Founded in 1987, the Southwest Key Program's mission is to advocate for children worldwide and to impact children, youth, and families by empowering them to succeed. Southwest Key was established with the objective of developing community-based treatment programs for troubled youth as an alternative to institutionalization. It strongly believes that kids belong at home with their families and that troubled youth are most effectively treated in their own communities with the participation of family members and school personnel with an emphasis on family and community involvement and development in the therapeutic process. Southwest Key's reputation centers on the design and implementation of innovative community-based treatment programs for federal, state, and local agencies. Currently, Southwest Key operates programs in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Wisconsin, Georgia, New York City, and Puerto Rico, employing more than 1,000 staff and impacting the lives of over 5,000 individuals every day.