VISION Friends of Youth envisions all youth having every - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

VISION

Friends of Youth envisions all youth having every opportunity to succeed.

MISSION

We deliver a broad range of services to youth and their families to improve their emotional stability and self-sufficiency.

Our Work

Friends of Youth provides services to at-risk youth and homeless young people at 25 sites with services in 18 cities, primarily in east King County. With 65 years of experience and national accreditation, we provide safe places and emotional support for youth in challenging circumstances. In FY 2016, Friends of Youth served over 4,000 youth and their families through our three core program areas.

Our Work: Three Core Program Areas

• Therapeutic residential services, including foster care and emergency

shelter care, to youth under age 18 and extended foster care to 21.

Child Welfare Services

• Street outreach, drop in, overnight shelter, individual case

management, employment , education and housing programs for homeless youth and young adults throughout East and North King County and South Snohomish County.

Homeless Youth Services

• Mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, home visiting,

school-based prevention education and parenting programs in Issaquah, Snoqualmie and Riverview School District communities.

Youth & Family Services

Child Welfare Services

Residential Group Care

• McEachern, Matsen, & Colin Ferguson
• New Roads Renton
• New Roads Kingsgate

Foster Care Services (Therapeutic & Regular)

• 4 Agency owned homes

(Renton, Kirkland, Everett & Bellevue)

• Multiple community based homes
• 16 Federal youth; 8 State youth

Youth Haven Shelter

• Up to 12 youth, ages 7 – 18
• 8 Runaway and Homeless Youth
• 4 Foster Youth

Homeless Youth—An Eastside Reality

Continuing Needs for Homeless Youth:

• A Strong Continuum of Crisis Response Services—Shelter, Drop In and Outreach
• Additional Housing
• Efficient Use of Scarce Resources
• Partnership with our Community

Residents at our New Ground Sand Point Transitional Housing Program for Pregnant and Parenting Moms 18-21.

In FY 16 Friends of Youth served 2,077 youth & young adults in

• ur homeless programs.

Homeless youth come from every zip code; not one of them was homeless by real choice.

Homeless Youth Services We Provide

Outreach & Drop In

Mobile Outreach to 16 Cities Drop in services in Redmond Specialized Case Management Support Safe Place

Emergency Shelter

Youth Haven (Under 18) The Landing (18-24 Young Adults)

Housing

New Ground Single Young Adult Housing New Ground Family Housing Supportive Housing Rental Assistance Rapid Rehousing

Services:

Mental Health & SUD Treatment Employment Education

Homeless Youth Services Map

The Landing Emergency Shelter Drop In Center New Ground Avondale Park

(In collaboration with HopeLink)

New Ground Kirkland New Ground Sandpoint Street/Mobile Outreach (16 Cities) New Ground Everett (Snohomish County) New Ground Bothell New Ground Totem Lake (16-21) Youth Haven Home (under 18) Supported Housing (16 units)

Located at Francis Village (In collaboration with Imagine Housing)

Supported Housing (1 Unit)

Located YWCA Family Village, Issaquah (In collaboration with the YWCA)

Youth and Family Services

3 School District Communities:

Services:

• Substance Abuse Services
• Mental Health Counseling
• Parent Education
• School-Based Services/Prevention
• Healthy Start Home Visiting

Issaquah Office Duvall Office Snoqualmie Office

Out of school services:

Families and Youth can access all of our services at our office in Duvall Families & Youth will soon be able to also access services at the Evergreen Clinic; co- locating behavioral and physical health care in one location

In School Services:

• Check and Connect
• Funded by our MIDD grant; supports middle level kids @ risk of academic

failure

• Thanks in part to funds raised at our annual breakfast (although that does not

cover the cost of our services and support):

• Cedarcrest Counseling
• Riverview Learning Center

The Vision for the Future:

• A Behavioral Health Counselor in every school, beginning with elementary

school; .5 FTE

Mental Health & Substance Abuse Support

A Snapshot: Mental Health Counseling

Reasons youth connected with us for services:

• 65% - Depression
• 40% - Anxiety
• 37% - Co-occurring drug abuse/mental

health issues

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Sexual abuse
• Child abuse/neglect
• Divorce issues
• Family conflict/dysfunction

• Alcohol - 1st drug of choice
• Marijuana - 2nd drug of choice
• Stimulants (cocaine and

amphetamines) - 3rd drug of choice

• 55% of youth have mental health

issues

• 40% of youth have criminal

justice involvement

A Snapshot: SUD Treatment

Our original office in Duvall ~ 2003

Our Commitment to Kids

We are committed to ensuring that all of our students receive:

High Quality Services

Master’s level therapists, trained to work with youth, particularly adolescents

Easy Access

Behavioral health services happen where students need it—whether at school, our

• ffice or at the local clinic

No waiting lists for mental health and substance abuse counseling, counselors who are ready to listen when students are ready to talk

Early Intervention

Prevention services—We are committed to working with youth to navigate life, teaching children as early as possible how to be ‘behaviorally healthy’.

Emerging Trends and Issues-Behavioral Health

Challenges:

Heroin and Opioid Use

• Has skyrocketed in the last decade

Lack of Behavioral Health Support in Schools

• 2 Attempted suicides in schools we serve this

year; 2 completed last year

• Offering mental health services to students

during school hours is central to our philosophy of providing low-barrier, easily accessible support.

Solutions:

Best Start for Kids Mental Health Counselor in Every School Additional CD Support

Photo taken by Shelter Client 2012 Art Therapy Project “A Day in the Life‘”

Emerging Trends and Issues—Homeless Youth

Challenges:

Need continues We saw same # homeless youth year/year. Running away is not a thrill, it is a rendezvous with fear, cold, isolation, dirt, and vulnerability. Homeless young families (under 24) account for more than 30% of all family homelessness in King County.

Solutions:

• Support for families before a crisis occurs—parenting classes, counseling, support
• “Just in Time” homelessness prevention support—BSK allocation
• Commitment to Education and Employment
• Increased Access to Affordable Housing & Developmentally Appropriate Services

Resident at our New Ground Bothell Transitional Housing Program for Pregnant and Parenting Moms 18-21.

Cause for Hope

“Empathy is not simply a matter of trying to imagine what others are going through, but having the will to muster enough courage to do something about it. In a way, empathy is predicated upon hope.” ~Cornell West

• Best Starts for Kids
• State Office of Homeless Youth
• MIDD Renewal
• Investments in Early Learning
• Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Children and Families

Partnering With Riverview Schools

Project 360

Education at schools; partnering with KSARC & funded by a grant through HHS OVW

YFS Breakfasts

Donations to support school day counseling

Outreach and Advocacy

Shelter Cards Safe Place Sharing the Stories of Our Work

Grants—MIDD Renewal & BSK New Grants In-Kind Support

Drives for our Youth: School Supplies,

Hygiene Kits Snack Pack Move In Kits

Thank You!

On behalf of the young people who rely

• n our services, thank

you for partnering with us, for kids!

Resident of New Ground Bothell, Transitional Housing for Homeless Moms 18-21 and their babies.