If you know a teen facing crisis, Foundation 2 is here to help.  Thank you to Steffi Lee for bringing awareness to this important topic.

By Steffi Lee Friday, April 29th 2016

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Sometimes children in cities across the Corridor put themselves at risk without knowing it.

Parents are the first line of defense in noticing behavior changes to see if your teen may need help.

In Cedar Rapids, families can get help several different ways immediately.

At Foundation 2 Youth Shelter, the challenges that come through the door have a variety of causes. But there are resources in hand to resolve them. The situations range from mental health crises, personal family crises, runaway behaviors and homelessness, executive director Emily Blomme said.

The 17-bed emergency shelter welcomes youth from 11-to-17 years old at no cost.

“Not only can our kids that are there do some counseling on their own, but their families can come in and we can work to kind of rebuild some of those relationships,” Blomme said.

There is also in-shelter schooling, meals, medical care and transportation help provided.

Clinic therapists like Jennie Null at Tanager Place say relationship building goes a long way during tough times.

“You really want to be able to open the lines of communication,” Null said. “And as a parent, to kind of work through the stressers with their kids and also for their children as well.”

Both places emphasize having open communication and seeking help as soon as possible.

“Just really be willing to have open and honest conversations with kids about what kind of pressures they might be experiencing at school or with friends or online,” Null said. “Social media’s a big impact in today’s world.”

They hope their services will help prevent any future challenges.

“We do our best to meet the needs of youth the best way we can,” Blomme said.