Our History
Transforming from the Delaware County Children’s Home to the Youth Opportunity Center, Inc.
- 1896: a farmhouse is built that eventually becomes the Delaware County Children’s Home.
- 1900: Sophia Jump and her 4 staff members have 21 orphans aged 4 to 15 at the Delaware County Children’s Home.
- 1989: The Muncie Star prints photos revealing the sordid condition of the home, and Judge Steven Caldemeyer presents a proposal for a solution.
- 1990: Ball State architecture students under the direction of Robert Taylor present class plans for eight new cottages.
- 1992: Two cottages are built and the Youth Opportunity Center officially comes into existence.
- 1993: The Delaware County Children’s Home is torn down.
- 1997: YOC purchases the Colonial Property; currently known as the Juvenile Services Center.
- 1997: Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center opens on the YOC campus with 24 beds.
- 1999: Merger of the Delaware County Youth Service Bureau with the Youth Opportunity Center to begin solely providing Independent Living Skills.
- 1999: The Treatment of Adolescents in Secure Care (TASC) Unit opens with 28 beds servicing Sexually Maladaptive Behaviors, Chemical Dependency Issues, and Psychiatric Impairments.
- 2000: Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center expands from 24 to 44 beds.
- 2002: The CAPE grants were implemented on campus beginning with Suspension and Priority Schools programs. This additional Muncie Community Schools program would provide potential for 60 youth being educationally serviced on the YOC campus.
- 2003: Randolph Youth Center (RYC) was licensed and became operational for a residential treatment program for Randolph County youth.
- 2005: YOC earns accreditation through Council on Accreditation.
- 2005: OMI building is added to main campus to provide office space for Doctoral Internship Program and the Human Resource Department.
- 2005: The TASC program becomes elligible to service youth through the Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) funding.
- 2006: Outpatient Independent Living Center opens in downtown Muncie.
- 2006: Shafer Giving Plaza created and dedicated
- 2007: YOC completes construction of a 28-bed Emergency Shelter Cottage.
- 2007: YOC converts a residential cottage into a support building for education and counseling services for INTAC population.
- 2007: Youth Opportunity Center Foundation came into existence to support the YOC mission.
- 2008: Workforce One Counselor assigned to provide necessary skills to YOC youth.
- 2009: The American Psychological Association accredits the doctoral-internship program at the YOC.
- 2009: YOC receives re-accreditation by the Council on Accreditation.
- 2009: RYC was closed due to the low number of referrals to residential treatment center.
- 2011: The Leigh Ann Gray Counseling Center was opened to provide counselors a designated location for counseling services.
- 2012: YOC opens an Outpatient Counseling Clinic and provides services to adults, youth and families through private, self-pay and Medicaid.
- 2012: YOC phases out the Outpatient Independent Living Program (OPIL) on campus.
- 2013: YOC is re-accredited by the Council on Accreditation for all YOC residential and detention services.
- 2016: YOC opened the Skills Training for Adolescents in Residential Services (STARS) Program for youth with developmental and intellectual disabilities.