Youth And Family Alliance

YOUTH AND FAMILY ALLIANCE (DBA LIFEWORKS) IS A FEARLESS ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS PURSUING A LIFE THEY LOVE AND A STABLE FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE STRIVE TO BREAK CYCLES OF INSTABILITY BY PROVIDING SUPPORT AND SERVICES TO YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. FINDING SOLUTIONS TO YOUTH HOMELESSNESS MEANS THAT WE HAVE BUILT A COMMUNITY SYSTEM THAT ENSURES THAT YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IS RARE, BRIEF AND NON-RECURRING.

HOUSING AND HOMELESS PROGRAMS:STREET OUTREACH PROVIDES OUTREACH AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. STREET OUTREACH OPERATES A YOUTH RESOURCE DROP-IN CENTER WHERE YOUTH CAN ACCESS BASIC NEEDS ASSISTANCE, MEALS, CLOTHING, HYGIENE SUPPLIES, SHOWERS, EDUCATIONAL/SUPPORT GROUPS CLOTHING, TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, PEER SUPPORT AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND REFERRALS TO OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS EDUCATION, WORKFORCE, PSYCHIATRIC CARE. THE STREET OUTREACH TEAM ALSO CONDUCTS REGULAR OUTREACH TO LOCATE AND CONNECT WITH YOUTH EXPERIENCING LITERAL HOMELESSNESS. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 525.AFTER CARE TRANSITION SERVICES (ACTS) WORKS IN COLLABORATION WITH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM IN A 30-COUNTY AREA. ACTS PROVIDES INCREASED DEPTH OF SERVICES TO FOSTER YOUTH, INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, RESOURCE REFERRAL AND LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 172. LIFEWORKS VOUCHERS PROGRAM PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT AND WRAP AROUND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS, AND YOUNG FAMILIES RECEIVING A HOUSING VOUCHERS. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 78. THE DIVERSION PROGRAM PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT AND WRAP AROUND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR AT-RISK OF HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN/TRAVIS COUNTY TO END OR PREVENT HOMELESSNESS EPISODES QUICKLY. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND PARTNERS WITH DFPS, JUVENILE JUSTICE, AND LOCAL SCHOOLS. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 147. THE EMERGENCY SHELTER PROVIDES RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH, YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, FOSTER CARE INVOLVED YOUTH AGES 16 TO 21, A SECURE PLACE TO SLEEP, FOOD, CLOTHING, AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO COORDINATE FAMILY REUNIFICATION, MEDICAL CARE, TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, AND COUNSELING. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 41.LIFEWORKS YOUNG PARENTS PROGRAM PROVIDES HOMELESS YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AND THEIR CHILDREN WITH A SAFE AND STABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENT THROUGH APARTMENT-BASED HOUSING. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON INCREASING INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS, PARENTING SKILLS, AND HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES. YOUTH ATTAIN EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT SKILLS. THE PROGRAM GIVES YOUNG RESIDENTS A SAFE AND STABLE HOME WHERE THEY CAN FOCUS ON BUILDING A FUTURE. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 40.PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OFFERS LONG-TERM CASE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT ARE CENTERED AROUND HOUSING STABILITY. THE PROGRARM PROVIDES HOUSING AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND AGES 24 YEARS OLD OR YOUNGER AND WHO HAVE AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 39.RAPID RE-HOUSING PROGRAM PLACES YOUTH AGES 18 TO 24 WHO ARE EXPERIENCING LITERAL HOMELESS INTO SCATTERD SITE RAPID RE-HOUSING APARTMENTS. YOUTH ARE OFFERED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND/OR UTILITY PAYMENTS AS WELL AS INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, BASIC NEEDS, AND CONNECTIONS TO OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ALLOW YOUTH TO DEVELOP THE TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS, SENSE OF SELF-EFFICACY, AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT HOUSING AND FINANCIAL STABILITY. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 225.THE PORT OFFERS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING TO YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS EXPERIENCING LITERAL HOMELESSNESS IN A GROUP-BASED AND APARTMENT-BASED SETTING. WHILE IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, YOUTH RECEIVE WRAPAROUND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT, TO FIND AND ACHIEVE PERMANENT STABLE HOUSING. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 70.LIFEWORKS' TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM IS A 24-HOUR GROUP-BASED FACILITY THAT PROVIDES SECURE HOUSING AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR UP TO 18 MONTHS FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM OFFERS RESIDENTS INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS CLASSES, AFTERCARE SERVICES, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND 24-HOUR ON-SITE ASSISTANCE. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 10. THE YOUNG ADULT SHELTER OFFERS EMERGENCY SHELTER BEDS TO YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS EXPERIENCING LITERALLY HOMELESSNESS, AGES 18 TO 24. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 11.

