We first met “Tyrell” as a high school senior struggling with his mental health and disconnected from school. He had been arrested for stealing his uncle’s car and crashing it into a tree. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Against his uncle’s wishes, Tyrell was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. His uncle wanted Tyrell to be held accountable, but he was terrified of the impacts that incarceration would have on the teen’s mental health; Tyrell had previously been hospitalized for depression. Prison can have horrible effects on children’s mental health and can often worsen pre-existing struggles by interrupting a child’s social development and education. Tyrell needed help.

LCCR immediately got to work. When we first met with him, it was difficult for Tyrell to open up. For too long, he fell back on his anger and depression to keep people from getting too close. He was often defensive and reluctant to share his feelings. Eventually, he expressed that he wanted to go back to school, and to have someone truly listen to him. Based on what Tyrell wanted for his life, we collaborated with him to create the plan that led to his release.

Now back home in his community, Tyrell’s LCCR youth advocate, Cherrice, took the lead on facilitating his return to school. She guided him through every step of the registration process. With support from his uncle and his LCCR team, Tyrell graduated from high school on time this past May– a huge achievement.

Cherrice also worked with Tyrell to help him better manage his mental health. She began by administering a mental health assessment to determine his needs and how to best address them. She then connected Tyrell with a clinic that would get him the counseling and medication care he needed to treat his depression.

Tyrell’s next goal was to begin community college. He applied and had been accepted, but he was unsure how to navigate the complex process of course registration and tuition payments. On the verge of being dropped from the roles due to unpaid tuition, Cherrice stepped in to provide the guidance he needed. She went with Tyrell to his school and helped him sort out his payments and his class schedule, and even researched scholarships for him. Together, they completed the applications, and Tyrell was awarded additional financial aid to ease the cost of his education.

Tyrell is a sweet kid who has really worked hard to improve his life and mental health. He is now attending college full-time with the support of his uncle, who is astounded by how far he has come. Tyrell recently shared how much happier he feels now with where his life is headed. He also hasn’t had any new arrests. If all continues to go well, his juvenile court case should close out later this year.