Troubled Youth 

Mood disorders frequently cause people who have not had adequate treatment for their illness to self-medicate, using alcohol, drugs, or other substances. Using drugs and alcohol invariably leads to more problems, tends to worsen the symptoms, and causes even more life-damaging consequences.

A Silverado student's continued academic improvement is important to us. Boys will experience a supportive educational environment and will develop effective learning strategies. They will engage in rigorous curriculum in a highly-structured learning environment, receiving multiple opportunities for academic success.

Drug addiction is a disease. People who are addicted to opiates have become physically dependent on a drug and need that drug in order to function normally.

Silverado Boys Ranch is a unique therapeutic boarding school for boys ages 13 through 17. The ranch is specifically designed to integrate real world skills and enhance self-esteem through a combination of experiential therapy, stellar academics, and healthy relationships.

The foundation of our program is built upon three core principles: work, love, and play. These core principles are integrated into every aspect of our program. Staff are encouraged to maintain their own healthy life balance in these three areas; doing so they become strong role models for the boys and for the families we serve.

Silverado Ranch’s therapists are doctoral and master’s level clinicians. They have extensive experience working with adolescents in a variety of settings, and are committed to providing high quality services to students and their families. The ranch is a unique owner-operated facility in which therapists have a vested interest in the program and the students.

Clinically, the ranch offers a relationship based, experiential program model in a therapeutic natural setting. Therapy is not reserved for the office; it occurs in all aspects of the program and is an ongoing process. Silverado Boys Ranch is an environment that can interrupt negative behavior patterns, remove unnecessary distractions, and allow healing to occur.

The ranch is a therapeutic boarding school, with an average stay of 9 to 12 months. The ranch provides quality care, high level academics, and unmatched recreational opportunities at a reasonable price. At Silverado we recognize the stress families are under and provide an alternative to hospital and residential care extremes. The monthly tuition at the ranch is $5,500.00. This rate includes room and board, therapy, and academics. There is a one-time enrollment fee of $1800.00. This fee covers the costs of initial psychosocial and psychiatric assessments, quarterly parent workshops, and student uniforms. A student account of $400.00 will need to be established upon admission to cover the costs of amenities, postage, outings and initial student snack allowances.

Our students come to us with a wide range of academic skills and abilities. Many young men have experienced difficulty in traditional learning environments and subsequently have negative attitudes toward school. However, the majority of these young men are unaware of their true potential. They often possess hidden skills, talents, and abilities which can be uncovered in a setting such as Silverado Boys Ranch.

At Silverado, we have chosen to begin our school day in the afternoon, and hold school from 1:00- 8:30 pm. Our mornings are filled with daily chores, experiential therapy, and traditional group and individual therapy sessions. This schedule allows our students to “get the wiggles out” and be more focused, calm, and ready to apply themselves to their studies in the afternoon.

A significant percentage of our students come to the ranch with a substance abuse history. We believe that an important goal of the program is create an environment that is abstinent and recovery focused. Treatment goals will be developed for students who come to the ranch with a history of substance abuse. Substance abuse groups will be held as well as participation in recovery groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. All students will receive education and information regarding substance abuse regardless of their history with illegal substances.

Silverado Boys Ranch has been a dream of Dr. Kreg Gillman, founder of the program, for many years. Growing up on a farm and having daily chores and responsibilities laid the foundation for Kreg's strong work ethic. As a young man Kreg learned the value of completing chores and projects and the positive effect on a person's self-esteem. He learned that working hard and playing hard resulted in feelings of pride, accomplishment, and self-worth. He was living in an environment that balanced work, love, and play, the primary concepts of his treatment model.

WORK - LOVE - PLAY

At Silverado Boys Ranch, we are committed to provide an empowering experience for boys and their families in an environment that teaches respect and responsibility through work, love, and play. Our emphasis is on discovering and utilizing the inherent talents and individual gifts that exist within young men to better themselves, their families and the communities in which they live.

Military Schools – Information about military school for troubled teens as well as other alternatives.

Marijuana use by teenagers who have prior serious antisocial problems can quickly lead to dependence on the drug, according to a recent study by researchers at the Addiction Research and Treatment Service, University of Colorado School of Medicine. The study also found that, for troubled teens using tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana, the progression from first use of marijuana to regular use was more rapid than the progression to regular use for alcohol and about the same as that for nicotine.

Community for troubled teens

This page is about the nation's juvenile population who are involved with criminal justice agencies or social system affiliates. It begins with a glossary of terms in Juvenile Law, and then provides some short answers to typical questions. Toward the end of this page, there is an alphabetical list of Internet resources that may be helpful to people researching juvenile topics.