Monroe County, Indiana

1) The Youth Shelter is a jail.

No, the Youth Shelter is not a jail. It is a short term emergency resource for kids between the ages of 10-17 in need of a safe haven for any number of reasons.

2) The Shelter is a punitive place.

The Shelter is not intended to be a place of punishment. We try to reach a balance of structure and caring. Many of the kids referred to the Shelter have been placed here due to no fault of their own and are in need of a safe environment.

3) The Shelter is a locked facility.

The Shelter is not a locked facility. We monitor who comes into the Shelter, but if a resident decides to leave we do everything we can to detain them short of physically restraining them. We notify all the appropriate parties if a child decides to exit on their own.
 
4) The Youth Shelter is the only service at YSB.

The Youth Services Bureau has other services: Homebased Counseling and Project Safe Place.  Staff are also major contributors to several youth focused programs in Monroe County, including Project Break Away, Wrap Around Services, The Monroe County Prevention Coalition, Teen Council, and other collaborative efforts with local agencies.

5) The Shelter is a baby-sitting service.

The Shelter is not a baby-sitting service. We provide excellent care of the young people admitted into the Shelter, but we restrict our population to those who are in the greatest need.

6) The Shelter is a treatment facility.

No, the Shelter is not a treatment facility. We do provide individual and family counseling sessions for the Shelter residents and their parents and any other family members appropriate for that type of intervention. However, we are not a licensed treatment facility. We are a short term emergency shelter care facility.

7) Shelter residents are bad kids.

Absolutely not. Teenage years are often years of crisis. The Youth Shelter is available to young people and their families to prevent a situation from becoming completely unmanageable. Reasons for a referral to the Youth Shelter can vary.

8) Placement of a child at the Youth Shelter gives them a juvenile record.

This is not true. A stay in the Shelter has no bearing on a youth's juvenile record.

9) Parental participation is not required.

False! We feel it is essential that family members take part in counseling sessions. Frequent direct contact between parents and the youth's counselor is highly recommended. Communication is the key.