Youth Emergency Services

The yes Emergency shelter is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with Youth workers, counselors and advocates. Youth and young adults seeking housing are screened to ensure appropriate placement and safety of the residents. Our Emergency shelter is a family-style residence with separate sleeping areas for male and female guests. Guests share meals, television and computer access, as well as recreation and laundry facilities in a community area. While they stay, our trained staff spends individual, focused time with guests to help them work through the problems they face. Our Emergency shelter is available to Youth ages 16 to 21 for up to 90 days. Residents engage in mental health therapy, group therapy, job readiness programs, and have access to nursing Services for health assessments. They may also participate in community service opportunities, groups, and community connections with partner agencies to further their self-sufficiency. During the reporting period, 30 Youth were served in the program, with an average stay of 38 days and 83% of these Youth exited to a safe temporary or permanent housing destination.

Yes offers a transitional living program (tlp) which provides long-term Services to runaway and homeless Youth, ages 16 to 21. Tlp residents live in apartment-style homes for a maximum of 18 months and work closely with case managers to set and accomplish several goals. The tlp program is designed to provide an environment in which Youth will be able to develop the ability to function independently in the community. Tlp residents are required to have a job or attend school. Yes believes that by encouraging Youth to take responsibility and make connections in the community, they will learn the skills necessary to become self-sufficient. The residents participate in community service opportunities, groups, and community connections with partner agencies to further their self-sufficiency. 22 Youth and young adults were served through this program. Of those 22, 14 left during this time frame and 71% exited to safe temporary or permanent housing.

The maternity group home program provides Services to run away and homeless Youth, ages 16 to 21 who are pregnant or parenting and may not be able to access Services otherwise. Participants live in a family-style residence for up to 18 months and work closely with case managers to move toward self-sufficiency. The young mothers take parenting classes to learn how to take care of their children. They are expected to be in school or have a job or both. The residents participate in community service opportunities, groups, and community connections with partner agencies to further their self-sufficiency. 19 young mothers and children were served in this program. 15 of them have since exited the program and 100% of those 15 exited to safe temporary or permanent housing destinations.

Through the street outreach program and street outreach drop-in center, yes outreach workers assist Youth and young adults in the community and the center who are experiencing homeless and near homelessness by meeting basic needs, meeting them where they are, building relationships, and assisting them in accessing needed Services. Yes outreach workers take backpacks filled with basic need items and Emergency supplies and patrol areas where homeless and at-risk Youth tend to congregate. Outreach workers are trained to identify a young person in need and to provide immediate information and Services. Yes serves the most Youth and young adults through this program, servicing 339 unduplicated Youth and young adults this year. Yes reaches Youth and young adults through our continuum of care, social media, word of mouth, community referrals, and physical street outreach.