OUR HOUSE CRISIS SHELTER

YSB was established in 1984 and Our House Crisis Shelter in 1991 as our community recognized a need to offer services to prevent youth from entering the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems. Youth who call Our House for shelter services may include runaways, homeless youth, or youth that are experiencing a conflict at home. Many parents have expressed concern that their teens fall through the cracks in the system. Our hope at YSB is to prevent this by addressing the individual issues they bring to us, and by supporting the family as a whole.

Our House Shelter is a voluntary service. There are no youth that come to us unwillingly or without a guardian’s consent. Success in helping our community’s youth depends on participation and cooperation of all parties concerned. We not only welcome parent or guardians participation, we rely on it as a means to providing help and support to the whole family. Our goal is to urge each youth back into their home whenever possible. The majority of all sheltered youth return to their parent or guardian’s home after a brief intervention by YSB. If re-entering the home is not a possibility according to the family’s wishes, we can help explore the next best option.

ELIGIBILITY

  • Youth between the ages of 12-17
  • Not actively drug or alcohol dependent
  • Homeless because they refuse to return home due to abuse or neglect
  • Temporarily homeless due to family problems
  • Voluntary participation is required by both the youth and parent(s)

ENTRANCE PROCEDURES

  • Call our 24-Hour Crisis Hotline 444-CARE (2273)
  • The following will be assessed by the Hotline Worker:
    • Obtain voluntary consent by both youth and guardian
    • suicide risk assessment
    • substance use assessment
    • assaultive behavior assessment
    • criminal record check

SERVICES

  • 24-hour per day supervision
  • food, clothing, transportation
  • crisis intervention and mediation
  • case management and aftercare services
    ** Maximum stay of up to fourteen days

24 HOUR CRISIS HOTLINE

YSB’s 24-Hour crisis hotline was established to provide immediate over the phone intervention, information and referrals to youth and families in crisis. Crisis staff are trained to deal with any caller’s concerns or questions and are updated on current and appropriate referrals. All access to our crisis shelter begins by calling the hotline:


444-CARE (2273)