In Youth Service, Inc. Spotlights, we aim to recognize clients who have overcome their hardships to find success through our programming. This month, we are highlighting our Family Reunification (FR) program. FR promotes timely family reunification for youth ages 12-17 entering out-of-home placement for the first time due to well-being issues, such as parent/child conflict, truancy, domestic violence, behavioral health, etc. The goal is to reunify the youth and family within six months of placement. FR service coordinators navigate and advocate for the youth and families to receive appropriate services from community-based providers. The youth in these stories are still in the Family Reunifcation program and actively working toward reunification.
Youth Stories:
- Maria D. is in the 12th grade at First Philadelphia H. S with a 3.6 GPA. She amazingly has managed to balance attending high school and working. She is planning to go to college next year and register in the relevant course study to become a cardiologist. She has been accepted and granted full academic scholarship for both Penn State and Temple University.
- Amanda T. in the 6th grade at Laura Wheeler Waring Public School. Prior to entering the shelter she was not in school. After enrollment she quickly acclimated to the school environment and has made honor roll the first two quarters of the current school year school year and Student of the Month in November and December of 2018. The FR program is working to have Amanda T. reunify with her family in the near future.
*Names were changed to protect the identities of our clients.