Forest Ridge

Forest Ridge was established in 1983 as a residential foster care facility for at risk youth. The rural northwest Iowa program has grown from 12 residential beds to 140 residential treatment and emergency shelter beds. Recognizing that quality services are designed to meet the specific needs of the youth they serve and that the needs of young women... and young men differ, in 1996 Forest Ridge chose to specialize in Gender Responsive Services for adolescent girls in the juvenile justice system. Young women are the fastest growing segment of the juvenile justice system and have disproportionately higher needs in relation to their lower risk of threat to the public. Quality services that meet the specific needs of young women require the understanding that girls not only come to the attention of the juvenile justice or human services system with a higher level of needs, but that they also process information, develop self-esteem, and respond to service techniques differently than boys. At Forest Ridge, every aspect of programming pays attention to what they have learned about the growth and development of healthy young women. The Trauma-Informed Care approach to services has found a welcome home at Forest Ridge, as the recommendations for female-responsive services have long included the understanding that young women entering the system have often been the victims of traumatic events, causing them both emotional and physical wounds. The specialized work of helping young women begin to heal those wounds and become healthier members of society has included a trauma-informed component at Forest Ridge for nearly two decades. Forest Ridge Youth Services is a program in the Sequel Youth and Family Services organization.Read More