Youth First’s mission is to strengthen youth and families by providing evidence-based programs that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and maximize student success.
Our mission is to strengthen youth and families through evidence-based programs that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and maximize student success!
Our mission is to strengthen youth and families through evidence-based programs that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and maximize student success.
For more information about Youth First’s programs and services, please provide your name, email address and a brief message about the nature of your inquiry. We’ll get your contact info to the appropriate person and get back with you as soon as possible.
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A generous donor wants to ensure our future is bright with a matching gift opportunity. If we raise $100,000 each year for the next 10 years, it will be matched by this donor!
How Can a School Social Worker Help Your Child?
All Posts, Counties, Youth First BlogBy Kacie Shipman, MSW, LCSW – September 30, 2026 – Have you ever wondered what a school social worker actually does? In this role, I often hear students’ ideas and questions about my job and what my role looks like within the school building. The short answer? School social workers wear many hats. I often […]
The Struggle is Real
All Posts, Counties, Youth First BlogBy Diann Moesner, MSW, LCSW – September 23, 2026 – Whether you are interacting with students as a school professional, a parent, or both, it can feel uncomfortable to watch kids struggle to navigate the world around them. When we see them struggling, it is natural to want to “fix” things for them – to […]
The Benefits of a Close Sibling Relationship
All Posts, Counties, Youth First BlogBy Beth Thomas, MSW, LSW – September 16, 2026 – Close sibling relationships can have a lifelong impact. They are an important part of our development and can provide valuable knowledge, guidance and support throughout different stages of life. Of course, no sibling relationship is perfect. Conflict and disagreements are natural, but even these imperfections […]
Caring for Your Own Mental Health is Part of Caring for Your Child
All Posts, Counties, Youth First BlogBy Jordyn Bryant, MSW, LCSW – September 9, 2026 – While parenting is deeply meaningful and rewarding, we cannot ignore that it is also emotionally demanding. Many parents focus so fully on their child’s needs that their own well-being gradually moves to the background. Between managing daily responsibilities, responding to a child’s emotions, balancing work […]
How Social Isolation Impacts Emotional Regulation in Young Children
All Posts, Counties, Youth First BlogBy Jordan Evans, MSW, LSW – September 2, 2026 – Emotional regulation is a child’s ability to understand, express, and manage their feelings in healthy ways. This skill begins developing early in life and continues to grow throughout childhood. Children do not learn emotional regulation on their own. Instead, they develop it through everyday interactions […]