and save 50% of their salaries so they are prepared to move into their own apartments.   
“When I lived in the CV apartment, Mrs. Wallace, my counselor, was like a mother.  She was really strict, but she would be there on Sunday, after church, with some groceries to make sure we were eating,” says Jodi-Ann. 

Armand Paganelli (r) teaches employee Jodi-Ann W. about the medications she works with as a pharmacy assistant at Mt. Carmel Pharmacy, a job she got through The Village.

Jodi-Ann started classes at Westchester Community College two years ago and with the help of CV’s Jobs To Careers Program, found a job as a pharmacy assistant at Mt. Carmel Pharmacy.

“Jodi-Ann came to us with no pharmacy experience, but now she’s an integral part of our pharmacy support team,” says Armand Paganelli, owner of Mt. Carmel Pharmacy. “She is careful, thorough, and conscientious about her work.  And now she has a full scholarship at New Rochelle for the Nursing School.”

Jodi-Ann is now living in an apartment of her own, with her salary from her pharmacy assistant job paying her bills.  She is excited to be starting nursing school in the fall. 

 “I can see myself giving back to young people, helping them like I was helped.  Young people should see this as an opportunity and grab it, especially the young people who are alone.  Every second counts.  Grab school, grab this chance,” said Jodi-Ann.

Jodi-Ann is just one of many youth in our community who are alone, but who can become success stories if given a little help.  If you are interested in joining other local employers who are helping by providing a job, please call 914-423-2621.