Latasha, a resident at the YOC, recently won the Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day Art Exhibition for her painting titled, “I Want Both.” The evaluation team considered a combination of artistic merit and how well the piece represented the theme of standing up for your...
Donors give to the YOC for so many different reasons. Some have a heart for kids, some want to invest in brighter futures. Some know firsthand the obstacles facing our residents and feel a deep desire to use their own successes to pay it forward....
No one could have seen the events of 2020 coming. Even as the first reports of COVID-19 began trickling in - very few could have predicted the magnitude and longevity of this pandemic and its impact. The YOC is no different....
In response to legislation as well as increased desire to reach kids and families sooner, the YOC has launched a new community-based division of services....
A letter from a resident to her cottage manager as she was being discharged from the YOC....
Family participation has long been a staple of the Youth Opportunity Center’s approach to treatment, and is crucial to successful outcomes for the youth we serve. However, through the years, clinical leaders at the YOC have noted an increasing need not just for family therapy,...
If you’ve got a teenager at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, you understand how hard it can be to keep them engaged, keep their spirits up and keep them learning. What about if you had 100 adolescents at home during this pandemic? What if they...
These are trying times. Uncertain times. These are times when—despite our best efforts to put the needs of others before our own—the temptation is to focus inwardly, to focus on what we are having to give up. For many teens, especially those here in Indiana...
We sat down with Debbie Emmons of Muncie to learn about why she gives to the Youth Opportunity Center. She is married to Mike and they have two kids, Courtney and Cameron. Debbie and her family contribute in multiple ways, including volunteering, playing in the...
Clinical treatment is one of the most crucial elements of a child’s time here at the YOC. Mental health staff at the YOC have adopted a trauma-informed approach to their treatment of our residents, but it doesn’t stop there. As part of a multidisciplinary approach...