Youth Pride Inc

YOUTH PRIDE, INC. IS DEDICATED TO MEETING THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS IMPACTED BY SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY/EXPRESSION WHILE WORKING TO END THE HOMOPHOBIC AND TRANSPHOBIC ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH THEY LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.

SUPPORT SERVICES: YOUTH PRIDE, INC. (YPI) PROVIDES ITS CLIENTS WITH A VARIETY OF SUPPORT SERVICES AT ITS DROP-IN CENTER, INCLUDING: - BASIC NEEDS PANTRY: WITH THE HELP OF HASBRO CHILDREN'S FUND AND DRIVES FROM LOCAL SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES, YPI RUNS A BASIC NEEDS (FOOD, CLOTHING, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND TOILETRIES) PANTRY FOR LOW-INCOME YOUTH IN NEED. LAST YEAR, OVER 2000 POUNDS OF GOODS WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE PANTRY. - ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING: YPI EMPLOYS TWO FEE-FOR-SERVICE COUNSELORS WHO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN NEED, AT NO COST TO THE YOUTH. YPI'S COUNSELORS ASSESS YOUTH FOR DEPRESSION, SUICIDALITY, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. 35 YOUTH ATTENDED ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING LAST YEAR. - SUPPORT GROUPS: YPI RUNS FOUR DIFFERENT SUPPORT GROUPS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SPECIFIC SUB-GROUPS OF YOUTH WHO PARTICIPATE IN YPI ACTIVITIES. THE WAY OUT IS A PEER LED SUPPORT-GROUP, MONITORED BY ONE OF OUR LICENSED CLINICIANS FOR ALL YOUTH. GENDER SPECTRUM IS A SUPPORT GROUP FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ADDRESSING THEIR GENDER IDENTITY AND/OR EXPRESSION AND PROVIDES A SAFE FORUM FOR THEM TO ADDRESS ISSUES AMONG PEERS WITH THE SUPERVISION OF A TRANSGENDER ADULT STAFF PERSON. YPI 13+UNDER IS A GROUP THAT SUPPORTS CHILDREN AGES 9-13 IN SIMILAR WAYS THAT THE WAY OUT DOES, ONLY MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE YOUNGER AGE RANGE. FINALLY, A NEW GROUP FORMED THIS YEAR CALLED "WHAT'S NEXT." THIS GROUP, ALSO LED BY A CLINICIAN, IS OPEN TO YOUTH AGES 18-23, AND FOCUSES ON TRANSITIONING TO ADULTHOOD. 83 YOUTH REGULARLY ATTENDED A SUPPORT GROUP LAST YEAR.- PERSONAL ADVOCACY AND CASE MANAGEMENT: THROUGH PERSONAL ADVOCACY AND CASE MANAGEMENT, YPI STAFF ARE ABLE TO LINK YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS. YPI STAFF WORK WITH YOUTH TO HELP THEM OBTAIN THE SERVICES THEY NEED FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, OTHER NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCIES, AND HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS. OVER 200 YOUTH SERVED LAST YEAR RECEIVED SOME PERSONAL ADVOCACY AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, BASED ON THEIR NEEDS.