New Horizons for Young Women
Orrington, ME

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New Horizons For Young Women Closing

New Horizons for Young Women started in 2001 with the vision of creating a supportive and nurturing outdoor therapy program for teenage girls, their families and its employees. We just completed our third CARF accreditation process and were given another three year accreditation with two exemplary comments from the surveyor. We feel that New Horizons for Young Women has been a leader in innovative contributions to girls programming in wilderness therapy. New Horizons has served over 300 adolescent girls and their families.

With this information in mind, it is even more difficult to announce that New Horizons for Young Women will no longer be able to continue to serve adolescent girls and their families as of October 10, 2008. Our last student was discharged on October 9th. As we all understand our economy is struggling and the families that we provide these needed services for are being impacted. Since the end of August our admissions have ceased and our phones have stopped ringing. New Horizons for Young Women cannot sustain during this economic crisis.

I wanted to write to all of you from my heart. Many of you know me and my story. As an alumnus I have a deep attachment to this industry and the alternative choices we provide for families. As an owner I have seen this industry grow and continue to grow to a level I am very proud of. New Horizons for Young Women has had the honor to be on the forefront of supporting ethics and community within the industry. I have seen ethics being revisited, the understanding that you can conform to regulations and still be creative and the sharing of information and transparency between colleagues. I have been so fortunate to have gained the most incredible education and relationships from this industry.

The closing transition is a difficult one and I am asking the industry to please understand our circumstance and know that I had the privilege of working with the most incredible employees and colleagues dedicated to helping our clients and their families.

Thank you for all the support you have given us in the past seven years.

Please feel free to contact us if you have questions.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Danforth
Founder

It is such a tragedy…not only are all wilderness based programs under attack, but it seems our work with adolescent girls in particular is in serious jeopardy! The power of the wilderness is so healing and clarifying and it is a jewel of a tool… hopefully with the newly-sprung swing of sustainable-living, wilderness-based therapeutic ideals it will come full circle again.

Our female-empowerment program was recently cut because of limited funding, so I have a heartfelt understanding for your plight. For the start of my next chapter, I am developing a female-specific retreat concept in and around the Grand Canyon (of Arizona), ready to begin in late July of 2009. The retreats will embrace a holistic approach (yoga, meditation, healthful eating) in a wilderness setting. Hopefully the economy will bear it and the women will come…. : Stay tuned for more "Womyn In Wilderness." (The website should be up and running by December 1st…please check it out!

I send positive energy your way during this time of transition and wish the best for future endeavors….