hope for the
FUTURE Changing lives, one child, one family at a time.
We have to help them see a future where
there’s hope.
I
t’s 5 o’clock on a Friday afternoon, and 16-year-old Brittney is in court standing in front of a judge, extremely frightened and upset. Her mom will be going to jail on Sunday for a litany of offenses. Brittney will be homeless and alone. The situation is dire, her young life has been filled with abuse and neglect that manifests in emotional, behavioral, and academic problems. She’s not prepared to be successful in foster care, and it’s been so long since she felt love, understanding, encouragement, or a true connection with anyone. What hope can she possibly have for a happy life? Fortunately, when the family of origin can’t meet a child’s needs, there’s a new family ready to step up and make a difference. Virginia Home for Boys and Girls has been quietly helping children in crisis for 170 years.
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More than just treatment: a 30-acre therapeutic
neighborhood Children who come to VHBG often have troubled pasts. They have significant emotional and behavioral health challenges to overcome as they grow up. The care children receive in our group homes, John G. Wood School, and Therapeutic Resource Center restores hope to them and their families who then find the courage to thrive. To facilitate their healing process, we use a teachingfamily approach in all of our programs. Each year VHBG provides
more than 130,000 therapeutic care hours.
VHBG is located on a park-like campus nestled away in western Henrico County. On any given day, children are on campus receiving therapeutic services and discovering their true potential through opportunities most adolescents take for granted.
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reality check.
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We must envision a future where these statistics are not tolerated.
FOR MOST CHILDREN WE SERVE, VHBG IS THE FIRST STABLE ENVIRONMENT THEY’VE EVER EXPERIENCED. FEAR, ANGER, AND LONELINESS ARE REPLACED BY SAFETY, SERENITY, AND A SENSE OF BELONGING. WE’RE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING A UNIQUE TYPE OF TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE THAT PREPARES CHILDREN FOR PERMANENCY.
– CLAIBORNE MASON, PRESIDENT OF VIRGINIA HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
According to the Virginia Department of Social Services,
6,592 Virginia
children were victims of abuse or neglect in 2015. 25% of former foster youth who don’t have a permanent family when they leave the system experience homelessness within 4 years. A female former foster youth is 10 times more likely to commit a crime. A male is 4 times more likely.
75% of female former foster youth rely on government services to meet basic needs. Former foster youth experience more than 7 times the rate of drug dependence and twice the rate of alcohol dependence. Only 25% of foster youth are in college by age 19, compared with 41% of the general population. In Virginia, a child is abused or neglected every 75 minutes. Every 14 days, a child dies from this mistreatment.
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There are 12 types of childhood trauma. physical abuse verbal abuse sexual abuse physical neglect emotional neglect parent who’s an alcoholic parent who’s a victim of domestic violence parent in jail parent diagnosed with a mental illness disappearance of parent through divorce loss of parent due to death loss of parent due to abandonment
460% 1,220%
If a child has experienced four or more of these, the likelihood of DEPRESSION increases and the likelihood of SUICIDE increases
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They don’t even know how to
envision a future. Children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are at-risk for emotional and behavioral health disorders. Research on children’s brains found that toxic stress physically damages a child’s developing brain. When children are overloaded with stress hormones, they’re in flight, fright, or freeze mode. They can’t learn in school. They often have difficulty trusting adults or developing healthy relationships with peers. These children are often unable to be successful at home, in school, or not ready for a foster home. They are children who have had a very painful childhood and need to learn to heal from their trauma before they can have hope for the future.
- Dr. John Lee
Dr. John Lee specializes in Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc., a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties. He has provided weekly psychiatric care to children at VHBG since 2007.
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THE DAY I CAME HERE WAS THE TURNING POINT IN MY LIFE.
– OLIVIA, AGE 16
The Teaching Family Model:
proven and powerful. Children who come to live on the VHBG campus become part of a family helmed by trained teaching-parents. They share a house with other children and operate much like a family with plenty of structure, responsibility, rules, chores, and – best of all – nurturing interactions. The model of care VHBG provides matters. The Teaching-Family Model is a comprehensive, mental health treatment model that is conducted in a family-style, group care setting and has been proven to work. Research indicates that children show continued improvement after discharge and have significantly better outcomes by eight months post-discharge when they are treated using this model.
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For Olivia, the memory of her 16th birthday began in a very sad way. That was the day her grandmother released custody of her leaving her without a home. Olivia came to VHBG filled with anxiety and fear – when all you know is hurt and anger, how can you expect anything else?
OLIVIA
Upon learning it was Olivia’s 16th birthday, the teaching-parents rallied the household, and they welcomed their new housemate with a cake, candles, and a party - just like a real family. Healing and the making of good memories began that day for Olivia. From day one, Olivia learned there is hope for a brighter future.
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YOU ALL TRULY CHANGED MY SON ETHAN’S LIFE. AFTER LEARNING HOW TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL, HE’S NOW LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS FUTURE.”
– ETHAN’S GUARDIAN
When you see a child go from destructive tantrums to following directions
that’s big.
