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Prevention

Talking to your child or teen about why they want to runaway is key in preventing runaways. To help you talk to your child before they runaway, read this article:

Teenagers Today: Preventing Runaways - Keep Your Teen From Becoming One of The Thousands That Run Away Each Year

Intervention

Many crisis centers to help in intervention of runaway cases. Law enforcement and other support services can help parents contact their runaway children.

All About Counseling: National 1-800 Crisis Hotlines

Insurance Matters

Health insurance for the homeless and runaway population is of great concern. Learn more about these matters:

Summary of Homeless and Runaway Survey Responses

Health-care Providers Who Can Help

Psychological counseling and medical treatment is often necessary after a runaway has been recovered.

For a look at the medical needs of runaways:

Pub Med Central: Relationship Between Service Utilization and Runaways Youths' Alcohol and Other Drug Use

To find therapists and medical help, follow these tips:

Focus Adolescent Services: Counseling and Therapy

The Emotional Roller-coaster

Knowing you have a runaway child is a difficult challenge for anyone facing the problem. It is an emotional challenge that many find hard to deal with. To take your mind off the situation, continue to live your life as normally as possible, but stay in touch through runaway special interest groups that help connect families. Find online and nearby support groups and learn all you can about your unique situation through exposing yourself to books and stories written by those who have dealt with runaways in their past can help give you and your loved ones hope while dealing with this crisis.

Books Survivors Recommend

• Our Runaway and Homeless Youth: A Guide to Understanding by Natasha Slesnick
• Runaway by Wendelin Van Draanen
• Runaway Youth: Stress, Social Support, and Adjustment (Children of Poverty) by Jon Bradley

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