America

Kids, living on the street

Have you ever talked to one?

Most come from homes

where they're abused,

often by their parents who were

supposed to protect them, but couldn't

There's no peace

inside of these children

Pain is the quickest path to pleasure,

and they cope by hurting themselves

just so they can feel

something, anything

We now have whole

generations who are raised in

and then lose their children to

a very broken foster care system

Children who live

confused, betrayed, angry,

yet still yearning for a

home, for a family, for love

This boy is one of them His name

is America and this is his story

I love you I love you

so much You're my baby

I love you

I work at a residential

treatment facility

that's the end of the road

for way too many of these kids

This is their last stop

For me, it's where

the love has to start

Here's the boys' dorm. The

girls' are on the other side.

Don't get any ideas.

Girls' dorms are off-limits.

Only places where everybody mixes

are in the common areas downstairs,

classes, cafeterias,

rec rooms.

During the day when you're in school or

therapy, all of these rooms are locked.

No access or

unsupervised entry.

up here for quiet time.

Quiet time is for homework.

You got dinner at 5:00,

lights out at 10:00.

This is your room.

This is your bed

and your dresser.

- Any questions?

- No.

Get anything to eat yet?

Come down to cafeteria,

we'll get you some food.

I'm not hungry.

You got therapy at

And, America, meet

your new roommate, Fish.

Hi. I'm Fish.

America Vega?

America? Hi.

Come on in.

Sit right here. Either

seat's all right.

I'm Dr. Maureen Brennan.

You can call me Dr. B.

I will be your counselor

while you're here at Ridgeway.

Just so you understand,

everything that you say during

our sessions is confidential,

with a couple of exceptions.

Number one, if you tell

me someone's hurting you.

Number two, if you tell me

you're gonna hurt yourself.

Or number three, if you tell me

you're gonna hurt someone else. Okay?

Do you have any

questions, America?

Did you understand

what I just said?

- Yes?

- Yeah.

Great. Would you sign

this for me, please?

Just says that I told you what

our sessions are going to be about,

and what the rules are,

and all that mumbo jumbo

they make you do nowadays.

Thank you very much.

I cannot believe that I am almost blind

without these glasses. Did you know that?

I turn 42, totally

went downhill.

I can't read without them

So what's on your

mind, America? Anything?

Anything on your

mind you wanna share,

or something that might help me

get to know you a little bit better?

I read in your file that you've

done this a couple of times,

this whole therapy thing,

so I'm sure you remember, the

first session's always the toughest.

So, why don't we just

end early for today

and start off tomorrow with

a bang, what do you say?

- Is that good for you?

- Fine.

Okay, great. You can go.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Thank you. Nice to meet

you. Have a good day.

- Come on, you're gonna let me go through?

- No.

No? I'll tickle you!

Got a problem, man?

America! America!

What a sweet baby

Where's that boy?

Easy Where's that boy?

Where is my sweet baby?

Where's that boy? America.

I see you, mister. I see you.

I found you! I found you!

You like that ring?

I had it when I

was a little girl.

You know what? One

day it'll be yours.

And if you rub it, it'll

bring you good luck every day.

Good luck every day

Good luck

Yes, we're trying to

work together as a team.

- You're supposed to talk to each other.

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