Program areas at YFS
Community based Youth Services yfs works within the community to shelter, mentor, educate, and empower all Youth. Especially children in crisis, and those who suffer from emotional or developmental delays. Yfs emergency Youth shelter provides safety and security in a nuturing environment to abused, neglected and/or homeless children and Youth in department of human Services (dhs) or office of juvenile affairs (oja) custody. Counseling and health screenings are provided, and educational and recreational opportunities are emphasized. The shelter has capacity for 10 children at a time and about 100 children receive shelter from yfs each year.
Transitional living(tlp) provides housing and life-skills training for Youth and young adults 16-21 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Housing is the foundation for comprehensive program designed to promote healthy lifestyles, financial independence, and job readiness. At-risk and homeless Youth in blaine county receive tutoring and counseling Services and access to vital resources at the spot, a recreational facility where they can also do laundry, have a cooking lesson, and participate in job-training and self-sufficiency classes.
Enhanced foster carethe enhanced foster care program creates a seamless transition from emergency shelter to foster home for neglected and abused children. This groundbreaking continuum of care model builds strong Family relationships early, offers multiple levels of commitment, and supports both child and Family throughout the foster experience. Approximately 62children were fostered during the year through yfs foster program. Out of this number, 35 were discharged, 16.2% were adopted, 32.4% were sent to kinship placement, and 5.4% were reunited with their biological parents.
Homeless preventionin addition to preventing homelessness through the transitional living program, yfs participated in a short-term rapid-rehousing and homeless prevention program funded by the federal stimulus. Funds were used to cover rent and utility expenses for individuals and families at risk of becoming homeless, and to obtain housing for people experiencing homelessness.