Welcome to the

Youth Development Center

 About Us:

Vision

Residents of the Youth Development Center will become healthy, responsible citizens.

Mission

To provide a safe and secure environment which enables residents to develop and strengthen their emotional, social, intellectual, and life skills to build a foundation for future success.

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Contact Us: 

Youth Development Center (YDC)

 3564 Heindel Road

 York, PA 17402

(717) 840 - 7570

 Return to top of page

Program Overview:

The administration and staff of the York County Youth Development Center (YDC) subscribe to the principles of the Sanctuary Model. In keeping with that philosophy, the YDC staff is committed to the protection of our community, the development of our children, and to assist them in the progress in “competencies” that shall lead them to being productive members of society. The entire program is designed to provide a safe and healthy environment for all youth, where short-term emotional, physical, educational, social, and spiritual needs are accommodated.  

 Return to top of page

Services:

The program at the YDC is administrated by a group of highly skilled, treatment- oriented staff. It is a program that is intended to keep the youth safe and secure, ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect, and one in which all youth are motivated to begin the process of self- evaluation and betterment.

Medical services are provided by licensed, board certified physicians. Physical health services that are provided are of routine nature to ensure optimal quality of health care, including the administration of physical exams, medication monitoring, and assessment of non- emergency injuries that may have occurred while in placement. A contracted psychiatrist is employed to monitor the administration of psychotropic medication and to attend to the emotional needs of youth in crisis. Dental services are provided for basic dental care. The YDC contracted doctors do not provide medical services above the usual and customary. Those services are out-sourced and the responsibility of the contracting agency.  

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Shelter Unit:

The shelter provides for the emergency and immediate care and custody of youth whose circumstances require that they be held in a short - term, closely supervised, least restricted, setting. Youth remanded to the shelter are youth who have been adjudicated or deemed dependent by Commonwealth Courts. While in placement in the shelter care program, youth can be assured of the following:

1.      The right to adequate shelter, food, clothing, and medical care; and

2.      All legal rights governed by Chapter 3800, Child Residential and Day Treatment Facilities; and

3.      The right to both formal and informal education.

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 Admissions Criteria:

YDC serves both males and females between the ages of 10-21, who are referred to us by either Juvenile Probation or the Office of Children, Youth, & Families.

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Sanctuary Model:

The staff at YDC embrace the Sanctuary Model as our method for helping clients and their families through this difficult time in their lives. We recognize that each child is unique and brings with them a past that has included trauma. Staff also believe that the disruption of the home setting and separation of parent and child causes additional trauma. We’re here to support our clients and families towards a better future.

What Is Sanctuary?

The Sanctuary Model is a trauma-informed method for creating or changing an organization’s culture. Sanctuary pulls from a number of different fields and philosophies to facilitate this cultural change. It takes what we know about human nature, how people heal from trauma,  the power of communities, and chaotic nature of change, and applies some basic Tools, principles, and the  Seven Commitments to create a shared language. The Sanctuary terminology focuses primarily on S.E.L.F. This acronym stands for safety, emotional management, loss, and future. Every employee has gone through intense training that introduces trauma theory and addresses ways in which adversity and chronic stress can influence behaviors in the clients we serve. Sanctuary also recognizes the ways in which the whole organization is at risk of being influenced by the effects of trauma, adversity, and chronic stress. We’ve learned that “If you want deeply rooted change, you need to apply deeply rooted methods” (J. Goldstein, 1994 The Unshackled Organization).

 Tools

 This change is based on a set of guiding principles as well as some specific tools that reinforce the philosophy when practiced by staff as well as clients on a daily basis. Community Meetings take place at least twice per day, and allows an opportunity for the group to come together and take a pulse of the community before beginning a shift. Staff and clients model caring for one another, setting goals, while supporting each other with their goals. Safety Plans list activities from which staff and clients can choose when feeling overwhelmed so that they can avoid engaging in unsafe behavior. Everyone needs help in regulating their emotions at times. Team Meetings are active and focused meetings conducted twice per month by staff. Everyone is expected to contribute, share their insights, and generate new ideas. We encourage all staff to feel comfortable talking and listening. It’s an open forum for addressing concerns, discussing projects, and communicating new initiatives. Red Flag Meetings are held to address critical incidents or to identify collective disturbances. They are short, and solutions oriented, rather than focusing on describing the problem. This tool is based on the idea that many people coming together to address a problem are more likely to come up with innovative solutions. Psycho-Education Groups are done once daily on each shift and are facilitated by staff. We use this tool with clients to help them understand the things that have happened to them and the ways their experiences are affecting their current lives. Teaching our clients about trauma and its effect gives them the opportunity to learn the same language that the staff are using. They’ll begin to understand their behaviors and emotions in the context of their experiences as well as learn new skills to keep them safe, manage emotions, deal with losses, and work towards a better future. Although the groups are powerfully therapeutic, they do not replace professional therapy.

