The Rock (Reaching our community’s kids) Program offers hope for impulsive youths

The Las Vegas Valley is home to a wonderful program called The Rock (Reaching Our Community’s Kids). Open Mondays-Fridays, it offers a variety of services to youths with impulse control issues and other behavioral problems.
“We focus on self-esteem issues and positive external and internal qualities that young people need to succeed,” said Henry Regan, the program’s lead recreational director. Services include anger management classes and courses designed to build character. “The number of children in the program goes down in the summer months, and will increase into the 30s when the school year resumes. We have children (from) 5 years old to 18 years of age.”
Founded 12 years ago by Allen and Cathy Love, the program is gaining more notoriety by the day, fielding an increasing number of calls from families seeking advice on how to handle disruptive children. Typically, participation in the program is paid for through Medicaid or private medical insurance.
“We offer solutions over the phone, and if those parents want to bring their child into the program, we give the child consequences for their actions,” said Regan. “They will have to write and/or do some work that we assign.”
Regan is quick to point out that the majority of children who come to The Rock are not solely at fault for their behavior: Many of them have been deeply involved in the criminal justice system, been medicated but not otherwise treated for their behavior or “are from troubled foster care homes or single-parent homes.” He estimated that between 60-75 percent of the children in the program are African-American, 13 percent Caucasian and 10 percent Hispanic.
“It is very difficult for many of our children to bond because they have been in the system for so long,” he said. “They will shut down as a form of protecting themselves. They will tell you whatever you want to hear.”
Along with the team-building classes that teach respect and honesty, The Rock puts a special focus on young males. “We conduct a class just for our young men called ‘Boys to Men,’ where we teach positive skills on manners, how to treat a woman and being respectful to adults.”
Central to The Rock’s mission is reaching for positive goals by working with the child, their parents or caregivers and teachers.
“We work with everyone involved with the children,” said Regan, “and together we do what is best to have a successful life.”
For more information on The Rock, call (702) 837-3788.