|
News & Views - Mar, 2000 Issue #67
|
A Personal Profile:
TIM BRACE EYEING NEW OPPORTUNITIES
After seven years with increasingly responsible positions with the
company, Tim Brace is leaving his position as Executive Director of Educational Services at Aspen Youth Services. In a phone discussion
with Woodbury Reports, Brace said “The future holds many opportunities in this arena and I intend to be a part of the movement to
reach more families and children as well as enhance the quality of services provided. I am grateful to the many that have supported
the efforts I have been involved with and who have shared time with Kathleen and our family. I look forward to working with you in
the future.”
Brace’s 20-year career working with teens with behavioral/emotional
problems spans the development of this unique industry. He has influenced the emergence of emotional growth schools and programs from
a little-known alternative to mainstream psychiatric hospitalization, to a widely accepted and respected self-developing network of
residential schools and programs.
Almost exactly 20 years ago, in 1980, CEDU School in Running Springs,
California hired Brace based on his innate ability, almost in spite of his newly acquired Masters of Counseling degree. The school
was working hard to gain acceptance as a viable alternative to the “diagnose and medicate,” method for working with teens with behavioral/emotional
problems, which was prevalent at the time. Brace became a leader in this rapidly growing school that was striving to differentiate
themselves from “business as usual.” He worked consecutively as Counselor, Family Head, Assistant Director and Director of Rocky Mountain
Academy in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, then returned to CEDU as Headmaster.
In 1993, Brace left CEDU and joined what is now known as Aspen Youth
Services. He served as Executive Director/Headmaster of Mount Bachelor Academy in Bend, Oregon, a school founded on principles similar
to those of CEDU, as evidenced by their expanding number of schools serving similar populations of teens with behavioral/emotional
problems as those served by CEDU. Brace was instrumental in the growth of Aspen Youth Services: he founded Swift River Academy in
Massachusetts in 1997, served as Executive Director of Residential Schools, and most recently held the position of Executive Director
of Educational Services for Aspen Youth Services.
Reminiscing on the phone, he observed that 20 years ago when he
started with CEDU, the options for parents wanting something other than residential psychiatric or treatment programs were very few.
He considered himself very fortunate to land one of the few jobs available that offered a different vision, that of serving kids’
needs, rather than just addressing their diagnoses. Now, 20 years later, as he looks at the opportunities open to him, he sees almost
unlimited opportunity in a rapidly expanding field. Where 20 years ago CEDU was virtually a voice crying in the wilderness, now he
sees a large number of schools and programs growing and expanding their impact. Opportunities are heightened also by the large number
of supporting businesses growing up around this network, such as consultants of all types making a living directly helping parents
and bringing their expertise to schools and programs. This developing network of schools and programs is maturing, recently even forming
their own organization called the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP), which Brace was instrumental
in forming.
Woodbury Reports wishes Tim Brace Good Luck, and has full confidence
that the best is yet to come.
Tim Brace can be contacted at
3011 NW Golf view Dr., Bend, Oregon 97701
541-382-2845
timbrace@teleport.com
Copyright © 2000, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced
without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)
|