On July 10, Educational Consultants Nancy Greene, Lindy Kahn, Maria Simon and Imy Wax stopped by this planned program before any students had been enrolled and provided this report. What they found was a facility almost ready to open as a licensed residential treatment center for 12 boys, ages 16 and 17, who may be experiencing primary difficulties with addictions, depression and oppositional behaviors. The owners explained that students who would benefit from this program have an average to above-average ability to work within an insight oriented curriculum. Each of the owners comes to this new program with professional backgrounds and extensive previous employment with other programs.

Crossroads is planned to be therapeutically designed around building strong relationships, offering individual and group therapy, weekly family therapy sessions and quarterly educational workshops. Their addiction counseling will include a combination of 12-Step and the "7 Challenges."

The goal of this program is to develop passions as a way of substitution for unhealthy addictions. Activities included as a regular part of the program are skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, wakeboarding, etc. These activities take place during the week and on weekends. Students will also have the opportunity to visit a cabin in rural Wyoming which will offer activities such as fly fishing.

This facility is a lovely remodeled home located in a residential area at the base of a mountain range. It allows for easy access year-round to both the town and recreational activities. The home is very comfortable and open with an area where students can study and use computers to enhance their studies. Plans for an indoor facility will include a skate boarding half pike.

Academics will be offered off campus at the North Ridge Learning Center, which is accredited by Northwest Association of Accredited Schools. Both Sam and Derek believe that students will benefit from the opportunity to go off campus to school. Learning will be individualized per student needs. Vocational opportunities will also be available.

Students will have the opportunity to learn activities of daily living including food preparation and daily chores around the home. As students grow and continue to take personal responsibility, they will have access to jobs in the community so they may learn how to deal with drugs and alcohol as close to "normalcy" as possible.

Sam Dahlin has a long history of successful clinical work with adolescent males with addiction backgrounds. He and his partner, Derek Bowles, are warm, caring, energetic and motivated. They should be excellent role models for their clients at Crossroads.