The Bridge for Youth will be a premier resource for diverse populations of youth and families needing help by offering: - Support that empowers - Safe shelter - Sustainable tools for success and restoration of relationships - When possible, reunification

We offer a wide range of services for youth, including emergency shelter, family counseling, support groups, transitional housing, workforce readiness, and more.

The Bridge for Youth has been in operation for 46 years, providing a safe place for more than 45,000 runaway, homeless and street youth. Among these youth, histories of poverty, family conflict, childhood trauma, and sexual exploitation are prevalent, and they are at high risk of long-term poverty and homelessness. The Bridge is recognized as a source of expertise on best practices for working with runaway and homeless youth and serves as a major training site, providing practicum experience for 30-40 interns each year. To respond to growing needs in our community, The Bridge has recently increased its shelter bed capacity by one-third, from 18 to 24 beds. We have also increased efforts to connect youth to services beyond shelter, through outreach, counseling, support groups, our crisis text line Text4Help, and the YSNMN. org web application.

The Bridge employs a full-time Data & Evaluation Manager to oversee collection, monitoring, and analysis of data to evaluate program services and ensure continuous quality improvement. Board and staff work together to establish annual program baselines, track outcome measures, review progress, and set strategies to improve program effectiveness. Staff request feedback directly from clients and implement suggestions immediately whenever possible, as well as conducting follow up with youth after services. The Bridge has established a Youth Board to include youth voice evaluating services and shaping programming. In addition to internal program evaluation, The Bridge is required to meet county, state, and federal standards and undergoes rigorous external review. Indicators tracked: Safety: • % of youth securing safe and stable housing at exit • % reunited with parents/extended family • % safe from exploitation, neglect, or abuse Well-being: • % of youth making safer decisions • % connected to health care Connections: • % of youth identify at least one positive connection with a peer and a caring adult • % reporting better relationship with family Self-Sufficiency: • % of youth attend school regularly • % increase their life skills • % make progress towards their goals

In FY16, The Bridge provided 998 emergency shelter stays for 694 unduplicated youth, responded to 3,884 crisis calls, exchanged 14,176 crisis text messages, conducted 112 walk-in counseling sessions, provided 252 family counseling and therapy sessions, served 32 youth residents in our transitional living program, offered shelter, case management and legal resources for 79 systems-involved youth, and provided support group sessions for 1,208 attendees. Our program achieved impressive results: 70% of youth served in emergency shelter secured safe and stable housing at exit; 87% of youth attended school regularly; and 75% increased their life skills. We continuously explore new ways to reach and serve more runaway and homeless youth. Knowing that in some cases it is not safe or possible for a youth to be reunified with their families, it is crucial that our community have housing options and services that meet youth's individual needs. In keeping with our mission and based on our 46 years of history, we fully recognize our role in expanding these options and ensuring that youth have access to them.