Most often, the students we serve are disruptive because of emotional and behavioral health issues. On average, they come to us three grade levels behind in math and reading. But when given the support and attention needed, these students develop confidence, adopt appropriate behaviors, and learn to focus on academic achievement. Students take a full range of academic courses that include Career and Technical Education classes with the ability to earn or work toward a diploma. Our John G. Wood School (JGW) provides a specialized education to students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Some residents of VHBG’s group homes attend JGW in addition to students who commute from multiple localities in the Richmond region. The goal for these students is to transition them back to their public schools as soon as possible. For some students, graduating from JGW is their goal.
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Ethan had a tough time when it came to learning. He struggled and was removed from three public schools before landing at VHBG’s John G. Wood School. Instead of asking “what’s wrong with you?” someone needed to ask Ethan “what happened to you?” Our trauma-informed approach addresses the underlying issues that prevent students like Ethan from succeeding. Understanding and addressing the severe emotional and mental damage caused by years of
ETHAN
abuse and neglect allowed Ethan to begin the healing process. Over the course of a year, and with guidance from specialized teachers and counselors, Ethan discovered that he could do whatever he put his mind to. He felt hope. At the close of the school year, Ethan received honors for his behavior, attendance, and academics.
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WE’RE A FAMILY AGAIN BECAUSE WE BOTH GOT THE COUNSELING AND SUPPORT WE NEEDED.
– NATHAN’S MOTHER
Helping youth
learn to be resilient. We want to keep families healthy and together at home whenever possible. This is achieved through home-based counseling, outpatient individual or family therapy, and mentoring that meets the needs of the children we serve on campus, as well as those residing in surrounding communities. VHBG’s licensed clinical therapists are trained to provide trauma-informed care and work directly with other professionals at VHBG to specifically address each child’s emotional and behavioral health issues, often providing vital family counseling at the same time for a more holistic approach. Each year, VHBG provides more than 3,600 hours of counseling to children and their families.
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Nathan was an angry and defiant young man who had no use for school or rules. His mother was battling an alcohol addiction and his father was nowhere to be found. With unsupervised time on his hands, Nathan’s delinquent behaviors led to juvenile detention. After violating probation, he was referred to VHBG. Over time and with the guidance of his Teaching-Family parents, Nathan realized that his negative actions were affecting his future. He agreed to get counseling and learned to manage his anger. Slowly, he began to follow rules. He improved his grades and made the basketball team at our John G. Wood School. Meanwhile, Nathan’s mom stopped
NATHAN
drinking. She started participating in family therapy and after a year of sobriety, she regained custody of her son. Although Nathan no longer lives on campus, we continue to support him and his mother through our outpatient counseling clinic. Hope is what gave them the courage to become a family again.
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VHBG is unique because we go above and beyond what is required by state licensing to provide the precise care that each unique child and family needs. Program fees paid for with public dollars only cover a portion of what is needed to provide the traumainformed care children in crisis require. $341,098 (5%) Other
OPERATING
$2,919,758 (43%)
SUPPORT
Philanthropic Support from
2015-2016 Fiscal Year
Annual Fund and Endowment
$3,558,880 (52%) Program Fees
Philanthropy allows us to provide non-required therapeutic services such as art therapy, a reading specialist, career training, mentoring, off-campus outings, and a therapeutic neighborhood setting where hope and healing can flourish. Facilities, grounds upkeep, and special programs also rely on philanthropic dollars.
170 years ago, our community recognized a need. Since our founding in 1846, we’ve served thousands of children in crisis and have never strayed from our core belief and commitment that all children deserve to grow up surrounded by a loving nurturing family in a safe, supportive environment. Providing a refuge of hope, VHBG continues to grow and evolve as the needs of our community change. That need has never been greater.
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You can give children
hope for the future. Hope for the Future is Virginia Home for Boys and Girls’ $5 million effort to ensure its ability to meet the challenges facing future generations. Your generosity will support our: • Group Homes ($1.35 million) – Physical improvements to residences, plus staffing for our group homes to meet the needs of a growing high-risk population. • John G. Wood School ($1.7 million) – Vital building upgrades to the gymnasium and dining hall, reading and art therapy specialists, and a Career Technical Education program. • Therapeutic Resources ($500,000) – Expansion of both school-based counseling and community-based counseling to meet growing community needs. • Opportunity Fund ($450,000) – Supports capital and operating expenses necessary for the operation and long-term effectiveness of Virginia Home for Boys and Girls. • Planned Giving ($1 million) – New planned gifts will provide long-term support for VHBG’s mission and vision. These important investments will help provide sustainable funding to ensure our programs are here, providing hope for generations to come.
WE’RE CHANGING LIVES, SAVING LIVES AND – IN RETURN – THEY’RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY. – BILL HARDY, CHAIR, VHBG BOARD OF GOVERNORS
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At VHBG, our mission is to restore hope to children across Virginia with emotional and behavioral health concerns by facilitating the healing process using a teaching-family approach.
Virginia Home for Boys and Girls 8716 West Broad Street / Henrico, VA 23294 804-270-6566 / VHBG.org