Boys Town Nebraska

In our mission to change the way America cares for her children and families, we provide a continuum of care that strengthens them in mind, body and spirit.  Our integrated continuum of family services includes these programs at Boys Town Nebraska – Grand Island:

Boys Town offers an integrated continuum of services that provides children and families with the right care in the right service at the right time. This system is linked in philosophy and in the methods used. To support this integrated continuum, certain fundamental principles, values, and services must cut across all levels of these services and programs. Some of the more important include:  Spirituality/Religious Helping children and families build a strong spiritual and religious foundation is an important part of Boys Town’s mission. Positive character traits like respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring, and citizenship provide the framework for a child’s value education. Medical Care Boys Town owns and operates the Boys Town National Research Hospital, which provides clinical and surgical services to patients from Boys Town’s own programs and for children and families across the country. Education Services Education is integral to providing effective treatment for children. In many of the Boys Town residential programs, specialized educational services are embedded within the programs. Care Coordination Boys Town attempts to provide the right services to children and families at the right time and in the right program. Boys Town’s Care Coordination programs provide intensive case management services for children in a variety of settings or levels of care.

The Assessment and Short-Term Residential program provides skill-focused behavioral assessment, crisis stabilization, and emergency short-term residential care in a caring and nurturing environment for girls and boys, ages 10 to 18. Many youth who are served through this program are abused, neglected, runaway youth, or have been in trouble due to criminal or delinquent activities. Referrals come from a variety of sources, including state agencies, juvenile courts, and private sources. This program seeks to strengthen families and emphasizes family reunification, if it is in the best interest of the youth.  Youth and their caregivers collaborate with program staff to develop individual skill-focused treatment plans that address behavioral problem areas. Program staff members also meet with each youth and their caregivers to provide referral recommendations and linkages to services in the community.  The program offers an on-site alternative school staffed by a certified special education teacher.  The school provides individualized educational assistance for each youth and is certified by the Nebraska Department of Education as an alternative school program.

Boys Town National Hotline (800.448.3000) was established in 1989 and receives more than 400,000 calls every year.  Trained, professional counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Callers’ problems range from relationship and parental discipline issues to depression and suicide.  In crisis situations, counselors assist callers and provide community resources and emergency intervention.  The Hotline provides referrals to agencies throughout the United States and responds to anyone in need of assistance, with a special focus on children and families.  Anyone in a crisis situation, especially children and families, can call 800.448.3000 for help anytime.

In 2006, a record number of children – 47,170 – received help from Boys Town’s youth care and health care programs in 14 states and in the District of Columbia. Nearly 450,000 children and families were assisted through the Boys Town National Hotline, including more than 34,000 calls from youth where hotline staff intervened to save the caller’s life or provide therapeutic counseling. Nearly one million more children were assisted through Child and Family Support Services.