Youth Emergency Services Inc

YOUTH EMERGENCY SERVICES (YES) PROVIDES CRITICALLY NEEDED RESOURCES TO AT- RISK AND HOMELESS YOUTH TO EMPOWER THEM TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT. YES PROVIDES SHELTER, FOOD, ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION TO EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT. YES PROVIDES A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES: STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM AND CENTER, SHELTER CARE, TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM, MATERNITY GROUP HOME AND MENTORING. YES IS A SAFE PLACE AGENCY, PROVIDING CRISIS SERVICES TO YOUTH ON THE STREET.

THROUGH THE STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM, YES OUTREACH WORKERS HIT THE STREETS OF GREATER OMAHA, LOOKING FOR YOUTH IN CRISIS. THEY CARRY BACKPACKS FILLED WITH BASIC NEEDS 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 THROUGH THE STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM, SERVING 759 UNDUPLICATED YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS THIS YEAR. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE STREET OUTREACH CENTER HAS REMAINED OPEN WITH REDUCED HOURS AND BY APPOINTMENT. YES REACHES THE YOUTH THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND DELIVERING FOOD, HYGIENE ITEMS AND CLOTHING TO THEIR HOMES. YES PROVIDED HOUSING PREVENTION SERVICES TO 80 YOUTH THROUGH THE CENTER BY PROVIDING RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE TO AVOID THEM EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM (TLP) 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 WITH CASE MANAGERS TO SET AND ACCOMPLISH PERSONAL GOALS WHICH HELP PAVE THE ROAD TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY. TLP RESIDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A JOB, ATTEND SCHOOL OR BOTH. YES BELIEVES THAT BY ENCOURAGING YOUTH TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKE CONNECTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY WILL LEARN THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO BECOME INDEPENDENT. THE RESIDENTS DO COMMUNITY SERVICE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. 32 YOUTH WERE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. 89% WERE DISCHARGED TO SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING.

MATERNITY GROUP HOME PROVIDES SERVICES TO RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH, AGES 16 TO 21 WHO ARE PREGNANT OR PARENTING AND MAY NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO ACCESS SERVICES. RESIDENTS LIVE IN A FAMILY-STYLE RESIDENCE FOR A MAXIMUM OF 18 MONTHS AND WORK CLOSELY WITH CASE MANAGERS TO SET AND ACCOMPLISH PERSONAL GOALS WHICH HELP PAVE THE ROAD TO 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. GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE TEACHES THE RESIDENTS TO CARE FOR OTHERS. 9 YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE MOTHERS OR EXPECTING WERE SERVED IN THIS PROGRAM. 80% OF THEM ATTAINED A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR EQUIVALENCY. 85% HAD SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING WHEN THEY LEFT THE PROGRAM.

THE EMERGENCY SHELTER IS A SAFETY NET FOR YOUTH IN CRISIS; AVAILABLE TO YOUTH AGES 16-21. YOUTH IN NEED OF SHELTER MAY STAY UP TO 21 DAYS AT A TIME. YES SERVED 41 YOUTH IN THE SHELTER PROGRAM. COVID PROTOCOLS LED TO YES SERVING FEWER YOUTH FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS. YES EXPANDED THE MENTORING PROGRAM TO INCLUDE YOUNGER YOUTH, NOT IN THE HOUSING PROGRAM IN ORDER TO PREVENT THEM FROM ENTERING THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN WHEN A YOUNG PERSON HAS A STABLE, RELIABLE ADULT IN THEIR LIFE, THEY ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL. YES PROVIDES TRAINING AND OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP IS DEVELOPED. YES ADDED PROGRAMS THIS YEAR TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE YOUTH WE SERVE: RAPID REHOUSING THROUGH HUD PROVIDES HOUSING SUBSIDIES AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO YOUTH WHO ARE LITERALLY HOMELESS. MAKING A CONNECTION IS A PREVENTION PROGRAM WORKING DIRECTLY WITH FAMILIES WITH YOUTH WHO HAVE BEEN MISSING FROM HOME.