A Closer Look at Our Programs

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Behavioral Health
Integrated Counseling Division (ICD), Multi-Systemic
Therapy (MST), Transitional Age Youth (TAY)
CYS has been a licensed community
mental health agency for three years.
Multi-systemic Therapy was CYS’ first
mental health program, launching in
early 2013 with four therapists and one
director. In 2015, CYS saw the Integrated
Counseling Division grow to 41 staff,
including therapists, care coordinators,
youth and parent partners, psychiatry,
and administrative staff.
MST
MST is an evidence-based program with
intensive home-, school- and communitybased
services to youth and their families
challenged with family conflict, school
(behavioral and academic), juvenile delinquency,
mental health, substance abuse and those in the
foster care system. In 2015, MST provided services
to more than 60 families. The outcomes (MST
evaluations provided by UW) for MST are
statistically significant in terms of reducing total
difficulties for the youth. 88 percent of youth were
in school and at home following MST; 78 percent
had no additional arrests; 90 percent of the families
demonstrated improved parent-child relationships
and improved networks of support.
Transitional Age Youth Wraparound with Intensive
Services (TAY/WISe)
CYS became a demonstration site for TAY/WISe in
2014 based on a lawsuit against Washington State
related to youth whose high needs were not being
addressed in traditional community mental health
agencies.
TAY/WISe offers therapy and peer counseling that is
home, school and community based. TAY/WISe
therapists are available 24/7 to help youth create a
personal treatment plan. TAY/WISe uses Managing
and Adapting Practices, and evidence-based
practice.
In 2015, CYS’ TAY/WISe program provided services
to 114 youth.
A Life in Progress: SHANELLE
Shanelle Berry knows a lot about CYS programs, after being taken
to Haven House at the age of 12. Now 20, Shanelle became part
of the state foster care system before coming to CYS’ Therapeutic
Foster Care at the age of 15.
“I had SERIOUS problems with any
authority. I’d get in fights, mostly
verbal but sometimes even physical,
with people a lot. I didn’t want to
do what people wanted. I had a
major attitude,” said Shanelle, who
took part in The BRIDGE music
program from the beginning and
now mentors other young people in
it.
She credits her CYS foster care case
manager for her attitude shift. “She
and I were driving in the car and
talking. It was like I finally GOT IT. I
realized it was time to grow up and that I had the power to
change my life.”
Shanelle has visited an array of social services agencies, but holds
CYS in a special place. “You guys are a lot nicer. People who go
into shelters and agencies realize pretty quickly you can be
treated like dirt. People at CYS are more respectful,
understanding. . . That makes a big difference.”
Shanelle, now in CYS Transitional Housing, graduated from Yelm
High School on time. She’s working and hopes to attend The
Evergreen State College to study music through their audio
engineering program.
Juvenile Justice
Diversion, Juvenile Court and Detention Transitions
DIVERSION
Juvenile Diversion was CYS’ first program, dating back nearly 40 years. It is
based on research showing that youth who are held accountable for their actions
by turning a “wrong” to a “right” make lasting changes, rather than those who
are merely punished. In Diversion, youth who are 8 to 17 and charged with
misdemeanors and Class C felonies meet with volunteer Community
Accountability Boards, which decide on appropriate restorative justice
consequences. In 2015, almost 300 young people entered the program and 94
percent finished successfully.
JUVENILE COURT AND DETENTION TRANSITIONS (JCDT)
JCDT is a collaboration between the Juvenile Courts and detention facilities of
Mason and Thurston counties, the Thurston Mason Regional Support Network
(RSN), and CYS. JCDT is designed to provide services to detained youth
experiencing mental-health challenges. JCDT assists with discharge planning from
detention facilities to link youth and their families to community-based
resources. The goal is to reduce recidivism by connecting youth with services to
address mental-health needs. 160 youth were served in 2015.
You Don’t Know Me
you see that I laugh
you see that I’m shy
but you don’t know me
you would know me if
you knew how hard it is to
hold back the tears in my
eyes you knew how I feel
sometimes when I cry
I drown
you see that I’m gone
you see that I’m nowhere
around
but you don’t know me
you would know me if you
knew how I fight
you knew how I scream
you knew how I dream
By Melanie, 14
InkWell poet and Haven House resident
The bulk of the
offenses brought before CYS Diversion involves
assault, theft or marijuana-related offenses.
Pro-Social Programs
91% of those seen
in CYS Diversion
have no prior
criminal offenses.
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Best practices for helping youth develop coping strategies include building
relationships with caring adults, writing/talking about experiences, and
becoming involved in pro-social activities that build self-esteem, self-confidence,
and leadership skills. Researchers have found that pro-social activities,
particularly activities conducted with peers and trusted adults, is crucial in
developing social skills, self-esteem and confidence, and coping strategies in
youth. Most of our participants have experienced significant trauma during their
formative years, which has affected their emotional growth. Providing them
with pro-social activities boosts their emotional development.
The Bridge, an eight-week workshop, provides at-risk youth, ages 14 to 22, a
place where they can create, rehearse, record and perform their individual
stories in musical (hip hop/rap) form. By expressing feelings through writing and
publically performing hip hop/rap pieces, at-risk, vulnerable youth move their
lives in a positive direction through increased self-esteem and self-confidence,
and a reduction in aggression and anti-social behavior. 300 youth were served
in 2015.
InkWell, a new effort in 2015, uses writing and poetry to help youth express
feelings, process trauma and move forward in their lives. Trained volunteers
and staff use methods based on the highly successful Pongo writing program
that began in Seattle 20 years ago. It served about 25 youth in 2015.