Our Mission

Since 1973, Syntaxis has been teaching Ohio youth to make the most of their natural abilities, to improve their psychological health, and to assume a responsible role in the world of independent adulthood.

The mission of Syntaxis is to provide young people with the tools they need to become healthy adults.

Fact Sheet

Syntaxis received its first resident in January 1974. Initial funding was a federal grant.

Syntaxis was designed, from its inception, to help older youth find their way in the adult world. The problem then, as well as now, was the inability of many youth exiting secure mental health facilities and/or residential treatment centers to thrive and survive independently from institutional existence.

Syntaxis established its reputation by taking 16 and 17 year-old youth, female and male, from locked institutions across the state and preparing them for adult responsibility. The referrals came from psychiatrists, psychologists and psychiatric social workers who realized that often all the good therapy done inside the walls would fall apart in the daily stress of actual life experiences.

Syntaxis originated its action therapy on the framework of William Glasser, MD's Reality Therapy (now known as Reality Therapy/Choice Theory). Several staff members are Certified Reality Therapists and one is a faculty member of the William Glasser Institute.

The entire program is principled on Glasser's techniques and theory. All staff members have been trained in program techniques. The Residents' Handbook offers a good method to discern the Syntaxis program and understand how the action therapy works.

Syntaxis is licensed and certified by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for 50 adolescents in five group-homes. We are also certified by the Ohio Department of Drug and Alcohol Services for outpatient services. Syntaxis employs a professional staff of six licensed social workers, one Independent Social Worker and a Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor III-E.