Overview of Services

At Youth Dynamics, we see a bright future for your child and family! We believe that young people with problems are not juvenile delinquents or troubled teens, but amazing kids with great potential. Further, we believe that families with problems are not broken homes or dysfunctional families, but people who need access to treatment, support and opportunities to build a better life.

Youth Dynamics provides a wide continuum of care that includes many options for treatment, ranging from mentoring to intensive level therapeutic group homes. A child may receive all their services from YDI, or may be served by several agencies. We want families to feel empowered, supported and accepted when they work with Youth Dynamics and we provide a warm, welcoming environment in all our offices and group homes!

To contact our staff about these services, please find a location near you, or call 1-877-458-7022.

 

Please click to see more information about our services:

 

For information on our Substance Abuse Program, Equine Therapy, or Services for Youth with Highly Sexualized Behaviors, please click for the Specialized Services page.

 

Community Services

Most Community Services can be delivered in a YDI office, the youth's home, or another school or community setting.

Individual and Family Counseling: Counseling, or therapy, is often an important part of a youth’s treatment. Your experience might include traditional therapy sessions in the office, as well as play therapy, community activities, or groups. Therapists have master’s degrees and receive specialized ongoing training. Even if your child does not receive therapy from Youth Dynamics, you might meet one of our therapists at an assessment, or another team meeting.

Mentoring/FSA Program: Our program matches trained therapeutic mentors (also called “Family Support Assistants” or “FSAs”) with youth to work on specific problems and behaviors. Our mentors are paid, part-time employees and participate in a regular training program.They will often meet with your child in their home or the community; some FSAs serve primarily in the school setting. Mentoring is highly effective in giving youth opportunities to practice healthy new skills, such as socializing appropriately, emotional regulation or finding a job. Mentors are a tremendous support for kids — and are trusted and essential members of the Treatment Team. The Treatment Team is a group that includes the family, as well as a variety of professionals assisting the youth.

In-Home Services/Family Support Teams: These services help the youth and parents by offering supportive, very useful in-home assistance. The Care Manager is a professional who is specially trained to help families overcome challenges, find new ideas, and enjoy a better family life. Care Managers work with all kinds of families, including foster parents, natural/biological families, and adoptive families. Their assistance is always customized to each family’s needs and they are supportive, non-judgmental resources to help a child and family succeed.

Youth Case Management: The "YCM" (youth case manager) is a human services professional who will coordinate your child’s “Treatment Plan.” The Treatment Plan is a document that includes a list of goals for the child or teen and their family. The parents are given an important role in determining those goals, and how they will be reached. Youth Case Management then provides the family with support to reach those goals. YCMs focus on assessing the youth and family's needs, coordinating services, monitoring, and discharge planning.

Respite Care: Respite Care is a service offered to many families we work with. Youth working on major behavioral and mental health issues often need a break from their daily routine and ongoing relationship with their parent or caregiver, no matter if they are living with their biological parents, adoptive parents, or a foster family. Respite Care allows youth to spend some time with another adult or family — usually from a few hours to a weekend — getting a “break,” without interrupting their Treatment Plan. In addition, Respite Care gives all types of parents a short breather to deal with other issues, re-energize, or even take a bit of alone time or couple time! However you use Respite Care, know that YDI Respite providers go through a screening and training program and are eager to welcome a child into their home for a short stay.

Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC): TFC was YDI’s first service and we are deeply committed to this wonderful program that helps youth improve behaviors and develop new skills, while also providing support so that families can eventually be reunited. Therapeutic Foster Care is similar to traditional foster care, but TFC parents receive a higher financial stipend, along with a more in-depth training program. TFC is intended to provide a safe place for a youth, but also to help that youth with specific goals and challenges on his/her Treatment Plan.

YDI also offers two similar programs: Guide Homes, for youth returning to the community after leaving Pine Hills or Riverside Juvenile Correctional Facilities; and Recovery Homes, which match youth recovering from addiction with a parent(s) who is also in recovery.

Supervised Visits: Some YDI locations also provide supervised visitation services, offering a supportive, safe place for families to work on communication, relationships, and treatment goals.

