May 14, 2009
Thursday

I have lived and worked with the youth, in Ketchikan, for the past eight years. Treating their mental health. At RYC, some of the kids come in because they are having difficulty navigating adolescence with their families. These kids are placed at RYC by their parents.

Other youth come in through the system. Either through Juvenile Probation or Social Services. These are kids who may have had horrific childhoods. Some have been sexually abused, by numerous people. Some have witnessed severe, domestic violence. Some have had a gun held to their head or helplessly watched a parent endure this. Some were born with drugs in their systems. Some have lived on the streets or been runaways for extended periods of time. Some have had sex in middle school. A lot have used major drugs and alcohol, some beginning at age eight or nine. When these kids come to see me they may burn themselves, cut themselves, act out sexually, and not trust anyone. Their behaviors may be extreme. They may be oppositional, and reject authority. They may not understand that they are lovable or that they deserve to be properly cared for. A lot of these kids are very behind in school or have severe academic difficulties.

Would you open your home to any of these youth in need of care, love, and support? Be grateful to those in the community who do.

Melissa Muller
Ketchikan, AK

Received May 13, 2008 - Published May 14, 2009

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