A private nonprofit organization, Youth Villages' mission is to help children and families live successfully. Regardless of which Youth Villages program a child participates in, our approach centers around strengthening the child's family and support systems.

• Youth Villages will serve more than 15,000 emotionally and behaviorally troubled children and their families in 2009 through a variety of programs. Services include:
  • Intensive in-home services
  • Foster care and adoption
  • Residential and intensive residential treatment
  • An emergency shelter for homeless and runaway teens
  • Specialized Crisis Services
  • Transitional living services

• Youth Villages provides help for children who face a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems. Children may have such mood disorders as depression or anxiety, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, impulse or conduct disorders. Many of the children helped by Youth Villages have learning or developmental disabilities. Nearly 40 percent of the children helped in 2009 had suffered physical or sexual abuse.

• Youth Villages was an early advocate of using the most effective, research-based therapies for children with emotional and behavioral problems. Since 1994, the organization has tracked every child who leaves the program, and has recorded consistently high success rates. In 2009, 88 percent of the children who completed their Youth Villages programs were discharged successfully. Eighty-three percent of the children are still successful 24 months after discharge.

• Youth Villages provides services from 64 locations in 48 cities across 11 states and the District of Columbia. We serve children and families in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.

• Referrals are accepted from psychiatrists, parents, judges, social workers and child welfare and mental health state systems.

• On any given day, there are approximately 2,600 children being served by Youth Villages. In fiscal year 2009, Youth Villages counselors provided more than 41,500 hours of therapeutic services for children and families. This does not include hours spent working with schools, courts and community supports.

• Youth Villages has been cited as a national model by the American Youth Policy Forum and the Coalition for Juvenile Justice.

• Youth Villages is a grantee of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and a part of the foundation's innovative Growth Capital Aggregation Pilot, designed to help effective nonprofit organizations grow so they can help more clients and reform systems. Youth Villages' EMCF co-investors include YV Board Chairman Mike Bruns, The Day Foundation, FedEx Corporation, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Jenesis Group, The Kresge Foundation, Strategic Grant Partners and the Youth Villages Board of Directors.

• Youth Villages was the first children's services organization recognized by the White House in 2009 in its search for results-oriented nonprofits that are transforming communities with innovative, promising ideas.

• The Harvard Business School released a case study in 2009 exploring Youth Villages' innovative treatment approach, use of research in program development and targeted growth strategies.

• U.S. News & World Report in 2006 featured Youth Villages CEO Patrick W. Lawler as one of "America's Best Leaders," along with such notables as investment guru Warren Buffett and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The project is a collaboration with the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

• In 2009, more than 3,000 individuals, corporations, and foundations donated more than $23 million to help the children of Youth Villages. Youth Villages employees themselves contributed $650,000 back to the organization through payroll donations.

• Youth Villages' annual revenue in fiscal year 2009 totaled $118 million. Total assets were $134 million, and total liabilities were $14 million. Eighty-five percent of operating expenses were for programs and services for children and families; 13 percent was for administrative and general costs; and 2 percent was used for fundraising.

• Youth Villages is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the Council on Accreditation.

• Youth Villages was named as one of the "50 Best Nonprofits to Work for in 2010" by The NonProfit Times and Best Companies Group.

Updated 04/20/10