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Boot Camps & Military Schools in Massachusetts
You’ve tried everything to reverse, stop or slow down your teenager’s terrible behavior, whether it’s substance abuse, depression, self-harm, hanging with the wrong crowd, violence or threats of violence. Let HelpYourTeenNow offer you the support you need on taking significant action toward placing your teen in a residential care facility. Military schools and boot camps are usually where parents look for quick answers and easy solutions, but at HelpYourTeenNow, we believe there are better options out there for your family.
Military Schools and Boot Camps Aren’t the Best Option for Troubled Teens
Despite what the media shows you, military schools and boot camps aren’t the best options for at-risk teens. True military schools are college prep institutions with no resources for therapy. Boot camps are generally privately owned programs with emphasis on hard physical activity and harsh treatment designed to scare kids into behaving. Neither one provides long-term solutions for troubled teens. Long-term changes in at-risk teens only come from residential treatment and immersion facilities where professionally trained therapists, teachers and supervisors can guide them into re-establishing good habits and helping them overcome their obstacles.
Massachusetts Regulatory Laws
The Massachusetts Executive Office for Education is responsible for licensing all residential programs for juveniles and children with 24-hour care.
Massachusetts private schools have no requirements for licensing, nor are they required to be accredited. The schools must show they are equal to the public school curriculum to be approved by a local education agency (Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 76, §1). There is no guideline for curriculum for Massachusetts private schools and their teachers do not need to be state certified (Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 76, §1). Criminal history records must be checked for all current or prospective employees of private schools (Mass. Gen. L.ch. 71, §38R).
(U.S. Department of Education, State Regulation of Private Schools, 2009)
Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf
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Educational Recources
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Massachusetts Regulatory Laws
The Massachusetts Executive Office for Education is responsible for licensing all residential programs for juveniles and children with 24-hour care.
Massachusetts private schools have no requirements for licensing, nor are they required to be accredited. The schools must show they are equal to the public school curriculum to be approved by a local education agency (Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 76, §1). There is no guideline for curriculum for Massachusetts private schools and their teachers do not need to be state certified (Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 76, §1). Criminal history records must be checked for all current or prospective employees of private schools (Mass. Gen. L.ch. 71, §38R).
(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 Massachusetts Teens
ADD/ADHD
- 10.2%
10.2 percent of children in Massachusets, aged 3–17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD. (National Survey of Children’s Health, 2016–2019).
TEEN PREGNANCY
- 6.1%
The teen pregnancy rate for adolescents aged 15 to 19 in Massachusets is 6.1 per 1,000 females in this age group, according to the World Population Review.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/teen-pregnancy-rates-by-state
TEEN SUICIDE
- 5.9%
Massachusets ranks 4th with a suicide rate of 5.9 deaths per 100,000 adolescents aged 15 to 19, according to data from the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death Files (2020–2022).
https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/teen_suicide/MA
DRUG USE
- 11.11%
In 2020, approximately 788,000 teenagers aged 12 to 17 nationwide met the criteria for Illicit Drug Use Disorder (IDUD). In Massachusets, about 11.11% of adolescents in this age group reported using illicit drugs, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics.
https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/#massachusetts
ALCOHOL USE
- 10.90%
Approximately 10.90% of teens in Massachusetts suffer from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 2020).
https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/#massachusetts
TEEN VAPING
- 32.2%
Massachusets ranks 6th among all states, with 32.2% of high school teens reported to have used vapes. (Drug Watch, 2024).
TEEN PORNOGRAPHY
- 57%
The porn industry experienced a 12.6% annual revenue increase from 2018 to 2023. Adolescent exposure to pornography has steadily risen, with the age of first exposure becoming increasingly younger. 57% of young adults ages 18-25 use porn monthly or more often.
TEEN BULLYING
- 46%
According to Pew Research Center, 46% of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 have experienced at least one of six types of cyberbullying behaviors. (Pew Research Center, 2022).
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/12/15/teens-and-cyberbullying-2022/
Summary
We Can Help!
Military schools and boot camps are not the solution for at-risk teens, but HelpYourTeenNow can guide you to therapeutic programs that will really make a difference. With a free consultation at your convenience, HelpYourTeenNow can assess your family’s issues and recommend a program that we know has a good success rate. Because we’re a group of parents, we know from experience what kinds of residential treatment programs have the best chance of working in the long run. You’ll gain peace of mind after talking to us in knowing you are doing the right thing for your troubled teen.