Location Page
Boot Camps & Military Schools in Virginia
When your teen shows signs of at-risk behavior, you may think that a few weeks at an intensive behavior boot camp is the quick answer. However, boot camps and military schools are only one part of a range of teen help programs available to help at-risk youth. At HelpYourTeenNow, we’ve guided parents nationwide through the difficult process of identifying and enrolling their troubled teens into residential programs that best fit their needs.
Get the details to learn if a military school for troublesome teenagers is the best program for your child or call Help Your Teen Now at 1-800-901-7347.
Military Schools in Virginia and Boot Camps Aren’t the Best Options for Troubled Teens
Discipline and respect are what parents hope their children will learn when they search for military schools and boot camps. However, you should know that privately-run boot camps for at-risk teens only last for a short time, generally 1 to 3 months. They are not equipped to treat a teen’s underlying issues causing the behaviors. Military schools are academic institutions that do not handle troubled teens. There are plenty of rehabilitation and therapeutic programs for troubled teens that offer strict structure, professional therapy, and round-the-clock supervision. Unlike boot camps, these programs use a more gentle approach with the goal of long-term change.
Virginia Regulatory Laws
The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services regulates all residential facilities that serve juveniles, including military schools, wilderness camps, therapeutic boarding schools and other programs. It provides licenses to the facilities after ensuring they meet minimum state standards.
Virginia private schools don’t have to be licensed by the state, nor do they need to be accredited to operate (Va. Code §22.1-19). State certification is also not required for private school teachers. Schools may set their own curriculum and not worry about any oversight by the state board of education. Each student must have proof of immunization (Va. Code §22.1-271.2.E). Every employee at an accredited private school must undergo a criminal background check. Non-accredited schools do not meet this criteria, (Va. Code §22.1-296.3).
(U.S. Department of Education, State Regulation of Private Schools, 2009)
Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf
Request Free Admissions Information
Educational Recources
Request Free Admissions Information
Virginia Regulatory Laws
The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services regulates all residential facilities that serve juveniles, including military schools, wilderness camps, therapeutic boarding schools and other programs. It provides licenses to the facilities after ensuring they meet minimum state standards.
Virginia private schools don’t have to be licensed by the state, nor do they need to be accredited to operate (Va. Code §22.1-19). State certification is also not required for private school teachers. Schools may set their own curriculum and not worry about any oversight by the state board of education. Each student must have proof of immunization (Va. Code §22.1-271.2.E). Every employee at an accredited private school must undergo a criminal background check. Non-accredited schools do not meet this criteria, (Va. Code §22.1-296.3).
(U.S. Department of Education, State Regulation of Private Schools, 2009)
Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf
Educational Recources
Statistics for At-Risk Virginia Teens
ADD/ADHD
- 9.2%
9.2% of Virginia children between the ages of 4-17 are diagnosed each year with ADD/ADHD (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State-based Prevalence of ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment 2016-2019).
TEEN PREGNANCY
11.7 per 1,000 female teens
Virginia has a rate of 11.7 pregnancies per 1,000 female teens per a 2021 study by the CDC. (CDC State-by-State Statistics: Teen Births 2021).
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/teen-births/teenbirths.htm
TEEN SUICIDE
1188
Virginia had 1188 deaths caused by suicide in teens in 2021. (CDC State by State Suicide Rates, 2021)
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
- 9.01%
9.01% of Virginia teens report abusing alcohol within the last month, and 6.96% report using illicit drugs such as prescription painkillers and cocaine. (NCDAS, Drug Use Among Youth: Facts & Statistics 2022)
VIOLENT CRIME
738
Juvenile arrests in Virginia for 2021 included 34 juvenile arrests for aggravated assault, 40 arrests for robbery, 296 arrests for theft, 261 arrests for drug abuse, and 36 arrests for weapons violations. (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2021 Statistics)
https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/qa05103.asp?qaDate=2018&text=yes
GRADUATION RATES
- 89%
For the 2020-2021 school year, Virginia reported an 89% high school graduation rate. (National Center for Education Statistics 2021)
https://www.governing.com/gov-data/high-school-graduation-rates-by-state.html
Summary
We Can Help!
If your teen is suffering from depression, self-harm, low self-esteem, learning disabilities, anxiety, and other similar behavior, HelpYourTeenNow can guide you to programs designed specifically to deal with these issues, run by qualified professionals. Our free consultation will help steer you toward reputable programs with a track record of success, not private boot camps where licensing and regulations are optional, and treatment methods are not proven to work. HelpYourTeenNow is a parent advocate group with one goal—to help parents benefit from our years of experience and the lessons we’ve learned in dealing with our troubled teens. Call for an assessment and support when you are ready to step in and help your child.