How do you manage runaways?

[SpongeBob DoctorPants]

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Recently I've had two adolescent patients run away from their homes. One of them has left the state (but will be escorted back by police), and the other is planning to leave the state soon. I never encountered this in my training, so I'm kind of at a loss for knowing what to do. I've provided information to the parents about a youth shelter in town as well as a mobile crisis response team. I have recommended going to the ED for a crisis evaluation and possible hospitalization if safety is a concern, but I doubt an acute stay would do much, as the patients would likely run away again once they are discharged. I have also been wondering if referring to a residential facility may be the best option. If you have had experience in successfully working with runaway teens, what do you do?

 

[erg923]

Functional family therapy

 

[clausewitz2]

Functional family therapy

This is assuming the parents have any interest in changing what they are doing rather than locating the blame solely on the shoulders of their kid.

 

[whopper]

The bottom line is there likely isn't any good option.

Any kid who runs away from home likely was in a bad situation where parents are either a major part of the problem or ignoring/enabling a major problem and are highly dysfunctional people who don't want to get better.

So you offer therapy. You think the parents that likely were a major factor in that problem actually want to get better? Therapy only helps if all participants want to make positive changes.

Of course I'm not saying you don't offer it. By all means offer it. Just accept the reality that despite your best efforts (and still give it your best efforts) you will likely face a lot of bad outcomes.

It's a real shame cause there's a clear victim here who is not the offender. With smokers, at least if they don't want to get better they're (usually) the only victim of their decision. You can at least rest assured that it's their choice and they made it. Children victimized by parents don't get that choice.

Sometimes the idea of people not being able to have kids unless they've been validly approved to do so sounds appealing. (Of course the reality-how do you get that done, yes I know it's impossible).

 

[SpongeBob DoctorPants]

Thank you for the replies. Obviously I don't know exactly what goes on inside the home of each family, but sometimes despite a parent's best efforts a child may choose poorly. In one of these cases, for example, the child left home because her parents refused to allow her drug-dealing boyfriend (or any drugs, for that matter) into the house anymore. The child told me she wanted "more adventure" than what she could find at home, and apparently enjoys being out on the streets or staying in other people's homes. I trust the parents in this situation are doing what they feel is best for their child, but perhaps there is also some harsh discipline. Obviously there's some conflict in the family, and perhaps it started long ago before drugs were even part of the picture. I've referred for therapy but getting the child to participate will be an obstacle. Hoping for the best. Thanks for the recommendations.