For most teens, high school is a challenge, but for a young person like Shane* substance abuse and running with the wrong crowd landed him in Juvenile Detention, where he missed over a month of school.
*Youth’s name changed to protect confidentiality

Things were difficult at home before Shane’s arrest, which led to his mom’s refusal to take him in afterwards. After spending nearly a month in Juvenile detention, Shane’s probation officer offered him an alternative to more incarceration: New Beginnings. 

New Beginnings operates the only 24-hour licensed shelter for youth (ages 12—19) in Maine. The shelter offers a safe supervised place for young people to stay for up to three weeks. During this three week period staff work with young people on reunifying with family, connecting with supportive services, and ultimately finding safe stable housing for each young person who walks through its doors—young people like Shane.

After arriving at New Beginnings, Shane struggled to adapt to the structure and expectations of the shelter.