GUIDELINES FOR ADMISSION

1. Children who need long-term residential care. Boys Town's nonrestrictive family-style setting is designed for the child who needs a long-term living situation. Only boys and girls who are expected to stay at least 12 months, and possibly longer, are admitted. The anticipated length of stay and any departure goals should be specified prior to admission.

2. Children with behavioral or family problems so serious that all local remedies have failed and the children now need to be removed from their home community. If problems are not that serious, Boys Town is not an appropriate placement for a child. We admit a wide spectrum of boys and girls in trouble. More than 20% of Boys Town youth are known to have been physically or sexually abused. About 65% have had formal court involvement for delinquent acts such as theft, and 40% have been on probation or parole. Most youth have had several prior out-of-home placements, such as foster or group homes. Almost half of Boys Town youth were not attending school prior to being admitted, either because of expulsion or habitual truancy.

Boys Town youth cannot live at home either because of current severe family problems or because a public agency has taken custody of them. More than 90% of the boys and girls who come to Boys Town are admitted through agencies such as juvenile courts or state social services. By working through these agencies, we can determine if continued placement with the family or foster family should be an option.

3. Children between 10 and 17 years old. The average age of Boys Town children at admission is 14. Typically, Boys Town does not accept children younger than 10 or older than 17. There are exceptions, however. For example, an 8-year-old might be admitted if an older sibling was coming to Boys Town.

4. Children whose needs can be met in an open, family-style, nonrestrictive environment. Boys Town programs have a family-style environment and community-based philosophy. Youth are provided with age-appropriate responsibilities, freedoms, and opportunities.

While Boys Town cares for a wide range of youth, such as adjudicated delinquents, status offenders, and abused or neglected children, some youth are not best served in such an open environment. For example, although many Boys Town youth have histories of suicide attempts or ideation, or substance abuse, youth who are acutely suicidal or physically drug dependent would not be good candidates for admission until after such crises are resolved and appropriately treated. We encourage such steps before admission. Similarly, while many of our youth have a history of aggressive behavior, youth who are acutely dangerous to others would not be best served in a family-style environment.

5. Children who have serious academic difficulties, but who are functioning in the normal range of intelligence. The typical Boys Town student is about two to three years below grade level upon admission. A referred youth must have the verbal and mental capacity to progress in a treatment environment that utilizes verbal treatment and educational strategies.

6. Children whose parent(s) or guardian agrees to maintain his or her legal relationship. Permanency planning is central to Boys Town's residential program. Boys Town is not the legal guardian of any child who is admitted. A priority is given to children who no longer have a natural or adoptive parent. This is a long-standing tradition of the Home. Yet we admit many youth whose natural or adoptive families still have legal guardianship. In all cases, Boys Town works with the referring agency or juvenile court, and the youth's guardian to facilitate a successful permanency plan.

When youth have at least one natural or adoptive parent, Boys Town staff work both directly and through the referring agency to do everything in their power to facilitate family reunification.

Sometimes, however, family problems are so serious and so long-lasting that reunification is not possible. In situations where the referring agency has permanent guardianship, Boys Town works with the agency to facilitate the youth's transition to a life with relatives or foster parent, or to independent living as a young adult.

7. Children from any state. Because Boys Town is a national organization receiving support from the whole country, we consider youth from every state. We have had residents from all 50 states and even several other countries. Boys Town also has residential programs in many other states. Children admitted to these Boys Town sites are usually from that state.

8. Children from varying financial situations. The cost of placing and treating a child at Boys Town is based on each family's circumstance. Each family is asked to pay something each month to help offset the expenses of helping to care for America's at-risk children. This enables Boys Town to serve more and more kids each year. Financial arrangements can be discussed prior to admission. Also, state and county agencies contract for services for the children whom Boys Town accepts from those agencies.

9. Children who are referred by social service agencies, juvenile courts, and private counseling agencies. When children are placed through social service agencies, parents receive the support they need. The community-based philosophy of Boys Town considers public or private agencies as partners in helping provide the best possible system of care for a child, thus making family reunification more likely.

If you have questions or need clarification of any information in order to have a girl or boy considered for admission to Boys Town, please write or call:

Admissions Office
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
Boys Town, NE 68010
Phone: 1-800-989-0000
Fax: 402-498-1925
Email: admissions@boystown.org