YFA Connections

Programs:

Regional Crisis Residential Center (CRC) is a temporary residence for at-risk youth who are in need of counseling, shelter, and family reconciliation services.  These youth are often times experiencing conflict with their families, their environments, and within themselves.  The youth are engaged in behaviors, which are negatively impacting their ability to succeed in many areas of their lives; family, peer relationships, academics, and emotional/physical health.  The CRC maintains eight (8) short stay shelter beds and offers youth and their families, crisis intervention, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  The primary focus is on relieving the immediate crisis, improving communication, problem solving, and parenting skills with the hope of reuniting the youth with the family.  Services include individual, group and family counseling.  The milieu at the CRC is structured to provide continual opportunity to teach youth basic living skills such as: healthy hygiene; housekeeping; laundry; diet and nutrition; exercise and leisure skills; communication and how to live in community with others. Youth are provided daily recreational activities that include physical exercise as well as leisure activities such as arts and crafts, movies, reading, etc.   Youth who are not attending school are provided educational activities during the normal school day hours while at the CRC. 

The HOPE Program is a temporary 30 day residential placement for “street youth” that will provide assessment and permanency planning services.   A “street youth” is defined as “a person under the age of 18 years of age who lives outdoors or in another unsafe location not intended for occupancy by the minor and who is not residing with his or her parent or at his or her legally authorized residence”.  Youth can gain admission through direct referral from Department of Social and Health Services Children’s Administration (DCFS); by self-presenting at the program and when transferred from a secure and/or non-secure CRC.  All HOPE Program youth received the same array of services provided CRC youth with an additional focus on addressing independent living skills, occupational and vocational needs.

 SOLUTIONS is a school based counseling program focusing on youth who are struggling with family conflict, emotional and behavioral concerns and attendance and academic problems. SOLUTIONS serves youth in the 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grades; focusing on Garry Middle School and its primary feeder the elementary schools: Longfellow, Whitman, and Arlington. Services are voluntary and are provided at no cost to the family; funding is made possible through the United Way of Spokane County.  Available services include: individual, group and family counseling, brief assessment and referral assistance.

Youth are identified by school counselors who contact the youth and/or family to introduce the services and complete a release of information that will allow the schools to communicate with YFA Connections about the youth.  The school counselor will complete a SOLUTIONS Referral form and submit it along with a copy of the signed release to the YFA therapist, who will contact the family/legal.

The DIRECTIONS Program is a community based mental health service operated by YFA Connections and designed to provide services on site in schools and in the neighborhood of the child or youth and their family.  Services include assessment, individual, group and family counseling and are available for students in grades K-12 in the following school districts:  Riverside, Deer Park and Nine Mile Falls.  In addition the therapists are involved in educating and consulting with the school districts about mental health concerns and process for implementing practical strategies with the students.  DIRECTIONS employs a range of treatment modalities such as Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Trauma in Schools and services include: Assessment, Individual Psychotherapy, Group Therapy, and Case Management. Medication Management and Psychological Evaluation referrals will be provided as appropriate.

YouthREACH is a partnership between YFA Connections, Volunteers of American and Team CHILD, with additional support from Odyssey Youth Center. YouthREACH provides peer outreach, access to shelter services, referral and other necessary supports to at-risk youth ages 13-17 struggling on the streets and in other unsafe locations in Spokane County.  The program has been developed to meet basic needs by facilitating access to services and the supports necessary to impact positive change in their circumstances and promote success.  YouthREACH utilizes an outreach team comprised of young people partnered with adults to provide outreach, and a case manager knowledgeable of area resources and services and skilled at engagement and motivation with the target population. The primary function of the outreach teams is to engage youth, establish trust and build relationships that will lead youth to case management services; connecting them to financial, housing, employment, education, health care, and legal services that will meet their needs and create successful future outcomes.  Outreach takes place in the downtown corridor in areas youth are known to congregate (examples include the STA Plaza, Riverfront Park, Downtown and under the freeway).  Outreach is flexible, changing locations based on current information about where youth are congregating; days and times of outreach are based entirely on when and where the target population can be found.

Outpatient Substance Abuse and Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment Services.   Chemical dependency is a chronic and progressive disease that affects every aspect of a person’s life.  For more than 45 years, YFA Connections has helped individuals seeking recovery from substance abuse. Our highly skilled and caring staff provides treatment programs that are individually tailored to help each individual live a healthy, productive and substance free life. 

 Co-occurring Disorders: YFA Connections is licensed to provide substance abuse programs that are dual-diagnosis enhanced which means YFA is licensed to provide treatment for individuals who suffer with both a mental illness and chemical dependency. This program provides services in the office as well as in the community.

Youth, Family and Adult (YFA) Connections was founded in 1969.  Services are provided in five major areas:  Substance Abuse Treatment, Co-occurring Disorders treatment, Youth Residential Services, School based mental health services and Runaway Homeless Youth Services.  For over 45 years, the Mission of YFA remains strong: "Provide prevention, intervention, education, and treatment services for youth, adults and families in conflict or crisis.”  YFA Connections holds the following licenses:

            Washington State Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery:

• Psychiatric medication management, , group, family, and brief therapy, case management and Less Restrictive Alternative Support Services
• Certified Chemical Dependency Treatment – Level II Intensive Outpatient Level I Outpatient Services and DUI Assessment services.

            Washington State Department of Social and Health Services License:

• Children’s Agency License for residential care for youth between the ages of 12 and 17.