Supporting Your Adolescent: Tips For Parents

Making the Most of Available Resources

Most social service agencies or helping organizations offer valuable services. Generally, their staff truly care about helping you and your adolescent. Not all agencies, however, may offer the services that you need. Some also may have a style of offering services that may not be comfortable for you or your family. So it is important, even in crisis, that you treat the selection of an agency to assist you as you would any other important consumer decision, such as buying a car or a house. Look at a number of options, and ask agencies questions such as the following:

• Could you describe the philosophy of the agency regarding working with adolescents and their families?
  
  (Most youth professionals believe that services to young people should address the total needs of your child. An agency with such a “holistic” approach to helping your child will offer health care, counseling, recreation, and family support, either directly or by referral to other agencies. To be effective, these services should help young people develop a sense of belonging, give them chances to master skills and tasks, assist them in learning how to make choices about their future, and support their efforts to contribute to the community.)

  Could you describe the services you offer (type, where offered, length of time services are available)?

• What is the makeup of your staff (for example, racial/ethnic background, gender, education, and experience level)?

• Are there other community agencies that can share their perspective with me about the work your agency does with young people and their families?

• What is expected of my child and me if we participate in your services or program (for example, time and contractual obligations)?

• If we are assigned to work with a staff member with whom we do not feel comfortable, would we be able to request a change?

• Will all information on my child’s case be held confidential?

• What would you do if your staff appeared unable to help my child or me?

• How soon would we access the services (is there a waiting list)?

• What is the cost of the services?

• Is any financial assistance available to help with this cost (for example, Medicaid)?

• What do I do next if I would like to have my child receive these services?

Keep detailed notes on every contact that you make. These notes should include the names of staff people with whom you speak, what they tell you, whether they are sending more information in the mail, how you felt about the interaction, and the date. You can use the information later to choose the agency that seems most appropriate.

You may run into obstacles while seeking assistance for your child. Occasionally, for example, you may speak with someone who does not appear to fully understand the issues facing you and your child. Or you might find yourself being referred from agency to agency. At these times, get support and advice from friends and relatives. They can help you view such obstacles for what they are: “bumps in the road” on the way to finding help rather than dead ends. Your persistence will pay off when you find services that meet the needs of your family.

When Your Adolescent Is In Trouble >>