Teen Challenge of St. Louis Review
Teen Challenge of St. Louis was established in 1971 in Webster Groves, Missouri. As part of the Teen Challenge International organization, this facility provides residential treatment exclusively to young men who are 18 to 30 years of age. The Teen Challenge style of drug and alcohol treatment is based on Christian values. The organization is known for its Christian addiction treatment, which teaches that the key to recovery is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Teen Challenge was founded in New York in 1960 by Pastor David Wilkerson and has since grown to more than 1,000 facilities in 95 countries.
Accommodations and Food
Teen Challenge of St. Louis moved to its present 12-acre site in High Ridge, Missouri in 1981.The property is a lovely, wooded location about 30 miles southwest of downtown St. Louis. This site includes a large house with renovated dorms and bathrooms. Dorms are furnished with bunk beds and each client has a dresser and closet space. Bathrooms have multiple stalls and sinks. There is a large dining hall and administrative building that is home to offices, a classroom and meeting spaces. There is also a chapel where the clients can participate in daily worship. The campus includes picnic tables, basketball court and an event hall where fundraisers and graduation ceremonies take place.
As with all of the Teen Challenge programs, food is provided mainly by donation. Three nutritious meals a day are prepared and served by staff.
Treatment and Staff
Potential residents must complete an application and interview process before being accepted into Teen Challenge of St. Louis. Anybody taking prescribed psychiatric medication must undergo a consultation before they can be approved. The applicant must pay an additional non-refundable $150 fee for this consultation. Those in need of detox need to complete this process before beginning treatment at the facility. As the treatment facilitated through Teen Challenge is not clinical, it does not offer medical support and isn’t rooted in evidence-based practices. The program runs four to 14 months and is considered holistic and not clinical.
New Teen Challenge clients aren’t required to be a Christian prior to beginning treatment, but they must have an open mind and be prepared to participate in prayer and church services. Clients go through treatment in phases, each of which focuses on a different aspect of spirituality and personal discipline. Both group and individual therapy with peer counselors and pastors are available, all focused on Biblical teachings. The program emphasizes building self-esteem and discovering the roots of dysfunctional behavior. Dual diagnosis support is not available and 12-step participation is not required as part of the program.
A majority of the staff lives on-site and are former clients of the program. Counselors do not necessarily have formal accreditations, but have experience working and counseling within a spiritual context.
Extras
Teen Challenge of St. Louis is a non-profit organization and must raise the funds necessary to sustain all daily operational and administrative costs. The clients are required to participate in the fundraising efforts of the facility as well as volunteer at various charities in the community and schools.
In Summary
All the Teen Challenge programs encourage the same degree of accountability in clients, which then makes it possible to build a foundation for lasting change. For men seeking a faith-based recovery program, Teen Challenge of St. Louis could be a great experience.
Teen Challenge of St. Louis Location
2650 Appletree Acres Ln
High Ridge, MO 63049
Teen Challenge of St Louis Cost
$450 (One-time fee). Reach Teen Challenge of St Louis by phone at (636) 677-1776 or by email at info@teenchallengestl.com. Find Teen Challenge of St Louis on Facebook
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