Ozarks Teen Challenge student
Ozarks Teen Challenge male student cooking
Ozarks Teen Challenge boy washing dishes
boy in a counseling session with his male therapist in Missouri

Our Approach to Helping Your Teen

Ozarks Teen Challenge is a 9-12 month Christian drug and behavioral rehabilitation center that recognizes the unique needs of each teen. Every aspect of our troubled teen program: the structure of his day, individualized academic & discipleship tracts, recreational therapy, leadership training, & life skills projects are developed with intentionality, focusing upon your son’s personal growth and development.

Our 5 Phase System for Teen Therapy focuses your teen’s time with us on discipleship and personal growth on every developmental level. We provide treatment for drug and substance abuse, behavioral problems, sexual addiction, and many other life controlling issues.

Ozarks Teen Challenge student

Our 5-Phase System For Teen Therapy

Our Christ-centered residential 5-phase approach is designed to provide a safe and supportive environment for teens who are struggling with substance or alcohol addiction, sexual addiction, behavioral issues such as defiance, or other life challenges. The program for troubled teens integrates faith with evidence-based best practices and provides encouragement, accountability, and a community of peers. With nearly a decade of success with this model, we are confident that your son will find renewed hope and healing through this 5-phase journey.

As teens graduate from one phase to the next, they are rewarded with more privileges and responsibilities, empowering them for the final transition home. Our Five-Phase System for teen therapy is not a static formula that is applied to each of our teens in the same way. Instead, our phases provide a framework of developmental goals that allow us to tailor each teen’s journey to meet their unique needs while achieving important developmental milestones.

teen challenge program

Your teen will begin to understand his personal value, God’s love for him, and God’s purpose for his life. Understanding this value assists him in confronting and managing emotions, cultivating greater personal discipline/work ethic, and taking responsibility for his actions. Individuals are willing to work for, protect, and guard what they value. With this in mind, Phase 1 focuses on this foundational Biblical truth.

Connection and relationships play a critical role in the recovery process. When someone is struggling with addiction or other life-controlling issues, they often feel isolated and alone. However, having a strong support system can make all the difference in their recovery journey. Connection with others can provide a sense of belonging, understanding, and acceptance that is vital for healing. It can also help individuals develop healthy coping mechanisms, boost their self-esteem, and provide them with a sense of purpose. Building and maintaining relationships can be challenging, but it is essential to prioritize this aspect of recovery. By tailoring this phase to the needs of each teen, they learn how to seek reconciliation, set healthy boundaries, and develop healthy, trustworthy relationships.

Serving others is an integral part of the recovery process, as it allows individuals to shift their focus away from themselves and toward the needs of others. By helping others, individuals in recovery also gain a sense of perspective and gratitude, which can be powerful tools in recovery maintenance. In this phase, program participants will start to prepare for future success by developing lifelong skills in servant leadership, personal integrity, and faithful obedience. They will be encouraged to find vision and purpose within God’s will for their life by substituting selfish and destructive behaviors with care and service to those around them.

Program participants continue developing soft skills such as active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, and emotional and social intelligence. These skills help individuals build trust with loved ones and friends. It also aids in forming a supportive network of peers. The foundational principles learned in this phase help students become more aware of the influence of their surroundings and whether they need to withdraw completely or influence positive change in whatever environment they find themselves in.

Students prepare for their transition home by setting future career, life, and education goals and discussing expectations, rules, and safeguards alongside their families. Learning practical life skills such as resume building, engaging in mock job interviews, and managing money helps participants reach personal and family goals.

This phase also heavily focuses on an aftercare program for participants. Individuals who graduate are not left to their own devices. Ozarks Teen Challenge is committed to a long-term relationship even after graduation.

We Can Help!

Our goal is to make the admissions process to our Christ-centered residential therapeutic program informative and simple.  Reach out today to begin the process.

