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The physical and emotional safety of our teens matters most to us here at the InnerRoads Wilderness Program.  That is why we maintain a 1:2 staff to youth ratio while in the backcountry and have daily communications with the group while in the field.

Staff Safety Qualifications

• Combined, our field staff have over 907 days working with troubled teens in a wilderness setting and our director has over 802 days.
• Each field staff member has Wilderness First Responder and CPR certification.

Physical Safety

Healthcare

• Teens are required to complete and pass a thorough physical exam with a licensed healthcare professional. 
• In addition to the physical, our expedition Doctor reviews each physical and any current issues upon the teen’s arrival the morning of the expedition departure.
• Our expedition Doctor and Program Director are available 24 hours a day for questions and concerns with healthcare issues in the event of an emergency.
• Field evacuation including the use of aircraft is available in the event of an emergency.

Prevention is Key

• Our teens are outfitted with quality, season appropriate gear for their trek.
• Our teens are consistently monitored for proper hydration and nutrition.  Our menu has been developed by a registered nutritionist to meet the needs of teenagers.  Food is never withheld for behavior management or any other reason.
• Field staff consider emotional and physical safety in every decision made in the field. 
• Field staff have extensive knowledge in backcountry travel skills including map and compass as well as GPS technology.
• Each staff completes a minimum of 40 hours of training each year.

Emotional Safety

• Daily communication between field staff and our therapist ensure constant monitoring of each youth’s emotional needs and treatment progress.
• We operate under a philosophy in which a teen’s sense that he or she is cared for, respected, and supported by both staff and peers is essential to growth.
• We believe that therapeutic change is greatly aided by relationships between staff and student that are characterized by care, compassion and respect. We do not believe that lasting therapeutic change comes from coercion or the punitive use of “natural” consequences