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Street Outreach
Taking Safe Place to the Streets!
Teens and families learn about our services through school and community presentations, but we also reach thousands of others through our Street Outreach efforts that take our message and services into the streets of Louisville by reaching out to vulnerable teens in five key areas of the city: Bardstown Road, West End, Newburg area, Dixie Highway corridor and the skate park downtown. Our Street Outreach team includes a case manager and two youth workers that support teens that are 12 to 22 years old with referrals to Shelter House or alternative living referrals, emergency food, clothing, hygiene or medical supplies and offers on-going case management support and sometimes mediation.
This Street Outreach Program targets teens and young adults that may have fallen into a host of traps such as drugs, prostitution, gangs, and/or have truancy related issues. Our staff and volunteer teams are on the streets Thursday through Saturday 7- 11pm.
Unduplicated Street Outreach Services:
- We provide food, clothing, personal hygiene products and first aid.
- Intensive Case Management support at the street level for 12 to 22 year olds
- For 18 to 22 years olds we provide emergency shelter referral while young adult transitions to an independent living program or other stable living arrangement.
- One-on-one education about free and confidential community services
The Need:
It is estimated that over a hundred teens are living on the streets of Louisville, living in a drug subculture, prostituting or sleeping on a different person’s couch nightly. This life is not one that will bring about a successful future. It is also estimated that many in this population suffer from mental illness, poor education, lack of job readiness, alcohol or drug addiction and engage in risky sexual behaviors.
Results:
- 5,000 teens educated about free and confidential community services.
- 896 street teens were given emergency assistance including food, clothing, personal hygiene products, and/or first aid.
- 63 street teens were case managed, offered access to safe housing and free mediation.
Outreach Staff
Rita Murphy
Outreach Director
rmurphy@ymcalouisville.org
Stacy Meadows
Street Outreach Case Manager
smeadows@ymcalouisville.org
