Avanti Center – Volunteers of America Minnesota and Wisconsin

Avanti Center is a therapeutic residential treatment program in Blaine, Minnesota (Twin Cities area) for adolescents ages 12–17 whose sex is assigned female, with an explicitly stated commitment to being inclusive of transgender and nonbinary youth. The program is designed for teens who are experiencing significant emotional and behavioral challenges and who may have tried outpatient care but still cannot be safely or consistently supported at home or in the community.

Avanti’s clinical model is rooted in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Programming is structured around safety and stabilization, emotion regulation, and skills acquisition—areas that are often central for teens dealing with depression, anxiety, post‑traumatic stress, emerging personality disorders, and patterns of self‑injury or suicidal behavior. Treatment includes individual and group work, with DBT skills practice integrated into daily life in the residence.

Family involvement is a core part of the approach. Avanti describes multi‑family DBT skills groups where adolescents and caregivers participate together, along with therapy focused on the family system and additional caregiver support when needed. For many families, this “learn together” design can make it easier to carry skills home and reduce the sense that treatment is something that happens only inside the facility.

The setting is intentionally residential and structured. The program operates as a 24‑hour, 7‑day‑a‑week facility, with a campus layout that includes a program building and dormitory-style living. Avanti also shares that the average length of stay is commonly about 5.5 to 8.5 months, though timing depends on clinical progress and readiness to reintegrate into home and school.

Families considering Avanti Center can review eligibility requirements, the referral process, and how the DBT-based model is delivered in a residential environment. Visiting the program’s website is a good place to start when exploring whether the level of care and family partnership approach match what your teen and your household need right now.