While ministering to the homeless on the streets of Omaha, Nebraska, Father Edward Joseph Flanagan developed a lifelong interest in young people and their struggle to grow into responsible, productive members of society. Today, with your help, we continue Father Flanagan's mission of saving children and healing families.
You May Also Consider (sponsored)
Quick Start Online Therapy: Tell Us a Little About Yourself and Get Matched With a Therapist Right for You
Take a simple guided quiz and let us know your preferences. Get matched to an online therapist right for you. Convenient and affordable online therapy from your phone, tablet or computer.
Have you been in therapy before?
Services Offered
SAVING CHILDREN Boys Town has been dedicated to saving children like these for 100 years. We believe that every child has the potential to succeed if given the opportunity. So, with your help, we offer programs designed to lift at-risk children out of poverty and despair: Family Home Program We provide a family for children ages 10 to 18. Six to eight boys or girls live in each single-family home with a married couple called Family-Teachers.
Intervention and Assessment Services We provide care for abused, neglected, runaway and delinquent youth of all ages by removing them from dangerous situations, assessing their needs, and beginning to work toward family reunification or other permanent care. Your Life, Your Voice This free website allows troubled teens to contact trained counselors via phone, chat, text or email. HEALING FAMILIES Boys Town heals families through a variety of programs, including the following: Foster Family Services Foster parents, trained and supported by Boys Town, open their homes to children who need a safe place to live.
Common Sense Parenting The proactive skills and techniques taught in this program help parents create healthy family relationships that foster safety and well-being at home, in school and in the community. Learn more.
Boys Town Parenting Resources Boys Town parenting experts have a wealth of experience in a broad variety of parenting subjects. This information, backed by research and proven in real-world situations, is available for free in the parenting section of this website.
Boys Town National Hotline Available 24/7, 365 days a year, the Boys Town National Hotline is staffed by trained counselors who can give advice and find help for a wide range of issues, from addiction and suicidal thoughts to adolescent defiance and other issues.
STRENGHTENING COMMUNITIES
Boys Town also strengthens communities through other programs, including the following: Boys Town Training for Educators Backed by a century of experience in youth education, Boys Town has developed a series of evidence-based training programs for educators, administrators and school staff. These programs are designed to improve student learning and test scores while reducing classroom disruptions and office referrals.
Care Coordination This program provides a lifeline to children, parents and families suffering from mental health issues by connecting them with programs or resources that can provide the best care.
The Boys Town Center for Behavioral Health The Boys Town Center for Behavioral Health works with children and their families to identify and treat issues such as depression, anxiety, school problems and ADHD.
Fees and Payment
This is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Services Offered To: Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono
If You Call, Please Let Us Know How it Went:
Were You Able to Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.