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Boot Camps & Military Schools in South Carolina
If you feel you are out of options for disciplining your struggling teen, you may have considered enrolling them in military school or boot camp. Choosing full time behavioral care for your child can be overwhelming and it is important to know the details and differences between the teen help programs available, so you can make an informed choice. At Help Your Teen Now, is a parent advocacy group that is dedicated to helping parents just like you choose the facility that will most benefit your troubled teen. We offer a free phone consultation and family assessment in order to direct you to the resources that will be the most helpful. Call us today to get started.
Boot Camps Are Not The Best Option for Troubled Teens from South Carolina
Military schools and boot camps are often not the best solution to correct the behavior of a troubled teen. There are a variety of factors to consider before choosing a facility. Military schools employ a strict regimen and schedule, however they are designed as academic facilities for students who would like to train for officer services in the military. Troubled teens will not be accommodated if they will not accept authority. Boot camps have a similar military style schedule, however they are remedial, non-academic, non-therapeutic and short term. These programs have consistently proven to be unregulated and potentially unsafe, without significant long term results. At Help Your Teen Now, we encourage parents to select an options that will address the therapeutic needs of their children, while keeping them on track educationally. There are a variety of alternative and therapeutic boarding schools that may be a better match for your teen’s needs. Contact us today to discuss the options and programs in your area.
South Carolina Regulatory Laws
Accreditation is optional for private facilities in South Carolina. However, as long as the school is a member school of the South Carolina Independent School Association or equal organization, accreditation is an option that will satisfy South Carolina’s compulsory attendance statute. Accredited schools are governed by their accrediting organizations and must meet specific criteria regarding teacher certification, curriculum and other areas that state law does not regulate for nonpublic schools. Students may also attend parochial, denominational, and church-related schools to satisfy the attendance requirement. S.C. Code §59-65-10(A).
The Attorney General has determined that the State Board of Education has the authority to establish standards for private school approval. 1967-68 Ops. Atty. Gen., No. 2585, p. 291. The Department of Health and Environmental Control will inspect the health and sanitation standards of nonpublic schools. 982 Op. Atty. Gen., No. 82-10, p. 12.
Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf
South Carolina children between ages 4-17 diagnosed each year with ADD/ADHD: 11.7% (U.S. Department of Education, State Regulation of Private Schools, 2009) https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/prevalence.html
In 2017, there were 3,739 babies born to women under the age of 20 in South Carolina. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2009 Study). https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/facts-and-stats/national-and-state-data-sheets/adolescent-reproductive-health/south-carolina/index.html
National suicide ranking: 24th. Number of deaths: 816 in 2016 (CDC’s WISQARS website “Fatal Injury Reports, 2010” http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html😉
In a 2017 report, it showed that 33% of South Carolina teens abuse alcohol and 13% are binge drinking. Marijuana use in South Carolina teens was 39% and other illicit drug use was at 5%. (State Report, 2017, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.) https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/facts-and-stats/national-and-state-data-sheets/adolescents-and-substance-abuse/united-states/index.html
Juvenile arrests in South Carolina for 2018 included 81 arrests for aggravated assault, 55 arrests for robbery, 734 arrests for larceny, 532 arrests for drug abuse and 111 arrests for weapons violations. (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Division, 2018 report) https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/qa05103.asp?qaDate=2017
For the 2016-2017 school year, South Carolina reported an 83.6% high school graduation rate. (U.S. Department of Education, Graduation Rates 2016-2017) https://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/data-us-graduation-rates-by-state-and.html
Summary
If you are considering military school and juvenile boot camp as an answer to your teen’s behavioral issues, we may be able to help you find a better option for your child. Call us to take the free family assessment and consultation so we can direct you toward the programs and resources that you actually need. Take the step today to put your teen on the path to better behavior and becoming a successful adult.
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