Youth Health Services - Elkins, WV

Mental Health Servicesfor Children and TeensHome Ties Child Careand Development Center About
home

Values

Commitment & Values

All services at YHS are guided by a set of basic beliefs. The following five core beliefs are held by all YHS staff members. We believe:Communities and families must provide environments were children and young people are cared for, encouraged and assisted in their growth and development. Problems in the lives of children and young people represent undiscovered opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable deficits or obstacles.Young people and their families have a right to be served by mental health and child care professionals who are ethical, culturally competent and able to serve them without discrimination.YHS supports and encourages collaboration and coordination of local resources in efforts to meet community needs.Young people and their families have a right to make informed life choices including choosing to participate in YHS services and the planning of such services.

History

History

Youth Health Service (YHS) was established in 1978, by the Family Health Service, Inc., to serve the health needs of children and adolescents who live in all of Randolph and Tucker Counties and the connecting regions of Barbour and Pocahontas Counties. Licensed Behavior Health CenterIn 1989, YHS became a licensed Behavior Health Center providing mental health and social services to children ages birth through 17 years.Home Ties Child Care and Development CenterIn 1997, YHS established the first nationally accredited Child Care and Development Center in Randolph County, known as Home Ties. This center today serves 86-100 children each day and includes two sites, one of which is a Randolph County Universal Pre-K program for 4 year old children. Strength Builders Child & Adolescent Trauma CenterIn 2005, Youth Health Service, Inc. responded to a growing community need to accurately assess and treat childhood trauma. Funded by a grant from the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, YHS Strength Builders Child and Adolescent Trauma Center was established as part of the U.S. National Child Traumatic Stress Network, a network made up of hospitals, universities, and community based treatment centers throughout the United States dedicated to the research and treatment of childhood trauma. In West Virginia, about 1 in 4 children experiences a serious traumatic event before the age of 16 that can result in emotional upset, aggression, depression, anxiety, behavioral changes, difficulty learning in school, problems maintaining relationships, difficulty eating and sleeping, aches and pains, withdrawal, substance abuse, dangerous behaviors, or unhealthy sexual activity among teens.The following milestones chronicle the organizations growth and development:1986-Became an independent corporate, non-profit, private community-based organization with a nine member Board of Directors made up of community volunteers. 1989-Licensed by the State of WV to provide mental health services to children ages birth to 18 years. 1997-Opened the Home Ties Child Care and Development Center.2003-Established the first Family Specialist Training Program for providing high quality social services to children, adolescents and their families enrolled in mental health services.2005-Established the Strength Builders Child and Adolescent Trauma Center, providing high quality evidence-based mental health treatment for children and adolescents exposed to traumatic experiences.2009-Established a service site in Buckhannon serving Upshur County, WV.

Board

Board of Directors

Youth Health Service benefits from the commitment and expertise of community citizens who give of their time, personal resources, and knowledge and skills to lead the agency and its staff. These individuals come from all walks of life, but their dedication to the mission and services of YHS are universal.Board of DirectorsSteve GongolaPresidentBecky JudyVice-PresidentMark JosephTreasurerTeena WallaceSecretaryRachel MontgomeryMemberPaul HartelMemberHeather HallMemberSharon BedfordMemberPatricia SchoonoverMemberAdvisorsJean JoryAdvisorEx-Officio MembersMargy BurnsExecutive DirectorStephen JoryEsquire

Partners

Partners

WV Public Schools in Randolph, Upshur, Barbour, Pocahontas and Tucker countiesPediatricians, family physicians, clinics, and hospitalsThe Randolph-Tucker Childrens Advocacy CenterWest Virginia Department of Health and Human ResourcesMountainHeart Child Care and Referral ResourcesHome and centered-based child care and preschool facilitiesWomens Aid in CrisisJuvenile Probation and Youth Services

Leadership

Leadership Team

front row: Amanda Arbegast, Margy Burns, Margot Kubichek, Denise Fletcher

back row: Linda Ratnakar, Peggy Johnson, Rod Cooper, Kirsten Coit-Fetty

We Care for the Kids

Piano Solo.mp3

We Care For the KidsWe care for the kids who play on their canopy beds,and those who take sink baths and trips to the outhouse.We care for the kidswhose mommies read them a storyand tuck them into bed each night,And for those whose mothers have died.We care for the kids who text friends at the dinner table, And for those who have no friends at all.We care for the kids who star on the high school basketball team,And for those who are picked last in gym.We care for the kids who make straight As,and for those whose thoughts got loston the violence from the night before and forgot to finish the test.For those who sit quietly while the teacher is talking,and those who feel like jumping out of their own skin.For those who get picked for student of the week,and for those who lose their recess.We care for the kids who feel joy with the sun on their face,with their first double digit birthday,their first kiss,a song on the radio,And we care for those who feel no joy at all.We care for the kids whose biggest worry is wanting to wear their dress up shoes to school and Daddy said no,getting a pimple the day of the big dance,which colleges to apply for...And we care for those who worry about a place to live, a bed to sleep in, and food to eat.We care for the kids who are afraid of the darkand the monsters under the bed,And we care for those who are afraid of the monsters in their head,in the next room, or across the street.We care for the kids who want to grow up to be police officers and soldiers,And for those to whom the presence of the policemeans that they messed up or someone is hurt again,And to whom soldier means Daddy or Mommy is far, far away.We care for the kids who laugh, dance, cry, and cheer,And for those who have forgotten how or never knew.For those who bounce over life's bumps,And those whose roads are so terribly rocky.Peggy Johnson

Values
History
Board
Partners
Leadership
We Care for the Kids

about
events
our story
careers
donate
contact

971 Harrison Avenue | Elkins, West Virginia | 304.636.9450Home-LandingHome-eventsHome-storyHome-careersHome-donateHome-contactMental Health-aboutMental Health-servicesMental Health-resourcesMental Health-newsroomMental Health-contactChild Care-aboutChild Care-prekChild Care-handbookChild Care-picturesChild Care-resourcesChild Care-menuChild Care-contact