What We Do
Ozarks Teen Challenge provides at-risk teen boys ages 13-17 who struggle with substance use, alcohol, and other life-controlling issues with a 15-month comprehensive, Christ-centered residential program. Our services help teens with personal, social, academic, physical, mental, and spiritual growth. Students receive individual care through professional counseling and journey through our five-phase comprehensive program, which provides mentorship, a customized accredited academic track, leadership training, community service opportunities, physical fitness training, and outdoor skills development.
We believe God has a greater plan for your family. He intends to transform your son into the young man he was created to be. We hope this simple assurance will change your outlook from pain and despair to hope. Your circumstances may be daunting now, but Ozarks Teen Challenge is ready to step in and become an agent of blessing to your family. Talk to our Admissions Team today and see how we can help.
Who We Help
Describing the typical Ozarks Teen Challenge student or family is difficult because each family and troubled teen comes to us with unique needs. Understanding this diversity inspires us to understand and meet these distinctions through individual discipleship and family reconciliation.
Despite their differences, all our families have one thing in common. They love and care for their teens profoundly and want to see them live happy and healthy lives. Our families are willing to make difficult choices to ensure those futures, and we stand ready to help!
Our 15-month program is designed to help adolescent boys ages 13-17 who are struggling with life-controlling issues or addictions. Our faith-based programs include structured daily habits, spiritual nurturing, individual and group counseling for drug abuse, and behavioral therapy. Listed below are some of the issues for which we provide rehabilitation services.
Measuring Success
Follow-up evaluations are conducted with parents up to five years later (including those whose students did not complete the program), and those evaluations reveal:
Tour Our Campus
Come tour Ozarks Teen Challenge. We are Located just outside Branson, MO, Missouri’s only Teen Challenge Adolescent Male Center. Branson has become a popular tourist destination with abundant shows and attractions. With Silver Dollar City (an amusement park), shopping and shows, the lovely Ozark Mountains, and Table Rock Lake. Branson offers something to vacationers of all ages and interests. Despite the accessibility of these attractions, our Teen Challenge center is a quiet retreat off the beaten path. Our 28-bed facility sits on 190 acres of hardwood forest, rugged hiking trails, and graceful pastureland.
Our Admissions Process
Step 1
Speak to our admissions team and complete the pre-application to determine eligibility.
Step 2
Complete the formal application
Step 3
Schedule an enrollment date
Our Hope
At Ozarks Teen Challenge, we champion recovery and promote spiritual, mental, and emotional wellness through a Christ-centered discipleship program, academic support, and professional counseling. Our services are for both struggling teens and their families.
It’s essential to our team that program participants receive professional, individualized care. We are equipped with accreditation, certifications, and licensures, but our ultimate desire for your struggling teen is communion with the God of transformation.
This hope is fundamental because deep, lasting change comes through a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. We don’t want to “fix” your son. We want him to experience a life-changing relationship with God. While we are intentional with our care plans for each participant, we know that Jesus is the One who transforms both minds and hearts.
Our Covenant
Our Staff
Meet the dedicated recovery and therapeutic care staff of Ozarks Teen Challenge.
"I had run out of options with my 16 year old son."
After calling and researching almost every adolescent long term treatment program in and out of the country, I chose Ozarks Teen Challenge. This amazing place changed my sons life and mine! The team spoke love and life into him and gave him purpose. They gave him the tools he needed to overcome his bitterness, hate and addiction. They introduced him to the most amazing love…….Gods! They saved his life!!! I am forever grateful to OTC!!
The McGough Family
"I saw firsthand how Ozarks Teen Challenge not only restores the lives of young men…but also how families are restored."
I talked with a mother whose son was near graduation at Teen Challenge, and she couldn’t hold back the tears when explaining how this troubled and practically uncontrollable teenager turned his life around and has become a loving and caring son for which she had always hoped. Seeing this mother and son embrace after he had completed the race will be a memory I’ll never forget. I believe in the mission of Ozarks Teen Challenge and have been a financial supporter of this Christian organization for many years.
The Adams Family
"Our teenager successfully completed the 15-month program. We couldn’t ask for a more caring staff."
All staff are very personable. Our son needed the nurture and care that teen challenge provides. Our teen also needed the faith based environment that teen challenge provides. Our son was where he needed to be. Keep up the great work!!
The Smith Family
"I simply cannot say enough good about Ozarks Teen Challenge! "
My son completed their program and it is truly a life changing ministry that has an incredible staff. Many of the staff members have been there for years and several since the start of Ozarks Teen Challenge. It is not a one size fits all program as they know/learn of each boy individually and are able to work with them based on who they are, what their background is and experiences have been. They work tirelessly for the students and clearly do not clock in and out as if going to a “job.” I was impressed from the beginning to the end of my sons time in the program and I continue to be impressed as they remain involved and truly care about not only my son but all of the boys that they have worked with. The academic program they have is also impressive and I found it’s hard to find a facility such as this, that not only works on all the life controlling issues and loves these boys but also gets them up to speed academically and have many also graduating from high school as well. I am grateful for this ministry and staff and will always be!!!
