Walking through the doors of New Day Recovery Family and Youth Services, you immediately feel a sense of warmth, compassion, and community. Our nonprofit organization, located in Oklahoma, is dedicated to providing comprehensive rehabilitation services to at-risk youth, their families, and members of the surrounding communities. With programs centered around counseling, case management, and psychosocial rehabilitation, we take a holistic, behaviorally-focused approach to care. Our goal is to nurture the health and well-being of young people who have complex needs, while also cultivating hope, empathy, dignity, and quality of life for all who come through our doors.
Central to our mission is the fundamental belief that it takes a village to raise a child, especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds or those who have suffered trauma, abuse, or adversity. We’ve seen time and again that community support systems are critical for helping young people in the juvenile justice system or in state custody successfully transition back into society after incarceration. The statistics speak for themselves – youth who have access to educational programs, stable housing, healthcare, mentors, jobs, and other resources have far lower rates of recidivism compared to those without a support network.
That’s why at New Day Recovery, we emphasize community-based rehabilitation models for the at-risk teens and young adults we serve. Our programs aim to surround youth with nurturing environments, positive role models, and opportunities to develop life skills as they work toward overcoming substance abuse issues, mental health struggles, educational deficits, and other challenges.
The Need for Community Support
The value of community support for rehabilitating troubled youth cannot be overstated. Young people face considerable vulnerability and adversity today, especially in Oklahoma which suffers high rates of trauma, abuse, poverty, and addiction. Sadly, we have one of the highest youth incarceration rates in the nation. The situations that land kids in juvenile detention or state custody often stem from much deeper issues taking root in their homes, schools, and neighborhoods long before a crime was ever committed.
Without properly addressing these root causes through counseling, education, mentorship, and meeting basic needs like healthcare and housing access, many system-involved youth get caught in the cycle of recidivism. Around 75% of juveniles released from detention will get arrested again within just 3 years. For these young lives to truly change course, caring adults must nurture them, lift them up, and give them hope for a better future.
The positive impact of community rehabilitation models on youth outcomes cannot be denied. According to an Annie E. Casey Foundation analysis, youth in state custody fare much better when they have access to therapeutic foster homes over large congregate facilities. Supportive families willing to open their hearts and homes to system-involved teens show them what nurturance and stability look and feel like. High-quality foster care placement results in faster family reunifications, higher education achievement, improved well-being, and lower rates of re-offending compared to non-family placements.
Educational and workforce development programs also give at-risk youth important skills to attain employment and break free from the poverty-to-prison pipeline. Community mentors, case workers, and mental health counselors provide critical guidance. Access to healthcare, housing assistance, addiction treatment centers, and other resources creates stability.
Most importantly, when youth have the backing of an entire community rooting for their rehabilitation, they start to see a hopeful future for themselves. They begin to shed the shame and other negative self-images that may have weighed them down for years. With supportive scaffolding from people who believe in their innate goodness, they gain the motivation to make positive life changes.
The New Day Recovery Approach
At New Day Recovery Family and Youth Services, we tap into the restorative power of community to uplift struggling youth, while also strengthening families and community wellness. Our programs and services include:
- Intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment using evidence-based modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational enhancement therapy (MET), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in group and individual settings. Treatment plans are customized to meet each youth’s unique needs.
- Free counseling and psychotherapy services for teens and families. Our licensed professional counselors and therapists provide trauma-informed care using play therapy, art therapy, and other modalities suited for young people.
- Case management to help youth and their caregivers navigate complex systems while coordinating access to healthcare, housing, transportation, food access, education support, and other resources.
- Mentorship programs carefully match youth to mentors including former gang members, graduates of our programs, professionals, and other caring community members who can provide positive guidance.
- Partnerships with local educators, courts, social workers, community centers, religious groups, and other stakeholders to expand our community safety net.
- Psychoeducation groups that engage youth, parents, and other caregivers on topics like anger management, conflict resolution, parenting skills, life skills, job readiness, and more.
- A range of prosocial activities to immerse youth in positive community environments, such as art and music enrichment programs, supervised outdoor recreation, volunteer initiatives, cultural events, and field trips.
By surrounding youth with uplifting rehabilitation resources, New Day Recovery helps them rewrite their stories. As their treatment progresses, many begin to appreciate their inherent worth. They gain tools to make wise choices that serve their health and future. They get involved with positive social activities, make amends to those they have harmed, and pay their gifts forward by mentoring other struggling youth. They start to see themselves as valued members contributing to the community – not liabilities draining community resources.
The Ripple Effects of Investing in At-Risk Youth
When youth have access to the right rehabilitation resources through organizations like New Day Recovery, the positive outcomes ripple throughout Oklahoma communities for years to come. Here are just a few of the valuable returns on investment:
- Lower rates of recidivism and decreased burdens on juvenile justice and corrections systems
- Reduced intergenerational trauma as youth overcome addiction and other struggles
- Families reunite and become sources of nurturance, support, and stability
- Youth develop into responsible, resilient, empathetic adults
- Higher graduation rates lead to expanded economic opportunity
- Healthier parenting of the next generation with increased family stability
- Higher community safety and cohesion with more youth productively engaged
- Youth grow into mentors themselves, expanding the web of support for struggling teens.
When youth get involved with crime, communities certainly suffer from the immediate effects. However, if we believe youth also have an innate potential for goodness, recovery, and growth, then rehabilitation pays invaluable dividends over time.
Come Join Our Village
Every young person deserves to feel heard, understood, supported, and cared for by their community, especially in moments of strife. By surrounding Oklahoma youth with uplifting rehabilitation resources, we equip them to rewrite their stories with pens of resilience and ink wells of hope.
If you share a passion for nurturing the lives of struggling teens and cultivating community wellness, we welcome you to join our village at New Day Recovery Family and Youth Services. We have diverse volunteer opportunities, events, trainings and ways to get involved.
To learn more about our programs, services, upcoming events and ways to get engaged, visit our website at https://www.newdayok.org/ or call us at +1 (405)-525-0452. Together, we can help Oklahoma youth thrive as they walk the road to recovery.