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Therapeutic & Alternative Boarding Schools In Florida

What can you do when your teenager starts to engage in behavior that jeopardizes relationships, school and their future? Many Florida parents have this same question when they see that their teenager is struggling with emotional, behavioral or mental health issues and don’t know where to turn. The good news is that there is a parent-to-parent advocacy group called Help Your Teen Now that has the answers.We have all the information Florida parents like you need to identify the issues, learn about the different options available and make a decision you feel good about. It’s never easy to make these kinds of difficult decisions, but as with any challenge, the more you know about therapeutic and alternative boarding schools in Florida, the better off you are.

Please call Help Your Teen Now at 1-800-901-7347 and get a free consultation on what your teen needs as far as therapeutic and alternative boarding schools in Florida, and so much more.

Why Call Help Your Teen Now?

Help Your Teen Now was started by a woman with troubled teens of her own. As she was going through the process of identifying their particular needs and looking at teen help programs, she quickly found that there were no resources available for parents. There were also no unbiased sources of information about wilderness camps, boot camps, military schools, therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment centers, leaving parents wondering where to even begin. Today, Help Your Teen Now is a parent advocate group with resources to help parents of troubled teens like you, and we’re dedicated to making the difficult journey as smooth as possible.

Our resources are vast and are completely free. Not only do we have our own experiences with the teen help industry, but we’ve gathered thousands of reviews and recommendations from other parents and teens who have successfully completed programs at many different facilities in Florida and across the country. We look at state laws and local regulations on each facility, plus keep an eye out for any news on them, good or bad. Because Help Your Teen Now is not affiliated with any school, program or facility, Florida parents can be confident knowing that our information and recommendations are unbiased.

Florida Regulatory Laws For Alternative & Therapeutic Boarding Schools

There are no requirements Accreditation, Licensing or Approval for private schools in Florida however, Registration with the Department of Education is mandatory. S. 1002.42, F.S. Teacher certification is not required for private school personnel, and all employees or potential applicants must complete a criminal background check with the Department of Law Enforcement. S. 1002.42(2)(c)1., F.S. Regular attendance is compulsory for a minimum of 170 days out of 180. A-1.09512, F.A.C

The state school district has no authority over the curriculum at private schools and the course of study is at the discretion of the school owner (S. 1002.42(2)(h), F.S) with the exception of the regulation of experiments performed on live animals. With parental consent, students may also be excused from dissection on non living animals. 1003.47, F.S. Students enrolled at a private facility must present a certification of health and immunization at the beginning of each school year, or the proper documentation if opposed on religious grounds. S. 1002.42(5), F.S.

Each county health department must keep private schools apprised of the district’s school health services plan, to which they may voluntarily participate based on specific standards. S. 381.0056(5)(a)18., and 381.0056(6), F.S. Additionally, private schools serving food must adhere to the minimum sanitation standards decreed by the Department of Health. S. 381.0072 (1)(b),
F.S.

 

Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf

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Florida Regulatory Laws For Alternative & Therapeutic Boarding Schools

There are no requirements Accreditation, Licensing or Approval for private schools in Florida however, Registration with the Department of Education is mandatory. S. 1002.42, F.S. Teacher certification is not required for private school personnel, and all employees or potential applicants must complete a criminal background check with the Department of Law Enforcement. S. 1002.42(2)(c)1., F.S. Regular attendance is compulsory for a minimum of 170 days out of 180. A-1.09512, F.A.C

The state school district has no authority over the curriculum at private schools and the course of study is at the discretion of the school owner (S. 1002.42(2)(h), F.S) with the exception of the regulation of experiments performed on live animals. With parental consent, students may also be excused from dissection on non living animals. 1003.47, F.S. Students enrolled at a private facility must present a certification of health and immunization at the beginning of each school year, or the proper documentation if opposed on religious grounds. S. 1002.42(5), F.S.

Each county health department must keep private schools apprised of the district’s school health services plan, to which they may voluntarily participate based on specific standards. S. 381.0056(5)(a)18., and 381.0056(6), F.S. Additionally, private schools serving food must adhere to the minimum sanitation standards decreed by the Department of Health. S. 381.0072 (1)(b),
F.S.

 

Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf

Statistics for Troubled Teens In Florida

ADD/ADHD

  • 8.9%

8.9 percent of children in Florida, aged 3–17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD. (National Survey of Children’s Health, 2016–2019).

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9489617/

TEEN PREGNANCY 

  • 15.2%

The teen pregnancy rate for adolescents aged 15 to 19 in Florida is 15.2 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

  • 9%

Florida ranks 8th with a suicide rate of 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/FL

DRUG USE

  • 7.87%

In 2020, approximately 788,000 teenagers aged 12 to 17 nationwide met the criteria for Illicit Drug Use Disorder (IDUD). In Florida, about 7.87% 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/#florida

ALCOHOL USE

  • 9.05%

Approximately 9.05% of teens in Florida suffer from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 2020).

https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/#florida

 

TEEN VAPING

  • 5.9%

Approximately 5.9% of middle and high school students, equivalent to 1.63 million individuals, reported current e-cigarette use. Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2024.

https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/youth-and-tobacco/results-annual-national-youth-tobacco-survey

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.

https://www.addictionhelp.com/porn/statistics/

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!

Let HelpYourTeenNow Find the Best School For Your Teen In Florida Sate.

As soon as you call, we will evaluate your teen for free. This helps us recommend the groups and services that are most likely to be helpful for your specific needs. We are very selective in our recommendation list and have thoroughly checked out each organization for a history of success in helping teens. Because we are not affiliated in any way with the organizations we endorse, you can rest assured that you are getting solid, non-biased advice. The decision to turn to an alternative or therapeutic boarding school to help your child is a stressful one. Let us partner with you to make sure that you get the information you need to make a confident choice.

Please call Help Your Teen Now at 1-800-901-7347 and give your family a brighter future.