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New Perspectives - June, 2001 Issue #82
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Adolescent Family Services, Inc.
A Youth Transport Agency
Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Ron Jones
866-222-4299
Adolescent Family Services, Inc. (AFS, Inc.) is a new transport
agency owned and operated by “professionals experienced in troubled youth escort, who understand what family crisis is and what part
they can play in a safe, unstressed, and successful transport.”
AFS, Inc. specializes in escorting troubled youths to schools, programs,
and facilities. They are not a law enforcement agency and are not involved in judicial transports. Their emphasis is “with the parent/youth
crisis.”
The agents of AFS, Inc. strive to “conduct an escort in a discreet
manner with the well being of the child always first in mind.” A successful escort is “not only the arrival of the youth to the selected
destination, but to arrive in the best emotional/psychological state possible.”
In the first step of the transport, agents meet and consult with
the parents (usually conducted the evening prior to the transport). The agents “get to know” the parents, and “discuss how the transport
will be conducted.”
The agents are introduced to the child “usually in the morning hours
by the parents waking the child, introducing the escorts and informing the child of the decision of the selected program.” The agents
then work to de-escalate the situation (if necessary) by calming the child, and then explain to them who they are and what is going
to happen. They “show respect to the youth, being honest with him/her and ask the same in return.”
During and at completion of the transport, agents will contact the
parents and keep them informed of each leg of the trip and when the child arrives at the program.
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