Each night in our community of Omaha, 300 youth at on the streets homeless or at-risk of being homeless. YES outreach workers hit the streets of greater Omaha, looking for youth in crisis. They carry backpacks filled with basic needs and emergency supplies and patrol areas where homeless and at-risk youth tend to congregate. Outreach workers are trained to identify a young person in need and to provide immediate information and services. Outreach workers invite homeless and street-dependent youth, ages 12 to 21, to the YES Street Outreach Center. Youth are welcome to this safe place to have a meal, shower, and do laundry. Meals are provided each night during the week without having a kitchen. A registered nurse from the Visiting Nurse Association is on staff three days a week at the Street Outreach Center. In addition to basic health counseling, she can provide HIV, STD and pregnancy testing along with prevention counseling and parenting classes. YES contracts with a certified Mental Health Therapist to work with youth and their families regarding issues that may have caused the youth to be at-risk or homeless. Group sessions are also available on a weekly basis. Over the past year, YES has seen a dramatic increase in the number of youth served of 80%. YES is currently researching the reasons behind such an increase. We have also seen an increase in the number of meals served at the Outreach Center. During the months of October and November, staff were serving over 900 meals. In December, the number of meals decreased to 650 meals for the month. YES staff has also seen an increase in the severity of the mental health issues demonstrated by the youth served by YES. Several of the youth have shown signs of “cutting” themselves. We have also determined that approximately 30% of the youth that access our services also have children of their own they bring to the Street Outreach Center.
Currently the Street Outreach Center serves 40 to 60 youth each night in a space designed to hold 20 adults. All meals are brought in from outside the facility as there are no kitchen facilities in the current space. There is not a designed office space for our therapist or VNA nurse. The youth served by YES should be more than a number. Homelessness of our youth continues to be a major social justice issues facing the Omaha community. These youth deserve better.
To find out how you can help: call 402-354-5187 or go to www.yesomaha.org
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>p>Each night in our community of Omaha, 300 youth at on the streets homeless or at-risk of being homeless. YES outreach workers hit the streets of greater Omaha, looking for youth in crisis. They carry backpacks filled with basic needs and emergency supplies and patrol areas where homeless and at-risk youth tend to congregate. Outreach workers are trained to identify a young person in need and to provide immediate information and services. Outreach workers invite homeless and street-dependent youth, ages 12 to 21, to the YES Street Outreach Center. Youth are welcome to this safe place to have a meal, shower, and do laundry. Meals are provided each night during the week without having a kitchen. A registered nurse from the Visiting Nurse Association is on staff three days a week at the Street Outreach Center. In addition to basic health counseling, she can provide HIV, STD and pregnancy testing along with prevention counseling and parenting classes. YES contracts with a certified Mental Health Therapist to work with youth and their families regarding issues that may have caused the youth to be at-risk or homeless. Group sessions are also available on a weekly basis. Over the past year, YES has seen a dramatic increase in the number of youth served of 80%. YES is currently researching the reasons behind such an increase. We have also seen an increase in the number of meals served at the Outreach Center. During the months of October and November, staff were serving over 900 meals. In December, the number of meals decreased to 650 meals for the month. YES staff has also seen an increase in the severity of the mental health issues demonstrated by the youth served by YES. Several of the youth have shown signs of “cutting” themselves. We have also determined that approximately 30% of the youth that access our services also have children of their own they bring to the Street Outreach Center. >br />Currently the Street Outreach Center serves 40 to 60 youth each night in a space designed to hold 20 adults. All meals are brought in from outside the facility as there are no kitchen facilities in the current space. There is not a designed office space for our therapist or VNA nurse. The youth served by YES should be more than a number. Homelessness of our youth continues to be a major social justice issues facing the Omaha community. These youth deserve better.>/p>
>p>To find out how you can help: call 402-354-5187 or go to >a href=”http://www.yesomaha.org” target=”_blank”>www.yesomaha.org>/a>>/p>