A Typical Day In Our Program

At Ozarks Teen Challenge, our teen rehab program for boys is one that utilizes a highly structured schedule. Your troubled teen will find comfort in the regularity of a set schedule and clear expectations. Your boy will cultivate personal responsibility, punctuality, consistency, and dependability. The development of these traits is encouraged through the establishment of daily chores such as: making their beds, cleaning their closets and hanging clothes properly. Read on to discover what everyday life will look like for your son should he be enrolled in our teen program.

6:00 am

Worship Area Open For Prayer

7:00 am

Official Wake Up

7:30 am

Morning Devotions & Prayer

8:00 am

Breakfast (Every meal is freshly prepared on site)

8:30 am

Cleanup & Chores

9:00 am

Ozark Boys Academy 1st Session

12:00 pm

Lunch

12:30 pm

Cleanup & Chores

1:00 pm

Group & Personal Discipleship Classes

2:45 pm

Recreation Therapy

5:00 pm

Dinner

5:30 pm

Cleanup & Chores

6:30 pm

Free Session (Students may choose from a variety of activities to enjoy & relax)

7:30 pm

Ozark Boys Academy 2nd Session & Parent Phone Calls

9:00 pm

Prep Time For Lights Out

9:30 pm

Lights Out

Our Program Features

Through our life skills programs for troubled teens, students soon learn to recognize what needs to be accomplished and to focus on the task at hand. Our life skills training and projects provide an excellent opportunity for your teen to learn teamwork, communication and personal responsibility. Ozarks Teen Challenge features many projects throughout the year at our teenage rehabilitation center to help reinforce these principles.

troubled boy learning to replace a flat tire

Basic Life Skills

Addiction and defiance oftentimes stunts the normal developmental patterns of growth of a troubled teen. Instead of learning how to care for themselves and for the environment around them, their lives are consumed with how to continue their addictive behavior…

Adolescence is meant to be a period of increased independence, competency, and personal responsibility as teens prepare to enter adulthood.

Understanding this developmental need, we at Ozarks Teen Challenge focus on teaching these basic life skills to each of our students from day one. Personal hygiene is encouraged through a structured schedule. Each teen learns to keep his personal space clean and organized. We also rotate our teens through five different life skills teams during their time with us, each with its own responsibility, ranging from cleaning and laundry to cooking and organization. As our students learn to take care of themselves and their environment, they begin to build self-esteem, competency, and an appreciation for the things around them.

trouble boy fitness program

Fitness & Nutrition

A foundational life skill for every teen is to learn the benefits and practices of fitness and nutrition. Teens who are using drugs or alcohol are damaging their bodies and are not particularly motivated to participate in regular exercise. As they begin to see the physical…

benefits of fitness, our troubled teens are able to build self-esteem while learning positive habits that can last a lifetime.

We also believe in emphasizing a balanced, nutritious diet for our students. Our kitchen coordinator works to ensure that our students are given a unique and balanced menu each week. We not only provide a nutritious menu, but we also train our students in how to plan and cook these types of meals for themselves through our kitchen life skills team. With our teen program, each student learns basic cooking skills, proper portions, and nutritional information.

troubled teen work skills program

Volunteerism & Work Skills

Learning basic work skills is also an important part of the development of any teen. One way that we help to prepare our teens for future jobs is to invest in volunteerism within the community. Our teens are able to learn skills for future employment while helping local…

charities and churches at the same time. These activities incorporated into our teen program range from helping with logistics to serving at banquets or fundraisers. We also take time to teach each of our teens basic maintenance and lawn care skills as special projects arise. By focusing on helping others, learning professionalism, and serving, our students begin to realize their potential to make a positive difference in the world around them while gaining beneficial work skills.

marathon running team for troubled Christian youth

Our Marathon Teams

In July of 2014, two staff members, nine students, and 3 parents set out to accomplish what seemed to be an impossible goal…run & finish a half-marathon together. In November of 2015, they accomplished their goal by completing the Bass Pro Half Marathon with…

each member finishing in under 2 hours and 25 minutes.

That first team learned the benefits of hard work, dedication, and teamwork. They learned to push past their limits and to rely on others to help them along the way. The esteem built through this experience will last a lifetime. Because of this success, we now offer our students two opportunities to join a half-marathon team each year. One run takes place in March and the other in November.

