She can laugh now, but when it happened, it was frightening. Youth Villages Behavior Specialist Becky Tubbs was at David's home, trying to help him deal with his anger and frustration when he clinched his fist and hit her in the face.

Many people would have given up on David then, but not Becky and not Youth Villages. She was back working with David the next day and the next.

Our counselors know that children with emotional and behavioral problems can sometimes strike out at the very people who are trying to help them the most. Their jobs take courage, determination and a special kind of persistence that drives them to keep working, to keep trying until real solutions are found for a child and his family.

"David's behavior, his aggressiveness, really showed that something wasn't right, that he needed more help," Becky says. A primary care physician had been prescribing and monitoring the effects of David's medications. Becky and Youth Villages' staff believed that David needed to be seen by a child psychiatrist and hospitalized, so that his medications could be thoroughly reviewed. "Getting a referral for that can be hard, particularly for children with a developmental disability," she says.

A few weeks later, David struck out at Becky again as she tried to keep him from walking out of school. He was finally hospitalized, and a child psychiatrist confirmed concerns about his medication.

That was the turning point. When David came home, he was able to work with Becky and his counselor, Kay Eubanks, to learn positive ways to control his behavior. His mother, Denise, is a strong advocate for David. She fought to have him moved to a different school where he could make a fresh start.

"He's doing so much better in school now," Kay says. "If he gets upset or angry, he'll put his head down on his desk. He's in control."

David is also learning how to make friends. "He's much happier, and he smiles. Before, other students were afraid of him because he had such an explosive temper. Now, he interacts well with the other students," his counselor says.

Sometimes Kay brings games and puzzles to play with David during her visits. "He loves puzzles and Barney; he always has his stuffed Barney with him." She works with him on independent-living skills and on his interactions with others.

"Things are just going very well for David and his family," Kay says.