17 year old Robert* came to us after losing his mother to suicide and being removed from the home of his maternal grandmother because of abuse. For the last year, he has been a resident of Lakeview House, our community residence for adolescent males with emotional challenges, often because of childhood trauma. Lakeview House provides these boys with a structured setting that enables them to become involved in the responsibilities of daily living. Today, Robert is an honor student at a local high school, has started his own band which performs at venues across Long Island, and is hoping to go to top college (he scored a 1400 on a practice SAT test!).
Lakeview House has helped Robert tremendously because of its therapeutic setting and because the staff teaches the young residents the necessary coping skills they need to understand, accept and stabilize their symptoms and behaviors so they can be successful in life. Our staff helps these young men through behavior modification training, individual and group counseling, life-skills training, educational services, and after-care services once the youth are discharged and return to their families.
Share a Gift
As part of their training, the staff has developed a motivational system that allows residents to buy things from an inhouse “store” when they reach personal goals. One of the ways that you can help this special population is by stocking the shelves of our store with items that any young man would enjoy:
- Gift cards to convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Target
- Phone cards
- Radios/MP3 players
- Axe products
- Video games or DVDs
- Or donate and we will shop for you.
Share Your Passion
Another way to help these young men is to share your interest or passion. If you have a hobby or talent and a little time, you can visit the residents after school or in the evening and engage them in what you love to do. Things like karate, music, exercise, sports, instruments would be a welcome addition to the lives of these boys.
Spread the Word
Our Family Resource Center is offering family members of relatives with mental illnesses an opportunity to reach out and speak to other families who share similar experiences. If someone you love has a mental illness, please contact our help line at (516)504.HELP. We listen when you need it most.
On a more practical note, the property behind Lakeview House is in dire need of a new fence. If you know someone who can donate fencing materials, please share this e-newsletter with them and ask them to help us. They can email us or call (516)678.5991 to help.
*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of our client.
