Lighthouse New Beginnings

Katie Baughman, Summer 2013

In 1969, a group of women from the Baptist Women's Fellowship founded Lighthouse Youth Services (LYS) with help from local volunteers. The founders hoped to provide services that encouraged brighter futures for struggling Cincinnati youth and families. Lighthouse began working with Cincinnati youth when LYS opened the first all-girl group home in Ohio. Today, Lighthouse is one of the nation's leading child service providers with services for Cincinnati homeless and runaway youth, for infants and toddlers with developmental disorders, and for youth in the justice system. Lighthouse still owns and operates an all-girl group home, Lighthouse New Beginnings (NB).

Lighthouse New Beginnings is licensed as a 12-bed facility that serves adolescent females ages 12-18. Girls are typically referred to the program by child protective agencies and are often under the custody of Hamilton County Job and Family Services; other girls are referred by the court system as a step-down from a higher security facility. The average resident at NB has a history of abuse and/or neglect. Many residents are also troubled youth with a history of multiple unsuccessful placements and/or a history of criminal or delinquent behaviors. Most residents have emotional and mental health issues, lack appropriate social skills, and express self-management issues. The girls commonly struggle in school and come from families with little support. The program goal at New Beginnings is to provide a safe, therapeutic environment for these girls until they are discharged from the program.

During my interview, I was warned about what I would see at New Beginnings. My project supervisor told me that the girls would test my limits, they would curse and yell, and that they would fight with each other and possibly with staff. She warned me that I could not disclose much personal information or show weakness, because the girls would later use it against me. Personal belongings needed to be locked up, because many of the girls have "sticky fingers." I was also guaranteed that if I took the intern position, that I would be called names. When I accepted the internship offer, my supervisor also told me to be thankful for the good days at NB, because most days I would not feel like I was making a difference. Although my supervisor was right about everything, I value every minute of my summer that was spent at New Beginnings.

Child abuse/neglect happens far too often. I can read the news and see a new story about a young victim, and I will feel sad for the child and angry at the abuser and at the child's guardian. It is one thing to know that abuse/neglect like this occurs, but it was a completely different experience to hear a girl tell her own story and say, "I lost my virginity when I was six." In that moment, my heart skipped a beat as I imagined a young child stripped of her innocence. Throughout my summer at New Beginnings, I got to know each girl and her story. I spent the time to read the girls' files and also to listen to what they were willing to share of their stories.

In general, how the girls speak and act may not be acceptable, but it makes sense. Many of the girls never learned to how speak without profanity and without yelling. They never learned how to trust and how to love. They were abandoned as young children and abused by the adults that who supposed to protect them. I never held it against the girls when they yelled at me. To the girls, I have been fulfilling the role of a caretaker, similar to the caretakers who were supposed to protect them and their innocence; it makes sense that I would receive some of the girls' displaced anger. I redirected the girls when they misbehaved, and tried to teach them right from wrong, but no matter how nasty and cruel the words were, I did not abandon the girls. I never quit trying to help them realize their individual worth and potentials. For many of the girls, the New Beginnings staff is the first group of people the girls can depend on to protect and to take care of them. Gaining the girls' trust has not been an easy feat, but the girls deserve to know that they do matter and that gaining their trust is worth the effort.

Working with the girls has taught me how to effectively work with troubled youth. My experiences this summer have been inspirational, and I am so proud to see how far the girls have come, despite the obstacles they have faced along the way. When the girls tell me, "Ms. Katie, we'll miss you," the feeling is definitely mutual.