Our Admissions Process

Our goal is to make the admissions journey informative and simple. In what is likely a season of frustration and anxiety, we hope to provide a transparent and straightforward process by walking you through each step of the process. We want to ensure that the services we offer are the right solution for your teen’s needs, so call and speak to our teen challenge admissions team at 417-272-3784 and determine his eligibility today!

Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 AM – 4:30 PM CST.

Step 1

Start the conversation. Call 417-272-3784 to speak to our admission team regarding eligibility.

Step 2

Complete our FREE online application.

Step 3

Your application is reviewed by our team of experts, and an assessment of your son’s eligibility will be delivered with 24-48 business hours. Additional steps for enrollment will be communicated at this time.

Have Questions? Contact Us Today

At Ozarks Teen Challenge, we are committed to helping troubled teens find healing in Jesus Christ, restoring relationships with their families, and providing them with the necessary skills to achieve their long-term goals. Through a Christ-centered approach, we strive to create a safe and supportive environment that fosters personal growth, empowers individuals to overcome their challenges, and equips them with the tools needed to succeed in life. We desire to empower teens to become productive, responsible, and compassionate members of society, and to help them discover their true potential and purpose in life.

To start the journey of restoration, contact us today.

Admissions Inquiry
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Frequently Asked Questions

15 months. Studies have shown that it takes the average person 12 months to break ingrained habits and 3 months more to establish new ones.

While you are ultimately in charge of your son’s care, we ask that families commit to the 9-12 month time frame before enrolling in the program. We require this commitment in order to avoid manipulations of false progress within our student body and to encourage honest & open growth opportunities. We believe in setting standards of structure and consistency for our students, including the length of the program. Also, our program focuses on different developmental areas as they move through our 5 Phases and we want to ensure that each student leaves with every tool available to them.

No, we deal with many life-controlling issues your teenage son may be struggling with (i.e. defiance, running away, pornography, substance abuse, to name a few).

Our student tuition includes the following expenses incurred during our 9-12 month program:

  • Room & board
  • Educational & recreational field trips
  • Discipleship/mentoring materials and services
  • All facility/administration fees
  • Optional missions trip opportunities & student conferences may require additional funding or fundraising, but we strive to ensure that every student is able to take advantages of these experiences.
  • Uniform & education-related fees are paid separately before your son’s enrollment date.

Tuition is broken down into monthly payments, with the first and last month required prior to arrival. Tuition is due every month thereafter based on the student’s enrollment date.

While our tuition prices are set to make our program as affordable as possible, our Admissions Coordinator can discuss scholarship options with you if they are available at that time.

Typically, insurance does not pay for residential therapeutic treatment or boarding school costs. However, the teen challenge cost may depend on your personal benefits package, and it does not hurt to contact your insurance company so that they can make a determination.

Sometimes a church or civic organization that a parent belongs to will assist with the cost of teen challenge and treatment. Discussing your situation with the Pastor of your church or President of your group may lead to financial assistance.

If you need to borrow money for rehab, personal loans are one of the better choices because they often come with lower rates than credit cards, another standard payment option. As of February 2023, the average credit card APR was 20.09%, but average personal loan rates were half that, at 11.48%. Using a personal loan, you can pay off your loan with steady payments over several years.

You are ultimately in control of deciding what is best for your son’s care and we can work with you on options for transporting your son here safely and without incident.

As long as he is under 18 prior to enrollment, he is eligible.

To maintain consistency & structure for our students we have developed a pass schedule for family visits as they move through the program. Please click here to see Pass Schedule.

  • Students have scheduled weekly phone calls home.
  • The frequent exchange of letters is encouraged.
  • Each family is also assigned a Parent Contact, a staff member who will contact you with bi-weekly updates and answer any questions you may have.
  • Detailed monthly progress reports are also sent to each parent/guardian.

It usually takes the average family 2-3 weeks to complete the admissions process. Admission can move faster in emergency situations when parents get all teen challenge application and admission documents in quickly.

Spiritual Focus
As opposed to most state-run facilities, we know that the most powerful catalyst for life change comes from three important spiritual truths. The first is that our students are created by God, in His image, no matter their current circumstances. The second is that they were ransomed by Christ, revealing their invaluable worth to God giving hope for the future.  The third is that the power and strength for change is available in the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. Every aspect of our program is created and filtered through these and the many other spiritual truths of the Bible.

Commitment to Quality Personalized Care
Our staff is committed to addressing the unique needs of each of our students. We do this through one-on-one counseling, individual mentorship, and personal and group discipleship classes.  We are committed to caring for our students as we would our own and providing an environment for them to grow.

Professionalism and Credentials
Our staff is committed to excellence and maintaining credentialing and professionalism that assures safe, quality care for your son.

  • All staff members are Nonviolent Crisis Prevention Institute Certified
  • All staff members are CPR and First Aid Certified
  • A Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and multiple Registered Associate Alcohol and Drug Counselors on staff.
  • Partnerships with several local psychologists specializing in sex therapy and adolescent sex offender counseling.
  • Five staff members hold Bachelor’s degrees in the fields of Wildlife Biology, Broadcasting, Music, Psychology, and Theology.
  • Three staff members hold Master’s degrees in the fields of Counseling, Business, and Criminal Justice.
  • One staff member holds a Doctoral Degree in the field of Therapeutic Recreation