Seven Commitments

While implementing Sanctuary, it is important to understand this concept of deeply rooted change, which is based on the idea that healing from trauma, stress, and adversity requires us all to commit to being socially responsible. Creating an environment conducive to healing takes the involvement of the entire community, and together we can accomplish more. We must all commit to non-violence if we hope to create a community that promotes healing, because people cannot operate at their optimum when they are constantly in fear. Our commitment to open communication and  shared governance gives everyone a voice that is heard, and it’s much easier for everyone to be on the same page if we’ve all contributed in one way or another in decision making. The Sanctuary Model makes the correlation that “What’s happened to us” is usually closely related to “What’s wrong with us,” and so changing the question in our minds is definitely a powerful initiative towards growth  and change. Staff is committed to social learning and we are willing to model the very thing that we are asking of our clients. We all must commit to become emotionally intelligent by managing our emotions so we do not harm ourselves or others.

 S.E.L.F. Model

The S.E.L.F. Model provides such a framework in that it offers four categories for focus and intervention with both clients and families and the organization itself. It provides a simple and accessible language for all of the people working together towards change with comprehensive and universal categories.

S (Safety) means being safe. We must replace self-harm with self-care. Safety is the foundation of healing, but we’ve learned that there are four domains that are imperative to really being safe:

                Physical Safety – feeling safe on the outside

                Emotional Safety – feeling safe on the inside

                Social Safety – feeling safe with others

                Moral Safety – feeling safe enough to do what’s right

E (Emotional Management) means recognizing and handling feelings in a non-harmful way, and trading in action for words

L (Loss) means acknowledging and grieving past losses or traumas and committing to working against getting stuck in the past while recognizing that all change involves loss

F (Future) means re-establishing the capacity for choice and engaging in new behaviors rather than repeating old patterns

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Community Outreach:

The community outreach partnership between the York County Sheriff's Office and York County Youth Development Center (Shelter Unit) began in May 2009. Prior to that, YDC conducted community service outings independently. With the partnship between both agencies, the program was able to expand it's impact on the youth and on the community.

Through this initiative, YDC Shelter Residents are taken from the building into the community to engage in community service, educational events, networking, and recreational events. Most of the outings concentrate on community service which includes: Graffiti Removal, Litter pickup/street sweeping, serving food at the Rescue Mission, and assisting with special projects and community events. From May 2009 through December 2009, 551 youth were taken on outings. Those youth conducted a total of 2050.5 hours of community service, which included cleaning 127 blocks and removing graffiti from 211 properties.

Year to date (as of April 30, 2010) the program conducted a total of 52 outings, removed graffiti from 37 properties, and picked up litter from 224 properties. Youth in this time period conducted a total of 707 hours of community service.

What this above statistic fails to show is the impact of the program on the youth involved. Many of the youth in the program have families that are not involved in their lives. The youth generally range from 12 to 18 years of age (with a few exceptions). There have been several youth who have entered YDC care with a plan to move the youth to a long-term facility, but with the efforts of the program, the youth were ultimately sent to either their parents, or a foster home, instead.

Not only does this benefit the youth, but the cost savings of home-based treatment over residential placement facilities can be over $300 per day per youth. Also the program provides the youth with a group to belong to. They need a structure to belong to. This leads them to be at risk for gangs or other unhealthy relationships where they feel they belong. Many of the youth that leave YDC not only remain in contact, but continue to go on outings and be part of the program. The relationships attained between the youth and the deputies/YDC staff have allowed youth to remain in contact with the program, leverage community resources, and find employment.

Currently, the program is funded in a limited capacity. Sheriff's Department and YDC budgets pay for their respective employee salaries and benefits. All funding for supplies, food, and related expenses are done through donations and 'mini-grants' - mainly donations from businesses. Other funding sources for supplies and equipment in the past year have included 222 Anti-Gang Initiative funding, Community Progress Council, and Department of Community and Economic Development funding.

Donations are an important part of the Community Outreach Program. When residents take part in community service projects they are setting a positive example for others around them and are role models for people of all ages. We rely mainly on donations from organizations for items such as paint, brushes, and other supplies. Local businesses also often provide their establishments for residents to use, which is a teaching tool for them to gain experience and learn proper etiquette in social settings.

Interested in learning more or donating to the program? Contact Anthony Zorbaugh at (717) 840-7570.

Return to top of page

Publications:

Youth Development Center Pamphlet/ Sanctuary Information

Community Outreach Pamphlet

Return to top of page

 Welcome to the

Youth Development Center

 About Us:

Vision

Residents of the Youth Development Center will become healthy, responsible citizens.

