Center for Family Engagement & Well-Being
National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP) provides 24/7, year-round behavioral stabilization and crisis support in trauma-forward, home-like settings for children and youth with complex mental health and behavioral needs who are awaiting kinship, foster care, or other appropriate living arrangements.
Services are treatment-driven, support emotional and social development, and include comprehensive, trauma-informed assessments to determine appropriate care levels and crisis response. Every service affirms the unique needs of each child or youth and prioritizes safety, dignity, and inclusion.
Services include, but are not limited to:
De-escalation and crisis intervention
Safety planning
Evidence-informed and evidence-based interventions
Kinship services, including family finding, referral, and aftercare
Basic care in home-like spaces, including meals, showers, personal care supplies, and short-term sleeping accommodations
Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) assessment as indicated
Emergency Reception Homes (ERH) serving as a temporary place to live while awaiting a kinship home, reunification with primary family, or another identified permanency plan
Transition and aftercare services
WHO WE SERVE
While the primary individuals served are children and youth, the Center for Family Engagement and Well-Being also supports families and caregivers through communication, referral coordination, and transition planning. Those served:
Are ages 0–18
Are in the custody of a child welfare entity
Are referred by the state’s child welfare agency
BENEFITS OF A PARTNERSHIP
The Center for Family Engagement and Well-Being is a youth-centered, cost-effective, and trauma-informed answer to child welfare needs. By integrating immediate stabilization with a network of Emergency Reception Homes (ERH), NYAP and our partners help ensure every child and youth experiences safety, belonging, and hope.
Positive Outcomes for Children and Families
Offers a stronger alternative to children and youth waiting in hotels or child welfare offices for kinship, foster homes, or other permanency options
Provides a safe, home-like space with meals, clothing, hygiene facilities and supplies, and compassionate, professional employees
Delivers around-the-clock, on-site clinical and behavioral health support
Increases placement stability and decreases time in care
Strengthens family and community connections through proactive engagement
Cost Savings and System Efficiencies
Reduces workload and overtime for child welfare employees by shifting care responsibility to NYAP providers
Decreases costly hotel and office overnight stays
Prevents expensive disruptions and hospitalizations through early stabilization
Centralizes coordination for improved documentation and communication
Lowers long-term per-child costs
AVERAGE LENGTH
Children and youth stay at the Center for Family Engagement & Well-Being for up to 23 hours, receiving immediate safety, stabilization, and an initial assessment upon entering protective custody.
After this period, when appropriate, we connect children and youth with our Emergency Reception Homes (ERH) that are equipped and committed to providing longer-term care until a kinship, foster, or other suitable living arrangement is identified.
“After touring the space, I can confidently say that it has far exceeded my expectations.”
