Who Is Not Appropriate For The Program
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Due to the outdoor nature of this program, with the limitations the setting imposes in terms of size of group and number of staff, physical hardships, and lack of access to treatment facilities, some kinds of problems are inappropriate for the expeditions. These include adolescents with:

  • Histories of or substantial potential for serious suicide attempts.
  • Histories of significant interpersonal violence or sociopathic personality disorders.
  • Psychotic breakdown or a substantial likelihood, based on history and personality that such breakdown could occur in the course of the trek.
  • Such severe addictions that they need to go through a detoxification process.
  • Physical conditions or diseases limiting their ability to safely hike up to 10 miles a day over rough terrain carrying a 35 or 40 pound pack, or to endure extended outdoor living in cold, wet, or hot weather.
  • Physical conditions or diseases requiring ongoing nursing care or medical supervision, or histories indicating a substantial possibility that medical treatment and supervision might become necessary during a 46 day period of intense exercise and exposure to natural weather conditions.

Where such problems may exist but are not clearly and obviously prohibitive of participation, CWEY is willing to discuss individual cases with its clinical and professional staff. We need parent cooperation in getting these application materials carefully completed with full disclosure and in our hands as soon as possible in order to make sound eligibility decisions.

The Crossings program does not discriminate in accepting participants for basis of race, color, creed, ethnicity, or national origin.


"I think what I will miss the most is the people I‘ve gone through this experience with. I‘ve gained a lot from being here. Not just the things I‘ve read but more than I think anybody could understand and for that I want to thank my mom for sending me here and believing that I could change even if she wasn‘t sure about it." - 15 year old participant

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