Mission

To provide a safe and secure environment which enables residents to develop and strengthen their emotional, social, intellectual, and life skills to build a foundation for future success.

 Return to top of page

Contact Us: 

Youth Development Center (YDC)

 3564 Heindel Road

 York, PA 17402

(717) 840 - 7570

 Return to top of page

Program Overview:

The administration and staff of the York County Youth Development Center (YDC) subscribe to the principles of the Sanctuary Model. In keeping with that philosophy, the YDC staff is committed to the protection of our community, the development of our children, and to assist them in the progress in “competencies” that shall lead them to being productive members of society. The entire program is designed to provide a safe and healthy environment for all youth, where short-term emotional, physical, educational, social, and spiritual needs are accommodated.  

 Return to top of page

Services:

The program at the YDC is administrated by a group of highly skilled, treatment- oriented staff. It is a program that is intended to keep the youth safe and secure, ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect, and one in which all youth are motivated to begin the process of self- evaluation and betterment.

Medical services are provided by licensed, board certified physicians. Physical health services that are provided are of routine nature to ensure optimal quality of health care, including the administration of physical exams, medication monitoring, and assessment of non- emergency injuries that may have occurred while in placement. A contracted psychiatrist is employed to monitor the administration of psychotropic medication and to attend to the emotional needs of youth in crisis. Dental services are provided for basic dental care. The YDC contracted doctors do not provide medical services above the usual and customary. Those services are out-sourced and the responsibility of the contracting agency.  

Return to top of page

Shelter Unit:

The shelter provides for the emergency and immediate care and custody of youth whose circumstances require that they be held in a short - term, closely supervised, least restricted, setting. Youth remanded to the shelter are youth who have been adjudicated or deemed dependent by Commonwealth Courts. While in placement in the shelter care program, youth can be assured of the following:

1.      The right to adequate shelter, food, clothing, and medical care; and

2.      All legal rights governed by Chapter 3800, Child Residential and Day Treatment Facilities; and

3.      The right to both formal and informal education.

 Return to top of page

 Admissions Criteria:

YDC serves both males and females between the ages of 10-21, who are referred to us by either Juvenile Probation or the Office of Children, Youth, & Families.

Return to top of page

Sanctuary Model:

The staff at YDC embrace the Sanctuary Model as our method for helping clients and their families through this difficult time in their lives. We recognize that each child is unique and brings with them a past that has included trauma. Staff also believe that the disruption of the home setting and separation of parent and child causes additional trauma. We’re here to support our clients and families towards a better future.

What Is Sanctuary?

The Sanctuary Model is a trauma-informed method for creating or changing an organization’s culture. Sanctuary pulls from a number of different fields and philosophies to facilitate this cultural change. It takes what we know about human nature, how people heal from trauma,  the power of communities, and chaotic nature of change, and applies some basic Tools, principles, and the  Seven Commitments to create a shared language. The Sanctuary terminology focuses primarily on S.E.L.F. This acronym stands for safety, emotional management, loss, and future. Every employee has gone through intense training that introduces trauma theory and addresses ways in which adversity and chronic stress can influence behaviors in the clients we serve. Sanctuary also recognizes the ways in which the whole organization is at risk of being influenced by the effects of trauma, adversity, and chronic stress. We’ve learned that “If you want deeply rooted change, you need to apply deeply rooted methods” (J. Goldstein, 1994 The Unshackled Organization).

 Tools

 This change is based on a set of guiding principles as well as some specific tools that reinforce the philosophy when practiced by staff as well as clients on a daily basis. Community Meetings take place at least twice per day, and allows an opportunity for the group to come together and take a pulse of the community before beginning a shift. Staff and clients model caring for one another, setting goals, while supporting each other with their goals. Safety Plans list activities from which staff and clients can choose when feeling overwhelmed so that they can avoid engaging in unsafe behavior. Everyone needs help in regulating their emotions at times. Team Meetings are active and focused meetings conducted twice per month by staff. Everyone is expected to contribute, share their insights, and generate new ideas. We encourage all staff to feel comfortable talking and listening. It’s an open forum for addressing concerns, discussing projects, and communicating new initiatives. Red Flag Meetings are held to address critical incidents or to identify collective disturbances. They are short, and solutions oriented, rather than focusing on describing the problem. This tool is based on the idea that many people coming together to address a problem are more likely to come up with innovative solutions. Psycho-Education Groups are done once daily on each shift and are facilitated by staff. We use this tool with clients to help them understand the things that have happened to them and the ways their experiences are affecting their current lives. Teaching our clients about trauma and its effect gives them the opportunity to learn the same language that the staff are using. They’ll begin to understand their behaviors and emotions in the context of their experiences as well as learn new skills to keep them safe, manage emotions, deal with losses, and work towards a better future. Although the groups are powerfully therapeutic, they do not replace professional therapy.

