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When Franny was 14 years old, her mental health took a nosedive due to problems at home. After witnessing her father breaking the law, she made the difficult decision to call the police, which resulted in her father being deported. She says her stepmother and half-siblings were furious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy family was mad at me for what I did, and I lost it and acted out. I was very suicidal. I was only 14, and I didn\u2019t know how to handle my emotions,\u201d remembers Franny, who eventually ran away from home and ended up in foster care. \u201cI had to go to a mental hospital. And then I was sent to Grafton.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When she first arrived at the psychiatric residential treatment center in Berryville in 2014, she felt out of place. Some of the students had more pronounced behavioral issues coupled with intellectual disabilities, and she felt like she didn\u2019t belong there. \u201cIt was a weird situation. It scared me straight for a bit,\u201d says Franny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eager to be discharged, she played the role of model patient and student. Seeing no adverse behaviors after a month of residential care, Grafton recommended that she try moving back in with her foster family. But shortly after leaving, her negative behaviors returned, and she was readmitted at Berryville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During her second stay, which lasted 1.5 years, she gave on up playing the perfect client. At first, she was belligerent and even tried to jump the fence. \u201cI was not myself,\u201d remembers Franny. \u201cBut after staying there for a while, I got comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
The first thing she began noticing was the authenticity of the teachers, therapists, and DSPs. \u201cThe majority of the staff really connected with the kids and actually built relationships with them. They really liked their jobs and genuinely wanted to help and give advice. It was more than just a paycheck to them,\u201d says Franny, who connected with some of her favorite Grafton employees on Facebook when she turned 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another thing that helped her progress was the opportunity to be active at Grafton. She realized that her impulse to run away had been, at least in part, about releasing pent up energy and emotions. Once the staff realized this, they gave her extra time in the gym or on the field to release her excess energy. On select Friday and Saturday nights, the well-behaved kids had the opportunity to play a game of kickball, which became one of her favorite ways to unplug. She also joined Grafton\u2019s basketball team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Franny looked forward to off-campus trips, which motivated her to behave better. She would go to basketball games, mall outings, and church\u2014which she loves. On campus, she especially enjoyed dog therapy. \u201cI\u2019m a huge animal lover. It didn\u2019t even feel like therapy. Loving on the dogs was just really fun for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shortly before being discharged at 16, Franny told her therapist she would miss being at Grafton. She had come to appreciate the regular schedule, stability, and relationships she built at Berryville. \u201cThat\u2019s when they knew it was time for me to get out in the real world, because I was a lot more stable. I never thought I would get to the point of wanting to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, Franny is a 22-year-old senior at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she\u2019s working towards a bachelor\u2019s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Homeland Security. Her dream job is to work for the FBI\u2019s Victim Assistance Unit, which identifies and assists people who have been negatively impacted by crimes. She\u2019s been living happily with her fifth and final foster family, who formally adopted her at age 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She credits her success to God, her own determination, the people who understood her at Grafton, and the support of her adoptive family. \u201cYou can lead a horse to water, but you can\u2019t make it drink\u2014it\u2019s the same concept with human beings. Grafton gave me all the resources, but ultimately it was up to me to change and take a different route in life.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":10716,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-10709","case-study","type-case-study","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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