Skys The Limit Fund

OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE SUPPORT AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR WILDERNESS THERAPY TO ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS IN CRISIS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN NEED.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR WILDERNESS THERAPYIN FISCAL YEAR 2022 (JULY 1, 2021 - JUNE 30, 2022) STLF PROVIDED $1,789,261 OF SUPPORT TO 213 YOUTH/YOUNG ADULTS IN CRISIS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH FINANCIAL NEED. SINCE INCEPTION IN 2010, WE HAVE PROVIDED OVER $6.6M OF SUPPORT TO OVER 1113 YOUTH/YOUNG ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE TOTAL SUPPORT TO FAMILIES INCLUDING OUR WILDERNESS PROGRAM PARTNER'S REDUCTION IN FEES IS OVER $12M.IN FY2022, STLF EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DONORS AS WELL AS AN INCREASE IN THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF EACH DONATION. IN ADDITION, WE WERE THE BENEFICIARY OF SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT DONATIONS FROM FAMILIES WHO EXPERIENCED FIRST-HAND THE EFFICACY OF WILDERNESS THERAPY. THIS GENEROSITY ALLOWED STLF TO INCREASE THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT FOR WILDERNESS THERAPY FROM $5,000 TO $10,000 PER YOUTH/YOUNG ADULT. AS A RESULT OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FROM THE PANDEMIC AND THE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY, MORE FAMILIES ARE NEEDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OF THE YOUTH ARE MORE EXTREME. STLF PROVIDED 135% MORE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR WILDERNESS THERAPY TREATMENT, AND SERVICED 19% MORE YOUTH/YOUNG ADULTS THAN IN FY2021. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR SOME OF OUR FAMILIES, THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM STLF WITH THE PROGRAM'S REDUCTION IN TUITION IS NOT ENOUGH. THE FAMILIES HAVE NOT HAD THE FUNDS TO COVER THE BALANCE OF THE TUITION, AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEND THEIR YOUTH TO THE PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASED NEED, THE YOUTH ENROLLING IN PROGRAMS SUFFER FROM MORE VIOLENT ANGER OUTBURSTS, DEFIANCE, AND SCHOOL REFUSAL. OTHER FORMS OF TREATMENT ARE INEFFECTIVE, AND THE FAMILIES ARE TURNING TO WILDERNESS THERAPY AS A LAST RESORT.WE EXPANDED OUR REACH BY ADDING BLUE RIDGE THERAPEUTIC WILDERNESS AND TRAILS CAROLINA AS PROGRAM PARTNERS. WE NOW SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR WILDERNESS THERAPY TREATMENT AND PARTICIPATE IN OUR COACHING SERVICE AND LOCAL CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM, IF APPROPRIATE. STLF PARTNERS WITH 14 WILDERNESS THERAPY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND CONTINUES TO GROW OUR ASSOCIATION WITH WILDERNESS THERAPY PROGRAMS. OUR GOAL IS TO EXPAND IN STATES WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE A PARTNER, TO PROGRAMS THAT ARE ACCREDITED, AND TO PROGRAMS THAT OFFER UNIQUE TREATMENT OPTIONS AND/OR FOCUS ON A SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. WE HAVE A VERY THOROUGH VETTING AND INTERVIEW PROCESS TO ENSURE THE PROGRAMS MEET OUR CRITERIA STANDARDS SUCH AS MAINTAINING A HIGH LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY AND SAFETY, HAVING A FAMILY COMPONENT AND MEASURING OUTCOMES.STLF PROVIDES FAMILIES WITH GUIDANCE, MENTORS, AND RESOURCES TO GIVE THEM THE EMOTIONAL AND PRACTICAL SUPPORT AND STRENGTH TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THE TREATMENT PROCESS. WE ALSO HOST EVENTS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO EDUCATE AND BRING AWARENESS TO THE COMMUNITY ON THE EFFICACY AND BENEFITS OF WILDERNESS THERAPY AND TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT.WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND DIVERSIFY OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS TO INCLUDE NEW INDIVIDUAL, CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS, GRANTS FROM FOUNDATIONS, MATCHING DONATIONS FROM CORPORATIONS, PEER TO PEER CAMPAIGNS, AND CAMPAIGNS USING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. AN INCREASED EMPHASIS ON ALUMNI, STLF BOARD MEMBER AND STAFF OUTREACH TO POTENTIAL DONORS HELPS TO DIVERSIFY THE REVENUE STREAMS.STLF HAS A HIGHLY ENGAGED BOARD OF DIRECTORS (13) MEMBERS, TWO FULL-TIME AND THREE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES WHO PARTICIPATE AND/OR VOLUNTEER FOR STLF FUNDRAISING EVENTS AND DONATION CAMPAIGNS. IN ADDITION, STLF EMPLOYS FIVE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS; ONE ADMINISTRATOR AND FOUR COACHES WHO LEAD THE STLF COACHING SERVICE.STLF COLLABORATES WITH LEADING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, SUCH AS OUTDOOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE (OBH) CENTER, AND ITS DIRECTOR DR. MICHAEL GASS, TO COMMUNICATE AND PROVIDE DATA TO FAMILIES AND THE PUBLIC REGARDING NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF WILDERNESS THERAPY. THIS INCLUDES THE STATUS OF INSURANCE COVERAGE, DATA ON THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS, AND RESULTS FROM THE YOUTH OUTCOME QUESTIONNAIRE (YOQ) AS IT PERTAINS TO THE EFFICACY OF WILDERNESS THERAPY AND TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT. OUTDOOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE (OBH) IS A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT PROMOTES PROGRAM STANDARDS, ETHICS AND RISK MANAGEMENT, AND FACILITATES OUTCOME RESEARCH ON THE EFFICACY OF WILDERNESS THERAPY TREATMENT. WE ARE AN AFFILIATED GRANTING ORGANIZATION WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THERAPEUTIC SCHOOLS & PROGRAMS (NATSAP). THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ATTENDS INDUSTRY RELATED CONFERENCES, SUCH AS THE ANNUAL NATIONAL NATSAP CONFERENCE, THE ANNUAL NATIONAL WILDERNESS THERAPY SYMPOSIUM, AND ANNUAL IECA (INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATION).

