Juvenile Justice

Re-entry is a golden opportunity for change. We support young people as they transition out of the juvenile justice system and back to their homes, schools, and communities

We Believe in Second Chances

We believe everyone deserves the chance to rise above mistakes and remake their lives.

Young people leaving the justice system face countless challenges when returning home. In collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS), our re-entry programs help young people find safe housing, establish goals, and take care of everyday responsibilities.

We work hard to build connections with these kids, focusing on their strengths and aspirations and exploring concepts like empathy and remorse.

As many are dealing with mental health issues, we also help them access counseling services to heal past traumas, learn coping strategies, and ask for help when they need it.

Our juvenile justice programs include:

Alternative Lock Up

This program allows kids 17 and younger who are in police custody to be held in a safe place, away from adult offenders and holding cells while they await arraignment or a court date.

Terri Thomas Girls Program

Dedicated to former DYS caseworker Terri Yvonne-Cherie Thomas, this program provides detention, stabilization, and short-term treatment services to females aged 10 to 20.

Assessment Program

We provide boys who are new to DYS with a comfortable and respectful living and learning environment as well as a range of academic, recreational, and psychological services.

Adolescent Treatment Program

This program helps young men aged 12 to 21 who are currently in DYS custody make a successful transition back to their family homes.

Secure Residential Treatment

Funded by DYS, this program provides an array of clinical, educational, residential, and pre-vocational services to boys aged 14 to 21.

Adolescent Re-entry

Even those who make great strides in treatment face unique challenges with re-entry. We support kids and their families through this experience.

Adolescence can be a difficult time. People make mistakes and get off track. With the right support, those mistakes can be the turning point towards a meaningful, productive life.

Giving young people a second chance also changes our community for the better, increasing public safety, decreasing costs, and inspiring the next generation of responsible adults.