 

Therapeutic Youth Group Homes

YDI has shelter and/or group home care in four Montana communities (Billings, Bozeman, Boulder, and Helena) and provides a variety of services through these homes. If you would like to talk to someone about Residential Care, however, you do not need to choose a location yet. We would be happy to talk to you at length about the best options for your child or teen.

Youth Dynamics therapeutic group homes provide 24-hour awake supervision, treatment, advocacy, and family style care. The length of stay is determined by the youth’s progress and is typically 6 to 9 months. Below are our Residential programs and more information about each option.

Billings Therapeutic Group Homes offer:

  • Access to YDI Substance Abuse Program (Click here for more information)
  • Exciting cultural, sports and leisure activities, including outdoor recreation and community events
  • An extensive network of local services available to meet specialized needs
  • Intensive therapies, including substance abuse prevention, education and treatment services
  • Community education options, including public school and alternative education, as well as extra-curricular and volunteer activities
  • Opportunities to participate fully in the Billings community
  • Family-style care provided in three welcoming residential home settings(STAR, River’s Edge, and Rimview)
  • To learn more, please contact the Billings office at 406-245-6539 or email Mikel Wolf at mwolf@youthdynamics.org.

Boulder AYA (Alternative Youth Adventures) Therapeutic Group Home & Day Treatment Program offers:

  • Access to YDI services for youth with highly sexualized behaviors (Click here for more information)
  • Outdoor, adventure, and a wide variety of other activities
  • An innovative on-site educational component
  • A country setting surrounded by beautiful mountains and forest
  • A climbing tower and horseback riding
  • Programs for highly sexualized youth
  • Four comfortable, home-style group residences providing safe, secure care
  • To learn more, please contact the Boulder office at 406-225-3176 or email Teresa Turville at at teresa.turville@youthdynamics.org (Ms. Turville manages both Boulder AYA and Helena Lewis & Clark campuses) or Kevin Wyse at kwyse@youthdynamics.org.

Lewis & Clark Therapeutic Youth Home in Helena offers:

  • Equine therapy and opportunities for animal interaction and care (Click here for more information).
  • Opportunities to participate fully in ranch life
  • Outdoor recreation opportunities in a beautiful mountain setting
  • Access to urban resources and community programs in historic Helena, MT
  • Services for youth 8-14
  • To learn more, please contact 406-225-3176 or email Teresa Turville at teresa.turville@youthdynamics.org (Ms. Turville manages both Boulder AYA and Helena Lewis & Clark campuses).

 

Shelter Care (Long- and Short-term Stays)

This home shelters youth in crisis, including runaway and homeless youth, while providing short-term shelter care, crisis intervention, extended group care, and transitional care. Some youth are in the home overnight, for a few days, or for a few months based on their needs.

The Big Sky Youth Center in Bozeman offers:

  • 24-Hour awake supervision
  • One to Four staff supervision
  • Intervention and Stabilization
  • Family-style home setting for up to 8 youth
  • For youth staying an extended period of time, job programs, community events, outdoor recreation and extra-curricular activities are available
  • To learn more, please contact the Big Sky Youth Center at 406-586-2566 or email Jana McCreary at janamccr@youthdynamics.org.

 

Independent Living/Supported Independent Living Skills (SILS)

Independent Living Skills (ILS): All youth 16 1/2 or older receive information and assistance in developing Independent Living Skills. To empower teens as they make the transition to adulthood, YDI offers an innovative Independent Living curriculum. The program uses coaching, mentoring and role modeling rather than a traditional classroom model. This service may be delivered in a number of therapeutic settings, including young people participating in therapeutic group home care, youth case management, in-home services, therapeutic foster care, or mentoring.

Supported Independent Living Skills (SILS): YDI also offers another, much more intensive transition skills program. Supported Independent Living Skills (SILS). Through the SILS program, a professional team provides intensive support to a youth living in his/her own apartment. Over a period of months, the teen works closely with the Treatment Team to build skills, attain employment and other necessary steps to self-sufficiency (such as a bank account, driver’s license, etc.), and eventually takes over all responsibilities, including paying rent and bills.

Youth Dynamics believes that this program can be highly effective, even for youth who have not been as successful as hoped in a group home or foster care setting. Through intensive support, coaching, mentoring and on-going mental health therapies, as well, many youth can gain the skills and knowledge they need. At the same time, they often thrive on the program’s independence.

 

Find out about our Specialized Services