FAQs

Yes. Springboard is the middle ground between a 30 day program and a year long boarding school. Many teen girls will not commit to a program that is a year or more, but need more than a 30 day program. Because we focus so much on our family program and on very specific counseling topics with our students, they are able to successfully complete our program on average in 4.5 months and see lasting change after graduation. Most students come to our program once outpatient is no longer an option or as a preventative measure before things get worse at home. Many of our students have also experienced a life-threatening event that made them realize they had to make a personal change sooner rather than later.

Springboard is accredited by and a part of Adult and Teen Challenge. Adult and Teen Challenge was started in 1958 as a ministry to help gang members on the streets of New York City. Since then, ATC has opened centers across the world that use Biblical curriculum and counseling because we believe true freedom comes through faith in Jesus Christ. We will not force faith on anyone, but having a foundation to begin healing is very important for staying clean, sober, and stable. Belief and having meaning outside of yourself give people something to live for and a reason to change their lives.

Springboard’s approach to students, families, staff, and all those who come into contact with us is grace based. This means that we are not centered on behavior modification or punitive systems, but rather focus on addressing the root issues that then cause behaviors and patterns to change. We don’t believe that there is such a thing as a “bad kid” so we want to help change habits through relationship, trauma informed care, communication, and reconciliation.

You can’t force healing on anyone. One of our foundational scriptures is the story found in John 5, where Jesus heals the man at the Pool of Bethesda, but not before asking him if he wanted to be made well. Teenage girls are no different. If they aren’t ready to receive help or change their patterns of living, no one can force them to. Each of our students goes through an interview process and has to agree to come on her own accord. We are also not a lockdown facility, so the girls can choose to walk out of our gate at any time. We will do all we can to help them not make that choice, but their future is up to them.

Yes, financial aid is available to any families that need it. Part of the application process is filling out a scholarship application so that we can see what is financially possible for you to do. Financial hardship is not something that we want to add to an already stressful situation, so we do our best to make our process and finances as easy as we can. We also run a student sponsorship program and can help families send out fundraising letters to provide financial assistance.

We do not turn anyone away based on finances and we guarantee scholarship. We never want to hear a family say “we love your program and think it would be great, but we just can’t afford it.” Please reach out to us if you need financial assistance.

We are a qualifying healthcare organization and not a medical/clinical facility. Some insurances or state agencies have covered tuition for past Springboard students, but that is something you as a student family would have to work on and follow up with. Usually Springboard is not covered by insurance, but you can ask your insurance provider.

The majority of our program cost is covered by donors, churches, and organizations who choose to support us. We also have a student sponsorship program to help make up the difference between what families can afford to pay and what it costs us to put a student through Springboard. The total program cost for each student is $24,500, so we do many fundraisers, events, and more to help make up that difference, since we only charge families what they can afford to pay for tuition.

While their students are in the program, families are asked to participate in their own family and parent program. Springboard counselors assign books, resources, and suggested activities to families as needed. Every family is also required to attend at least one Parent Workshop before their student can graduate the program, as this is a day of training and teaching before she assimilates back into the home. Parents/Guardians are also required to make phone calls, communicate, visit, and do family counseling with their students as scheduled. As we like to say: When your student is enrolled in Springboard, so are you.

All Springboard staff are required to complete at least 24 hours of annual training through DCS and at least 12 hours of training through our accreditation with Adult and Teen Challenge. With our staff meetings, CPI training, CPR/First Aid training, Trauma Informed Care training, and more, Springboard staff usually end each year with over 40 hours of training. Most of our staff have over 10 years of experience working with children/teens and all are female for a girls only facility. To learn more about the individuals on staff, visit our About Page.

Because our program is shorter than 6 months, we do not do traditional schooling. Because of the habits that they have learned at Springboard, students can easily catch up once they return home. Many students immediately receive their GED’s, graduate early, or easily catch up to the grade they should be in. Additionally, each graduate does leave with a transcript because our students do a lot of reading, writing, home ec., PE, fine arts, life skills, etc. See Sample Transcript. Because we are not an accredited school it is ultimately up to the student’s school to decide if they will accept the credits she earns here, but most schools are happy to award those credits to their returning students.

Some of our students are court ordered to complete Springboard and many have PO’s or other legal assistance. Please be sure to give us the necessary information. At intake, we receive all of your insurance information for any medical emergencies that come up and will communicate with the family as necessary. You are asked to provide transport to and from court and medical appointments. Springboard is equipped with a handicap shower and can accommodate most medical needs, as long as that has been communicated with us prior to intake.

Springboard is not equipped to handle severe allergies or vegan/vegetarian diets. All of our students cook and eat three meals a day and are required to eat what is set before them with a balanced diet. Many students who are coming off of drugs will gain weight during our program because they are eating three meals a day, and we ask that you refrain from making comments about physical appearance and weight to them. PE and exercise are required to help stem off some of the control the students wish to gain over their eating habits. If a potential student has a severe food allergy, please notify us before the intake date. Most allergies are easy to accommodate, but we will need a written doctor’s note to place in her file and we cannot guarantee no cross-contamination of food.

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