Youth Empowerment Services, or YES, is a collaboration dedicated to building a system of care locally through Bridgeway to support families and children with severe, chronic behavioral health needs, explains System Care Coordinator Jessi Boock:
“YES is a grant that is funded through the Children’s Mental Health Foundation, the Children’s Mental Health Initiative. It is actually a group of about 35 providers and agencies in Knox, Warren, and Henderson County. We provide youth and families support. Multiple agencies get to wrap their arms around families and provide services for faster support in place, with the hope that barriers are eliminated and they can get to the mental health services that they need. When a family is experiencing issues, referring agencies can refer them in. All of our schools are involved as well as most of the community resource agencies in the area. We have a no wrong door approach. Anybody that serves kids has the ability to contact myself at Bridgeway or just go ahead and refer families directly.”
Children and youth experiencing at-risk of serious emotional disorders, out-of-home placements, or transitional-aged youth requiring intensive support are provided with service and support through the YES grant.