Stories of Hope is an ongoing series from Edgewood highlighting our work and the lives changed for those young people able to engage with our services.
Eleven-year-old Star came to Edgewood Center for Children and Families to escape domestic abuse. Her family cared for her but struggled to find the appropriate tools to handle Star’s unique challenges with self-esteem and aggressive behavior. After trying our Community School as well as foster care with a responsive family and finding neither to be enough, Star joined our Short-Term Residential Treatment Program (STRTP). Star has since become one of our first graduates from STRTP and shown exemplary growth towards recovery.
Upon her arrival, Star was wary of her temporary home. Despite having attended our Community School on campus, she was still unsure of her situation. With some time and encouragement, Star gradually grew more comfortable living in our cottages. Even as she worked hard to overcome her issues with eating and self-harm, her naturally outgoing personality shined through. Our expert staff helped Star discover her inherent strength of building relationships, which became a focal point for her to take on her behavioral challenges. This was her first step to empowerment – and important part of the recovery process.
Star graduated from STRTP after 4 months and returned home to live with her biological mother’s family. Although she no longer lives on our campus, Star still receives plenty of support from Edgewood and peer mentoring from our partner, Braid Mission, as a part of our program’s aftercare component. Her family participates in family therapy, where they learn appropriate communication and coping skills. By stepping down from residential care but still providing a path to recovery, we hope to give Star a stable transition back to living at home.
When a youth comes to Edgewood, they often carry heavy circumstances with them. When those circumstances present too big of a challenge for their families and caretakers to handle, our Short-Term Residential Treatment Program (STRTP) steps up to provide a temporary home for youth. During their stay, they are provided with support from therapists, counselors, and behavioral coaches with the ultimate goal of permanent placement. To learn more, click here.
