Building Bridges

Building Bridges has spent the past two decades helping young men ages (14-18) deal with challenges like substance use, defiant conduct, failing grades, learning disorders, and behavioral problems. Their well-accredited program incorporates family involvement, individual counseling, wilderness trips, recreational therapy, and 12-Step recovery. The program length varies on the individual. Young men progress through various program levels, attending Building Bridges' on-site school when needed. Their high school curriculum is completely accredited–credits are transferable to high schools in every state since they are accredited by Cognia, a nationally renowned accrediting agency. This enables their students to benefit from the therapeutic environment while continuing their academic careers. Building Bridges can employ a wide range of curriculum, enabling them to tailor each student's timetable to suit their academic requirements, abilities, and future.Academics and ActivitiesEach day throughout the regular school year will include a variety of activities. The students meet as a group each weekday morning before leaving for school. The young men return to the apartment after school and have some free time to finish their homework assignments. Every night, there is a different activity after supper, ranging from group discussions to town meetings to neighborhood events like basketball games in the school gym. The weekends are divided into a day of labor treatment on Saturday, which is followed by a movie that evening, and a day of leisure therapy on Sunday, which may involve playing paintball or softball, going to the gym, or going skiing at a nearby resort.Family InvolvementFamily plays a key role in the recovery process and parents will receive weekly phone calls from the counselor to share the students progress. A conference call with the parents, student, and counselor occurs frequently. This call is intended to ensure that everyone is on the same page and resolve any problems together. Family visits are scheduled throughout the year, where parents can experience some of the local activities and surroundings.Quiet Mountainside SettingLocated on over 45 acres in northwestern Montana, Building Bridges can house up to 24 young men in their brand-new residential complex, which also includes spacious living and eating facilities, a professional kitchen, and many other amenities. Private river access is available on the property, where students can go water skiing, tubing, or just plunge in after a hot day. Building Bridges is perfectly suited to combine the supportive peer culture of a bigger facility with the close-knit relationships only possible in a less congested setting.