Youth Bridge has created several programs to provide additional opportunities for out-patient youth to have access to the therapeutic and professional behavioral counseling groups at its Rogers and Fayetteville Clinics. The Youth Bridge Program for Suspended and Expelled Youth, Anger Management Program, and In-home Family Support Services (IFSS) will help provide alternative outreach programs for those youth who are not required to live in restricted residential facilities or to be incarcerated in a juvenile facility.
Youth Bridge works in cooperation with the Washington and Benton County Juvenile Court and parole officers to provide professionally supervised programs that continue the required treatments and counseling ordered by the courts. We also receive referrals from other educational, medical and public health service organizations.
The Youth Bridge Program for Suspended and Expelled Youth was started in June 2012 to provide academic assistance in a therapeutic environment for those students grades 8 to 12 who are having difficulty attending regular school due to truancy and behavioral issues. It provides students with an opportunity to continue their education and to receive counseling at the same time.
The type of student typically referred to this program may have been suspended or expelled for cheating, violating school policies related to substance abuse, fighting, skipping class, missing too many unexcused days, or for making personal or bomb threats.
Students receive customized instruction depending on their academic and emotional requirements. Students build self-confidence and learn to get along with others in all types of situations and environments. The students also can receive substance abuse and behavioral counseling from trained professionals and certified teachers. Aside from special treatment, students are taught the core subjects of math, science, language, social studies and reading.
Many of these students cannot return to a public school environment, so they can earn their GED as part of the Youth Bridge program. Students may not transfer the educational credits they receive in the Youth Bridge program unless prior arrangements have been made with the referral school or agency.
In July, Youth Bridge initiated an out-patient Anger Management Program at its Fayetteville Clinical office, 3715 Business Drive, Suite 104, for youth ages 12 to 18 years of age. The program is designed to help clients who are having trouble coping with day-to-day interactions and challenges.
We live in stressful times and a lot of children find themselves angry and wanting to lash out at family, friends, teachers, and other peers. Anger is a symptom of a behavioral disorder that can be treated with the right counseling and treatment programs.
The Anger Management Groups will meet each Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. starting September 13 and ending October 18. The groups will start again on Thursday, November 8 and end December 20with no classes scheduled November 24 due to the holiday. Contact Libby Bier, 479-521-1532 for more program information.
In-home Family Support Services (IFSS) is an intensive clinical service which is a home-based program utilized to assist families with youth who are at risk for being placed in out-of-home placements. The program also helps those youth who have been referred by the court system as a Family in Need of Services (FINS) that is in need of a crisis intervention.
All treatment is youth-centered, family-focused, strength-based, culturally competent, and responsive to each youth’s psychosocial, developmental, and treatment care needs. The program helps clients improve coping skills and develops higher levels of psychosocial functioning for the parents/children. The program goal is to promote effective and successful readjustment to home and community.
Youth Bridge is a non-profit organization that provides emergency shelter, clinical, and outreach preventative programs to local area youth who are suffering from substance abuse, homelessness, behavioral issues, personal traumas, truancy, family problems, and other juvenile court related challenges.