Youth Counseling Services & Community Referrals

The Youth Services program aims to prevent at-risk children from becoming homeless, foster care and involvement in the juvenile justice system and to increase family reunification/preserve and stabilize families.

The program provides family counseling and crisis intervention to runaway, locked out, and homeless youth. Counseling services include the family and addresses boundary setting, conflict resolution, positive communication, and stress management. Case management services focus on meeting the youth’s basic needs and provides employment and education support, as needed.

We provide services for youth 11-17 who have been locked out of the home/parents will not allow them to return home, have run away from home, are beyond the control of their parents and in immediate physical danger, or are homeless without their parents.

For a crisis (youth is refusing to return home, is locked out, or has nowhere to go that night) during office hours contact a Youth Services supervisor.

We provide services in the following counties:
Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Franklin, Greene, Jackson, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Perry, St. Clair, Washington and Williamson

The program aims to provide high-risk youth with evidence-based intervention services that reduce involvement in the criminal and juvenile system, increase school attendance, and when necessary, refer high-risk youth into therapeutic programs that address trauma recovery and other mental health improvements.

The Youth Intervention service providers work closely with Youth Development providers and conveners to provide mental health education and services. Navigators will use a strength based, family centered approach to develop participant-driven goals and support youth in engaging with services through referrals that will guide them to reach specific goals. 

We partner with youth ages 14-24 years old who reside in:
Cook County (Greater Englewood or Chicago Lawn)