Our marathon teams are just one example of the many ways in which our recreational therapy focuses on utilizing physical challenges to teach our teens emotional and spiritual truths that help them experience lasting life change.

teen challenge drug rehab program

Phase Classes: Recovery
Support Groups

During Phases 2 through 5, your teen will participate in Personal Discipleship Classes, five days a week, tailored specifically to your son’s individual needs and his phase goals. We are able to individualize our Personal Discipleship…

Classes by creating unique learning contracts for each student as they transition through each phase. Our contracts involve reading assignments, journaling, workbooks, bible reading/memorization assignments, and meetings with our Discipleship Coordinator. Each teen will go through slightly different materials depending upon their unique needs, but all of them are tailored to meet the learning objectives of each phase.

troubled youth mentorship program

Individual Mentoring

Individual mentoring is another foundational piece of our program. Our staff are trained to enter every situation with purpose and intentionality…to seek out mentoring opportunities and to utilize everyday happenings for times to teach and disciple…


Students are also able to request additional mentoring meetings with staff members or our Program Manager to seek counsel and wisdom, as times are available.

Additionally, each of our Phase 2 through 5 students, meet weekly with our Discipleship Coordinator to evaluate their learning and to discuss their personal growth. During these sessions, we are able to address the unique spiritual, emotional, and environmental needs of each of our teens.

Every mentoring session is focused on addressing past issues or wounds, seeking healing and reconciliation, and learning new coping skills for the future. Through this process, it is our hope that your son will learn what it means to become a disciple of Christ, bringing to life the truth, power, and wisdom of Scripture.

Family Involvement

Ozarks Teen Challenge recognizes that parent and family involvement is key to the continued success of our students. Destructive behaviors affect the entire family. We strive to facilitate family reconciliation, healing, and forgiveness as your loved one moves through his program. This is accomplished through regular communication, parent weekends, a structured visit schedule, and by involving families throughout the teen rehab program.

parental communication with their troubled son

Parental Communication

Ozarks Teen Challenge strives to keep families informed of every aspect of their student’s progress and care by providing:

  • A Parent Contact for Each Family – Bi-Weekly updates from your parent contact

  • Weekly Phone Calls with Your Student
  • Regular Letters from and to Home

  • Detailed Monthly Progress Reports – Behavioral, Spiritual, and Academic Progress is Reported

Pass Schedule

Passes are privileges that students earn as they move through their program. These passes aid students and families in the reconciliation process as our students begin to demonstrate responsible choices and personal growth.

  • On-Campus Weekend Pass/Family Visit: At the Completion of Phase 1 of Program
  • Two Off-Campus Weekend Passes/Family Visits: During Phase 2 & 3 of Program
  • Overnight Weekend Pass/Family Visit: During Phase 4 of Program Two 4 day
  • Home Passes/Visits: -During Phase 4 & 5 of Program
family pass at Ozarks Teen Challenge
mother hugging son at family weekend in Missouri

Family Weekends

Family weekends are designed for families to reconnect and work together. We host a formal family weekend once every two months to correspond with our students’ pass schedules.

During these weekends, you can expect family educational programming and worship services, as well as time to discuss issues and share growth experiences as a family.

Ultimately, Ozarks Teen Challenge success rate is seen most clearly through the faces and testimonies of our students and families themselves.

Josh’s Testimony

Pierce’s Testimony

Father calling to get help for son
work skills at Ozarks Teen Challenge in Branson West, MO
troubled boy counseling session
Mother calling to speak with her troubled teen boy

Get Started Today

Our 5 phases of growth are designed to provide the right structure and accountability to help young men excel and take personal responsibility.

We understand that it can be difficult to maintain this level of care for working parents or a single parent when their teen is at home. This season can be stressful, but our team is ready to provide the necessary support and guidance to help your teen on their journey toward maturity and healing.

Contact us today to start the enrollment process.

work skills at Ozarks Teen Challenge in Branson West, MO