Western Youth Services
Education & Research|Elementary & Secondary|Mental Health & Crisis Services
1 out of 5 children suffers from a mental health condition. That’s more than 150,000 children in Orange County alone…enough to fill Angel Stadium three times. Chances are someone you know, or even someone in your family, is affected
The Western Youth Services (WYS) community is comprised of children, families, mental health experts, volunteers, and generous donors who believe that a world in which every child grows up happy is not only possible, but is reachable right now.
WYS has been providing mental health services for the most vulnerable children and families in Orange County for more than 40 years. By applying cutting-edge therapies and evidence-based practices to bring about real change, WYS is the leading expert in the field.
We serve children and families through:
Out-Patient Clinics provide intensive intervention clinical care services to treat mental, behavioral or emotional conditions. Services include case management, therapy, parenting, support and Evidence Based Practices (EBP) such as Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Functional Family Therapy (FFT), and in-home Therapeutic Behavior Services. These patients are our county’s most vulnerable and they are referred to us when they are in crisis mode. These intensive services are publicly funded.
Family Resource Centers provide community-based mental health services across a continuum of needs, including counseling, domestic violence services, foster/adoptive/kinship services and parenting education. Services are publicly funded in addition to community grants and private funding.
Outreach and Engagement is going out into the community, identifying those that need help and providing it. It is cost effective. There is no facility, just people who are mobile and resourceful. They are the boots on the ground. They are doing street outreach finding the most vulnerable wherever they may be.
School-based programs bring mental health services strategies to the school setting in a collaborative partnership. We work with the schools as change agents that break the cycle of repetitive behavior problems and the revolving door to the principal’s office. We work within the school’s budget to determine the most cost-effective way to provide services that eliminate barriers to learning, improve learning environments, increase classroom teaching time and enable every child to reach their potential.
Visit the "Western Youth Services" website