CENTRAL INTAKE & EVALUATION:THE CENTRALIZED INTAKE TEAM (CIT) PROGRAM AT LIFEWORKS PROVIDES INTAKE SERVICES ACROSS ALL LIFEWORKS SERVICES. CENTRALIZED INTAKE PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT FOR ALL NEW LIFEWORKS CLIENTS AS WELL AS CLIENT'S CURRENTLY SERVED BY LIFEWORKS AND REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITHIN ANOTHER LIFEWORKS PROGRAM. ALL CLIENT'S SCHEDULED FOR SERVICES HAVE A SELF SUFFICIENCY MATRIX BASELINE ASSESSMENT COMPLETED THAT ASSISTS IN DETERMINING LEVEL OF NEED. THIS TOOL IS AN EVIDENCED BASED ASSESSMENT TOOL MODELED AFTER THE ARIZONA SELF SUFFICIENCY MATRIX.

COUNSELING PROGRAMS:YOUTH AND ADULT COUNSELING ASSISTS INDIVIDUALS, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES IN DEALING WITH THE STRESS OF DAY-TO-DAY LIVING BY IMPROVING AND UTILIZING THEIR EXISTING COPING SKILLS AND CREATING EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS. FOCUSING ON STRENGTHS, THE PROGRAM HELPS IDENTIFY GOALS FOR SHORT-TERM THERAPY AND WORKS WITH EACH CLIENT TO EXPLORE ISSUES AND CREATE EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 447.RESOLUTION COUNSELING IS DEDICATED TO CREATING A SAFE COMMUNITY BY ENDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ADVOCATING FOR RELATIONSHIPS BASED ON EQUALITY AND RESPECT. IT OFFERS PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL GROUPS FOR ADULTS (MALE/FEMALE) WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSIVE TOWARD THEIR PARTNERS. GROUP GOALS INCLUDE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR VIOLENT AND ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR, UNDERSTANDING POWER AND CONTROL, LEARNING ADAPTIVE COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS, AND MANAGING EMOTIONS. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 648.COMMUNITY-BASED PEER SUPPORT AND COUNSELING SERVES TRANSITION-AGE YOUTH, AGES 16-24, WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMATIC LIFE EVENTS, FREQUENTLY EXACERBATED BY INVOLVEMENT IN THE FOSTER CARE OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS AND HOMELESSNESS. PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS PROVIDE OUTREACH AND ONGOING SUPPORT AS WELL AS LINKAGE TO COMMUNITY-BASED COUNSELORS. BOTH PEER SUPPORT AND COUNSELING SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT CONVENIENT LOCATIONS SUCH AS HOME, SCHOOL, HEALTH CENTERS, RECREATION CENTERS, OR WHEREVER IT MAKES SENSE TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO SERVICE. OUR PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS HAVE "LIVED EXPERIENCE" THAT FOSTERS CONNECTION WITH THE YOUTH SERVED AND ENCOURAGES HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE. TOTAL SERVED 294.

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS:TEEN PARENT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO EXPECTANT/PARENTING TEENS IN AUSTIN/TRAVIS COUNTY TO ENCOURAGE TEENS TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND CREATE A STABLE FUTURE FOR THEIR FAMILY. CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO HELP TEENS ACCESS RESOURCES AND TEACH POSITIVE PARENTING SKILLS. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 103.THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST YOUTH WITH GED/HSE PREPARATION, ACADEMIC TUTORING, AND CRITICAL LIFE SKILLS/JOB SKILLS TRAINING. THE TARGET POPULATIONS OF THIS PROGRAM ARE YOUTH AGES 16 TO 26 WHO HAVE NOT COMPLETED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, AND WHO ARE OFTEN DEALING WITH CHALLENGING LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES, SUCH AS BEING HOMELESS, PREGNANT, PARENTING, OR INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 71.THE GOAL OF THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM IS TO HELP YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS SUCCEED IN THE WORKFORCE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AREA PARTNERS AND EMPLOYERS, LIFEWORKS PROVIDES TRAINING, EDUCATION AND ASSISTANCE IN EMPLOYMENT TO HIGH-RISK AND TRANSITIONAL FOSTER YOUTH. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 285.SHIFT PROVIDES SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND GROUPS TO HELP YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL HEALTH. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 40. LIFESKILLS TRAINING (PREPARATION FOR ADULT LIVING) - LIFESKILLS TRAINING IS A HANDS-ON COURSE DESIGNED TO PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 15-19 WHO ARE IN THE CONSERVATORSHIP OF TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES, TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AS ADULTS. TRAINING, ROLE-PLAYING, AND FIELD TRIPS FOCUS ON BUDGETING, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH ISSUES, AND OTHER RELEVANT TOPICS. TOTAL SERVED EQUALS 107.