Seven Commitments

While implementing Sanctuary, it is important to understand this concept of deeply rooted change, which is based on the idea that healing from trauma, stress, and adversity requires us all to commit to being socially responsible. Creating an environment conducive to healing takes the involvement of the entire community, and together we can accomplish more. We must all commit to non-violence if we hope to create a community that promotes healing, because people cannot operate at their optimum when they are constantly in fear. Our commitment to open communication and  shared governance gives everyone a voice that is heard, and it’s much easier for everyone to be on the same page if we’ve all contributed in one way or another in decision making. The Sanctuary Model makes the correlation that “What’s happened to us” is usually closely related to “What’s wrong with us,” and so changing the question in our minds is definitely a powerful initiative towards growth  and change. Staff is committed to social learning and we are willing to model the very thing that we are asking of our clients. We all must commit to become emotionally intelligent by managing our emotions so we do not harm ourselves or others.

 S.E.L.F. Model

The S.E.L.F. Model provides such a framework in that it offers four categories for focus and intervention with both clients and families and the organization itself. It provides a simple and accessible language for all of the people working together towards change with comprehensive and universal categories.

S (Safety) means being safe. We must replace self-harm with self-care. Safety is the foundation of healing, but we’ve learned that there are four domains that are imperative to really being safe:

                Physical Safety – feeling safe on the outside

                Emotional Safety – feeling safe on the inside

                Social Safety – feeling safe with others

                Moral Safety – feeling safe enough to do what’s right

E (Emotional Management) means recognizing and handling feelings in a non-harmful way, and trading in action for words

L (Loss) means acknowledging and grieving past losses or traumas and committing to working against getting stuck in the past while recognizing that all change involves loss

F (Future) means re-establishing the capacity for choice and engaging in new behaviors rather than repeating old patterns

Return to top of page

Community Outreach:

The community outreach partnership between the York County Sheriff's Office and York County Youth Development Center (Shelter Unit) began in May 2009. Prior to that, YDC conducted community service outings independently. With the partnship between both agencies, the program was able to expand it's impact on the youth and on the community.

Through this initiative, YDC Shelter Residents are taken from the building into the community to engage in community service, educational events, networking, and recreational events. Most of the outings concentrate on community service which includes: Graffiti Removal, Litter pickup/street sweeping, serving food at the Rescue Mission, and assisting with special projects and community events. From May 2009 through December 2009, 551 youth were taken on outings. Those youth conducted a total of 2050.5 hours of community service, which included cleaning 127 blocks and removing graffiti from 211 properties.

Year to date (as of April 30, 2010) the program conducted a total of 52 outings, removed graffiti from 37 properties, and picked up litter from 224 properties. Youth in this time period conducted a total of 707 hours of community service.

What this above statistic fails to show is the impact of the program on the youth involved. Many of the youth in the program have families that are not involved in their lives. The youth generally range from 12 to 18 years of age (with a few exceptions). There have been several youth who have entered YDC care with a plan to move the youth to a long-term facility, but with the efforts of the program, the youth were ultimately sent to either their parents, or a foster home, instead.

Not only does this benefit the youth, but the cost savings of home-based treatment over residential placement facilities can be over $300 per day per youth. Also the program provides the youth with a group to belong to. They need a structure to belong to. This leads them to be at risk for gangs or other unhealthy relationships where they feel they belong. Many of the youth that leave YDC not only remain in contact, but continue to go on outings and be part of the program. The relationships attained between the youth and the deputies/YDC staff have allowed youth to remain in contact with the program, leverage community resources, and find employment.

Currently, the program is funded in a limited capacity. Sheriff's Department and YDC budgets pay for their respective employee salaries and benefits. All funding for supplies, food, and related expenses are done through donations and 'mini-grants' - mainly donations from businesses. Other funding sources for supplies and equipment in the past year have included 222 Anti-Gang Initiative funding, Community Progress Council, and Department of Community and Economic Development funding.

Donations are an important part of the Community Outreach Program. When residents take part in community service projects they are setting a positive example for others around them and are role models for people of all ages. We rely mainly on donations from organizations for items such as paint, brushes, and other supplies. Local businesses also often provide their establishments for residents to use, which is a teaching tool for them to gain experience and learn proper etiquette in social settings.

Interested in learning more or donating to the program? Contact Anthony Zorbaugh at (717) 840-7570.

Return to top of page

Publications:

Youth Development Center Pamphlet/ Sanctuary Information

Community Outreach Pamphlet

Return to top of page