STLF COACHING SERVICEIN FY2022, STLF PROVIDED $101,794 OF COACHING SUPPORT TO 64 YOUNG ADULTS/FAMILIES, 70% MORE SUPPORT TO 31% MORE YOUNG ADULTS/FAMILIES THAN IN FY2021. OF THE 64 SERVED, 10 WERE YOUNG ADULTS AND 54 WERE PARENT(S)/GUARDIAN(S).STLF PROVIDES 12-15 HOURS OF COACHING SUPPORT OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL MONTHS. THE SERVICE INVOLVES THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND IS LED BY ONE YOUNG ADULT COACH AND THREE FAMILY COACHES WHO HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS THERAPISTS IN WILDERNESS THERAPY, TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT CARE, AND TRADITIONAL THERAPEUTIC CARE. STLF YOUNG ADULTS MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE SERVICE AND LIVE AT HOME OR IN AN INDEPENDENT LIVING ENVIRONMENT. THE SUPPORT TO THE YOUNG ADULT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE SUPPORT TO THE PARENT(S)/LEGAL GUARDIAN(S). THE SERVICE INCLUDES COLLABORATION WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, WEEKLY PHONE CALLS, HOMEWORK AND PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS. A HOME CONTRACT IS ESTABLISHED, SETTING BOUNDARIES AND CONSEQUENCES, AND A SUPPORT SYSTEM, INCLUDING THERAPISTS, A PSYCHIATRIST AND MENTORS, IS PUT IN PLACE. A CURRICULUM LAYS OUT THE PLAN BY WEEK. THE HANDS-ON APPROACH HELPS GUIDE FAMILIES AND/OR YOUNG ADULT OUT OF THE PITFALLS OF RELAPSE AND INTO HEALTHY, BALANCED FAMILY DYNAMICS AND A LIFE OF SUCCESS AND INDEPENDENCE FOR THE YOUTH/YOUNG ADULT. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE OUR FAMILIES AND YOUNG ADULTS TO UTILIZE THIS CRITICAL SUPPORT COMPONENT IF THE YOUTH/YOUNG ADULT IS UNABLE TO TRANSITION TO ANOTHER AFTERCARE PROGRAM. SINCE INCEPTION IN 2016, THE COACHING SERVICE HAS SUPPORTED 260 FAMILIES. MORE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS ARE TRANSITIONING HOME FOLLOWING WILDERNESS THERAPY TREATMENT RATHER THAN GOING TO A LONG-TERM TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM, I.E., RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER OR THERAPEUTIC BOARDING SCHOOL. PER CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS, ON AVERAGE, 20% OF PARTICIPANTS TRANSITIONED HOME, IN COMPARISON TO THE CURRENT TREND OF 40% - 50% TRANSITIONING HOME. AS A RESULT, SUPPORT IN THE HOME COMMUNITY POST WILDERNESS THERAPY IS NEEDED MORE THAN BEFORE. STLF'S COACHING SERVICE SUPPORTS THE FAMILIES WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE THIS CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE TREATMENT PROCESS. STLF PROVIDES THE COACHING SERVICE FREE OF CHARGE TO STLF FAMILIES, AND FOR A NOMINAL FEE TO NON-STLF FAMILIES ($1,800, WHICH IS THE OUT-OF-POCKET COST OF THE PROGRAM FOR STLF PER FAMILY).

LOCAL CONTINUUM OF CARE (LCC)TO FURTHER SUPPORT FAMILIES, STLF PROVIDES FAMILIES AND YOUNG ADULTS PARTICIPATING IN THE STLF COACHING SERVICE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE REIMBURSED FOR A PORTION OF THE COST OF TREATMENT FOR THE YOUTH OR YOUNG ADULT IN THEIR HOME COMMUNITY FOLLOWING WILDERNESS THERAPY. OUR LCC PROGRAM HELPS EASE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR OUR FAMILIES POST WILDERNESS THERAPY TREATMENT. EXAMPLES OF TREATMENT REIMBURSED BY THE LCC PROGRAM INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THERAPIST, COUNSELOR, MENTOR, IOP, AND WRAP SERVICES. THIS PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN JULY 2021, AND THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT AT THAT TIME WAS $2500. AS A RESULT OF OUR GENEROUS DONORS WHO BELIEVE IN THE EFFICACY OF WILDERNESS THERAPY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF AFTERCARE, WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT TO $5000 PER FAMILY. STLF PROVIDED A TOTAL OF $30,297 IN LCC SUPPORT IN FY2022. OUR FAMILIES ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE LCC PROGRAM AS IT FURTHER SUPPORTS THE GAINS MADE IN WILDERNESS THERAPY AND THE HEALTH AND ABILITY OF THE YOUTH/YOUNG ADULT TO FUNCTION AND BE A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER TO THEIR COMMUNITY.