In November 2012, Emma*, age 14, was referred to One Hope United due to conflict between herself, her father and her stepmother. At the time of the crisis at the police station, the parents wanted to lock the child out of the home due to the extreme nature of the conflict. Emma was being physically abusive towards her stepmother and she was verbally abusive towards her father. The case manager was able to resolve the crisis at the police station and the parents allowed the child to return home in hopes that Comprehensive Community-Based Youth Services (CCBYS) follow-up services would help resolve the conflict in the home.

In the beginning of CCBYS services, Emma was sneaking out of the home, engaging in dangerous sexual behavior, lying to her parents, not complying with parental rules, being defiant towards her parents, and being both physically and verbally abusive toward her father and stepmother.

The case manager worked with the youth and her family diligently for several months on her behaviors. The case manager worked with Emma on understanding the consequences of engaging in the dangerous sexual behavior by giving her handouts on STDs and teen pregnancy. She provided the family with a rules chart. There were rewards and consequences for Emma’s behaviors. This assisted Emma with knowing that when she displayed good behaviors she would be rewarded and when she displayed negative behaviors, there would be consequences. She provided Emma with anger management so that she could learn how to display her anger in a healthy manner rather than becoming physically and verbally abusive toward her parents.

By the spring of 2013, trust was restored back into the family. The client was referred to a psychiatrist to address her past trauma that contributed to some of her behavioral problems. She was complying with her parents’ rules and she had learned new anger management techniques. She was no longer verbally or physically abusive toward her parents. Her reward for showing such great improvements was a trip to Florida for spring break.

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the family.