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Therapeutic & Alternative Boarding Schools In Pennsylvania

There are several warning signs that your teen is at risk—no interest in school, drugs or alcohol use, aggressive behavior and general rebellion against authority. When you’ve tried everything you can think of to motivate your child to get his or her life back on track, you might consider a therapeutic or alternative boarding school in Pennsylvania. HelpYourTeenNow is a non-profit parent advocate group that can give you advice and assistance in making these tough decisions. Call us for a free consultation and we’ll assess your family dynamics, analyze your teen’s issues and recommend a course of action that can restore your family to peace and harmony.

Pennsylvania Regulatory Laws

Residential care facilities in Pennsylvania, such as alternative and therapeutic boarding schools for adolescents, are monitored and licensed by the Bureau of Family Health/Division of Child & Adult Health Services, specifically the Adolescent Health Program.

Private schools in Pennsylvania do not need to be accredited, but if a school chooses to do so, it may be accredited rather than licensed (24 P.S. §6705). Licensing requirements cover health, safety, staff and curriculum minimal standards (P.S. §6701 et seq; 22 Pa. Code Chapter 51). Licensed schools must employ certified teachers while non-licensed schools are not required to (22 Pa. Code §51.34.; 24 P.S. §13-1327(b). Private schools must be taught in English (24 P.S. §15-1511) and immunization records for all students are required (24 Pa. Cons. Stat. §13-1303a). All school employees must be screened by the Department of Public Welfare for criminal history and basic background checks. Anyone not receiving a clearance from the department is not eligible for hire (23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §6355).

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

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Pennsylvania Regulatory Laws

Residential care facilities in Pennsylvania, such as alternative and therapeutic boarding schools for adolescents, are monitored and licensed by the Bureau of Family Health/Division of Child & Adult Health Services, specifically the Adolescent Health Program.

Private schools in Pennsylvania do not need to be accredited, but if a school chooses to do so, it may be accredited rather than licensed (24 P.S. §6705). Licensing requirements cover health, safety, staff and curriculum minimal standards (P.S. §6701 et seq; 22 Pa. Code Chapter 51). Licensed schools must employ certified teachers while non-licensed schools are not required to (22 Pa. Code §51.34.; 24 P.S. §13-1327(b). Private schools must be taught in English (24 P.S. §15-1511) and immunization records for all students are required (24 Pa. Cons. Stat. §13-1303a). All school employees must be screened by the Department of Public Welfare for criminal history and basic background checks. Anyone not receiving a clearance from the department is not eligible for hire (23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §6355).

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

Statistics for At-Risk Pennsylvania Teens

ADD/ADHD

  • 8%

8 percent of children in Pennsylvania, 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 

  • 12.6%

The teen pregnancy rate for adolescents aged 15 to 19 in Pennsylvania is 12.6 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

  • 8.6%

Pennsylvania ranks 7th with a suicide rate of 8.6 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/PA

DRUG USE

  • 7.22%

In 2020, approximately 788,000 teenagers aged 12 to 17 nationwide met the criteria for Illicit Drug Use Disorder (IDUD). In Pennsylvania, about 7.22% 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/#pennsylvania

ALCOHOL USE

  • 9.19%

Approximately 9.19% of teens in Pennsylvania suffer from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 2020).

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

TEEN VAPING

  • 24.4%

Pennsylvania ranks 19th among all states, with 24.4% of high school teens reported to have used vapes. (Drug Watch, 2024).

https://www.drugwatch.com/e-cigarettes/vape-stat-by-state/

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!

Once you decide that a therapeutic boarding school may be the answer for your at-risk teen, don’t leave anything up to chance. Call HelpYourTeenNow for a free consultation and learn from our expertise in dealing with parents, teens and facilities. It may be a tough decision to make, but you need to do it for your child. When you call HelpYourTeenNow, you don’t have to do it alone—we’re here to help.