Canyon Acres Children and Family Successes…

A Canyon Acres, TBS, Ranch & Group Home Success Story Samantha

Samantha is 14 years old and living in a loving adoptive family. She has just graduated from middle school with a history award and improved grades. She has a normal, active teen social life, writes poetry and plays the guitar.

But, things haven’t always been so normal for Samantha. At the age of three, Samantha was removed from her home because of her parent’s drug addiction and domestic abuse. She was placed in foster care for three years and, at the age of six, Samantha was adopted. Unfortunately, things did not go well. Samantha suffered physical and emotional abuse in the adoptive home and was removed for her own safety.

It was at this point that Samantha was referred to Canyon Acres. Due to the traumatic experience of her first adoption, Samantha was adamant that she did not want to live in a family environment or be adopted again. Reunification with her biological parents was not an option and Samantha felt all alone.

The Canyon Acres staff developed a specialized treatment plan for Samantha. As part of this plan, the staff matched her with a mentor; someone they felt would set a good example in her life. A positive relationship developed between Samantha and her mentor. She began to spend more time with the mentor family on weekends and holidays and eventually went on vacation with them. After two years, it was determined that it would be good for Samantha to live in a foster family situation with her mentor who became a licensed foster parent.

When Samantha transitioned into the Foster Family home, the Canyon Acres staff made sure that all the support systems were in place for her and her new foster parents. Samantha was assigned a Therapeutic Behavioral Services coach that helped her to get comfortable with the new neighborhood and school and all her new surroundings. The transition went well. The Foster Family even remodeled their home to give Samantha her own room.

One year later the Foster Family started adoption procedures. Samantha now has a permanent, happy, healthy family and home thanks to the help of Canyon Acres.