Youth Services
Youth Services diverts youth from the juvenile justice system. It provides immediate intervention by engaging and motivating youth and families to access resources and resolve conflict.
Facts About Youth Services
- Provides 24-hour crisis counseling to youth and their families in order to keep the family together and to keep the youth from entering the juvenile justice system. Services are provided at no cost to the youth or family.
- A youth who is experiencing family problems, has run away, is beyond the control of his parents, or has committed other status offenses may access Youth Services.
- Parents and/or the youth can receive youth services without participating in the juvenile justice system.
- Upon arrival at the facility, demographic information is gathered and the youth is assessed to determine immediate risk factors, mental health needs, and alcohol and substance use.
- The following services are available at most Youth Service facilities:
- crisis counseling
- individual and family therapy
- group therapy
- parent and youth support and education groups
- referral to community agencies
- assessment
- short-term voluntary residential placements
- Youth who cannot immediately go home may be allowed to stay at the Youth Services facility for up to 72 hours for additional counseling and assessment. Many situations are resolved after this brief stay.
- A family needing even greater assistance may be referred to a 60 day program, which is generally out patient. In this case, the youth may stay at the Youth Services facility for up to 14 days.
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Youth Services is appropriate for youth who have a minor or non-existent delinquent history and have not been adjudicated. |
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