JB, a couple of layman's thoughts that occurred while reading your post. I think your instincts about Webcams are good. They don't have to be bad news, but see this extreme example of Webcam abuse by a minor. An organizational profile in a social site they already use is a pretty neat idea, possibly reinforcing constructive use of that technology. Chat on some of these sites can get pretty seamy, though - I'm sure they go there, but.... Maybe a service would set up a private chat room for you, but then again you have ID verification issues. You might look at ePals.com - they create secure classroom blogs (and other communications tools, I believe) set up by teachers themselves. Maybe they'd set one up for another kind of organization. For that matter, you could look into other ed-tech password-protected blogging tools. I guess I'd start by surfing education-tech educators' blogs and online magazines. Just a few thoughts. Best,
Anne
--
Anne Collier
BlogSafety co-director

Well - I was thinking of having a specific - well chosen group of kids. Yes - it would be closed to outsiders. My idea is that when when we discharge kids from our unit - they go all over the state - Alaska. Alaska is huge and many of our alumni live in small villages which are very isolated - but the majority are hooked up to the web. So - I would like to give them a weekly support system online. I mean - they are going to be online anyways! Why not use the technology to promote their continued recovery? My idea is to have a scheduled time where a group of alumni could get together and discuss their week. We would be sure to include questions about if they are or are not staying on their medication and attending their weekly therapy sessions. (Incidentally - the two primary reasons a kid relapses and has to be re-hospitalized is due to skipping therapy sessions or stopping prescribed medications.)Cool idea I think - but I have no clue where to start. I will look into the e-tutor sites that you referred me to. Of course - we are a major hospital up here - so I know that ultimately our IT guys will have the final say - I'm just doing some online brainstorming.

Thanks for participating.

JB

You are more than welcome. It is a nice change to try to help someone that wants to do good things on the Internet. I am sorry though that I was not able to find a way other than messengers for you. If you had some webspace (and it would take quite a lot) that would work, but with much effort and fair amount of money. As a rule I do not recommend any type of messenger in these types of forums for reasons that I am sure you can understand. But I will say this. I have used the MSN live messenger from the time it come out back in the early 90's. It has grown to a much larger program now, but i'ts ablities have grown with it. As I said I have a web cam that I bought for about $20.00 and MSN live mesenger along with that web cam I see and chat with my children who are with their mother in MN. I live in S.C. So I get to see and interact with them even 1400 miles away. And there is no fee for the service. Just go to to this link http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=MSNTDLINK to read about the messenger. If you have never used any of MSN services such as their hotmail (Email) you will have to register for what MSN calls a passport before you can use the messenger as you have to have a username and a password in order to log into the messenger. But this is all simple to do and it is also free of charge. Here is a link for a Hotmail email account if you sign up for one be sure to click the free one the others are really just a waste of money. Once you have your email account that automatically assigns you what they refer to as a Passport. It will be you username. Once you read it you will see how simple it is to understand. Here is the link for the email http://get.live.com/mail/options I wish you all the best and luck with this project.
Sincerely,
Terry L. White
I am adding this statement for anyone that reads this posting. I am in no way affiliated with or work for, solicit for, or earn any type of wage or payment whatsoever from MSN or Microsoft. I have on this very rare occasion simply recommended the use of a tool that is free of charge to anyone that cares to use it. Sorry about that guys, I just want to make sure anyone that reads this understands that I am not soliciting for any single messenger.

JB
I have looked into this for the last three days. I saw the posting the same day you added it. I am a former MSN chat host as well as a former System Operator (SYSOP for another IRC chat network), and a former law enforcement officer that was a one time assigned to an Internet Taskforce. Currently I spend what spare time I have trying to help educate our young people and adults about safety issues on the Internet. I tell you this as sort of an introduction. So far I have not been able to find a secure way to accomplish what you are trying to do. Using most current existing networks for chatting or so called bulletin board posting it would be pretty much impossible to know the true identity of any of your adolescents. I even looked into finding an IRC chat network that would donate you some space and assign you as a System Operator to moderate things. But the security issue just could not be overcome. But here is a thought. And it is only a thought. Web conferencing, much like major corporations use when they have to conference with anywhere from 2 to 50 people almost anywhere in the world. The problem I am running into with this idea is the cost. A web cam itself can be purchased very reasonably now, the one I use I only paid a little over $20.00 for. And it works great for the purpose I use it for. Here is the catch. I use mine with an MSN live messenger, and so far I have been unable to connect to more than one person at a time while using the web cam. You can connect to pretty much as many people as you want to without the use of the camera. And you can all chat openly much like a chat room. But without the use of the camera again how could you know you are speaking to the correct person. I do not know if you have a budget that you have been allowed for this project. If so maybe you can purchase the cooperate style of web conferencing equipment needed for more than one on one sessions. And if you have an I.T. department there I am sure they could set it up so as to accept incoming video from a standard $20.00 web cam from an ordinary home user. I have even heard of cases where such equipment is sometimes donated for certain types of things. And I happen to think yours could fall into one of those categories. But I have tried with no success to locate what company to contact, or how to even begin the process for such a donation. And for that I am truly sorry. Your idea would be a great use of modern technology to help with an age-old problem. One thought on the bright side, if these sessions would be more one to one contact verses a group almost all the major messengers MSN, Yahoo, and so on now support video free of charge. All you need is a compatible web cam. I am really sorry that after all the contacts that I have made over the years on the Internet that I could not come up with anything better. I wish you the greatest of luck with this idea, and I do hope you find a workable solution. If I do find anything that can be of more help, as I will continue to look I will be sure that you are notified right away.
Please do not give up. This is a great idea. And again I am sorry I could not find you anything better.
Sincerley,
Terry L. White

Just pondering how we could better engage with teens online. I work on an acute psychiatric unit for adolescents - full of teens who have made suicide attempts or are suffering the results of physical/sexual abuse. Does anyone know of a group therapy setting online where teens can be referred to? I would like to embrace the technology that many parents and professional adults are worried about.

Considering starting an online therapy session of the kids that we have discharged. Each week the kids would log on - and be able to interact in a positive supportive environment with a therapist and other alumni of the hospital. The logistics are a nightmare! How would you ensure you were talking to your client? How would you alert local professionals if a crisis came up online? But - the potential benefits are tremendous. When we discharge our kids - they go back to their envirnoments - environments that did not get help - and are likely not to change. The former patients will seek support and validation online - how great it would be if we - the local professionals- could moderate the quality of support they get.

Way over my head here - but thought I'd throw it out.

Any Thoughts?