Youth come to us from homelessness, struggling with mental health issues relating to their unresolved childhood trauma, and trying to cope by self-medicating the corresponding symptoms.

Our Wellness Program

RESIDENTIAL THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT

Given the profound nature of the issues facing these youth, assessment most often yields a recommendation of residential therapeutic treatment.

While attending treatment at the dual diagnosis center of one our collaborative partners, with a proven track record of healing transitional age youth from childhood trauma, our participants engage in intensive individual and group counseling. Our participants also experience other forms of therapy proven to work in the healing of trauma, including meditation, mindfulness, art therapy, pet therapy, equine therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and yoga. In addition, our participants work a twelve step addiction recovery program.

OUTPATIENT TREATMENT & STRUCTURED SOBER LIVING

Following successful completion of residential care, our participants transition into outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment, provided in conjunction with pre-screened structured sober living programs. These programs differ from traditional sober living as there is a 24 hour house manager and life skills learning opportunities offered by the facility to assist the participants in maintaining their sobriety, including nutrition, fitness, financial responsibility, stress and anger management. 

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Upon recovery stabilization, our participants move to independent living in the community. This will either be a room rented in a private home, or a house or an apartment shared with other individuals actively engaged in achieving stability and self-sufficiency. Our participants choose from four options as part of their reintegration into society:

  • going (back) to college 

  • attending a vocational program

  • participating in job training through one of our partner programs

  • obtaining a living wage job, working with one of our partner job placement services, or getting hired by one of our partner apprenticeship employers

Even after achieving financial stability, where the participant is paying 100% of his or her living expenses, YLR maintains an ongoing relationship with our youth so that if things should go sideways, we are there to help.