From an outsider’s perspective it looked like “Santiago” was simply a rebellious kid. He didn’t follow the rules at school, he consistently broke curfew, and some nights he didn’t go back home at all. His decisions became riskier and riskier until he was arrested.
Santiago felt like things had escalated so quickly, and spending time in the court system forced him to reflect. He started thinking about when and why he had started making dangerous choices, and ultimately found the courage to share with a trusted adult that he was being abused at home.
Child Protective Services (CPS) began investigating Santiago’s family, and things became chaotic. His life at home was in turmoil, and at the same time he was growing open to seeking help for some of the things that had instigated his reckless choices. He needed a safe place to stay, and CPS suggested he spend some time at Second Story for Teens in Crisis.
Santiago decided to work on improving his coping skills while in the program so that he didn’t take out his emotions in harmful ways. Second Story also helped connect him with mental health services in the community so that he could have ongoing therapy. Staff at Second Story for Teens in Crisis worked with Child Protective Services and Santiago’s family to decide the best place for him to live. Second Story was there at a turning point in Santiago’s life to help him rewrite the narrative for his future.
