Youth Villages cares for the most vulnerable, emotionally and behaviorally troubled children in our community. Most have experienced abuse, neglect and/or violence. Short-term goals include providing, food, water, clothing, shelter and safety. Long-term goals are to provide basic and immediate needs, but not necessarily a “hand out,” rather a “hand up,” to serve as the catalyst for getting families back on track. Youth Villages does this by education, counseling, and introducing families to community resources that can improve their overall living situation and future success.
The primary goal for each child in all of Youth Villages programs is to find permanency – either returning home with biological parents, finding a loving and nurturing adoptive home, or in the case of older youth, transitioning successfully into the community. Last year, more than 5,500 of the most vulnerable children in all counties of Middle Tennessee through offices in Nashville, Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville and Dickson were impacted by Youth Villages programming. The Youth Villages nationally-acclaimed in-home services program, Intercept, continues to achieve an 86% success rate at one year post discharge, making it possible for thousands of Tennessee children to be permanently reunited with either their parents or relatives.
With a mission to help children and families live successfully, Youth Villages is celebrating over 30 years of providing effective, evidence-based services to emotionally and behaviorally troubled children and their families. Youth Villages accomplishes this mission through a continuum-of-care model utilizing intensive in-home services, group homes, specialized crisis services, therapeutic foster care, special needs adoption, YVLifeSet (transitional living services) and a mentoring program.
