By Rick Wolff, Special Education Director, Mingus Mountain Youth Treatment Center
When I started teaching nearly 30 years ago, I chose to dedicate my career to working with at-risk students. I never imagined this decision would lead me to the opportunity and privilege I have been afforded the last seven years, working at the Mingus Mountain Youth Treatment Center.
Mingus, a residential treatment center located in Prescott Valley, serves girls ages 12 to 18, many of whom have been rescued from sex trafficking, abusive homes and severe trauma. Virtually all our students arrive lagging behind their grade level. With more than 160 staff members caring for up to 110 girls at any given time, Mingus offers safety and therapy accompanied by a rigorous individualized educational program that changes lives.
Our North Star we believe that every student is defined by what she can achieve, not what has happened to her. That belief guides everything we do, fueling an educational mission that consistently delivers results for students who have been dismissed.
The girls who come to us often carry heavy burdens, including mental health challenges and deep-seated trust issues. They’ve often cycled through multiple schools or dropped out entirely. Traditional classrooms simply aren’t equipped for what these young women have faced or their unique educational needs.
Despite the deck being stacked against these girls, the outcomes at Mingus are striking. Our students earn credits at two and a half times the rate they did in their previous schools. Many recover several years’ worth of coursework in as little as six months. Each year, we graduate between five and 10 students with fully accredited high school diplomas. Others take the GED path. As an official GED testing site, we help many earn their high school equivalency diplomas, opening the door to college or career opportunities.
Many of the moments I’m proudest of come from students who arrive disheartened and uncertain but leave having earned college credits through our partnership with Arizona State University’s University Learning Center program. One student recently left Mingus with 15 college credits completed – an outcome that seemed unimaginable when she arrived.
What happens at our facility isn’t magic. It’s the result of intentional, trauma-informed strategies that any school or community working with a vulnerable population can adopt. We never separate academics from a student’s emotional, medical or behavioral needs. Every student has a personalized plan that balances credit recovery and challenging academics with therapy, social-emotional learning, and, most importantly, human connection. Trust is the foundation for learning, especially for students who’ve been let down so many times before.
Our class sizes are small, and our teachers spend considerable time working one-on-one with students. Lessons are broken into manageable pieces and tailored to fit different learning styles and emotional needs. We hold our students to high standards, but we pair those expectations with patience, empathy and flexibility.
We are data-driven. We track progress daily and work closely across departments – education, therapy and case management – to build a complete picture of each student’s growth. That collaboration helps ensure no student slips through the cracks and that our interventions are effective.
There’s a misconception that trauma-informed practices belong only in specialized places like Mingus. I couldn’t disagree more. Public schools, charter schools and alternative programs all serve students dealing with trauma, poverty, housing instability and family crises. Integrating therapeutic principles into daily teaching can make a real difference everywhere.
Arizona policymakers should understand that investing in programs like Mingus saves lives and reduces long-term costs tied to dropouts, mental health crises and involvement in the justice system. Too often, funding goes to systems focused on profit rather than kids. We need to redirect resources toward mental health services, teacher training and trauma-responsive schools.
I wish more people could meet the young women we serve. They’re not simply “troubled teens.” They’re bright, funny, determined kids who deserve the same opportunities as other Arizona students. At Mingus we prove every day that when given the chance to succeed and the support they need, these students don’t just survive – they thrive. I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of their journey.
