(Madison County, NY – Feb. 2015) Catholic Charities of Oneida and Madison County, with funding from the Madison County Youth Bureau, has implemented two programs in the Madison County area to lend a helping hand to area teens in need. The Runaway & Homeless Youth (RHY) and the Community Case Management for At-Risk Youth Programs are located at 248 Main St. in Oneida.
The RHY and At Risk programs are both voluntary programs which can be accessed by youth, their families, schools, counselors, the Department of Social Services, and law enforcement when a youth is in need of services. Among the many services provided is temporary placement in one of the program’s certified Host Homes. Host Homes are utilized when a youth is unable or unwilling to return to their own home. The RHY program will act as a liaison with other service providers in an effort to keep vulnerable teenagers off the streets.
Catholic Charities also offers counseling services to the youth and family in the hopes of a reconciliation being reached. In addition to normal office hours, the RHY program offers a 24 hour/seven days a week hotline for youth and families in crisis.
Currently the RHY program is seeking Interim Host Homes. Host Homes are used as a temporary (no more than 30 days and typically much less) home for teenagers that have no where else to go. The youth are pre-screened to ensure their appropriateness for Host Home placement. These are good children who have lost their way, are confused, and need a positive role model to help re-direct them. The Host Home plays a vital role by offering a temporary safe shelter and a nurturing environment to a youth in crisis. While a youth is in an interim home, their Case Manager at Catholic Charities will search for a more permanent option, such as conflict resolution or placement with a willing relative or friend. The Host family’s example of a stable home gives the youth the tools and confidence to move forward. Catholic Charities offers training and daily contact and support during a youth’s stay in a Host Home.
If you have room in your heart and your home to help make a difference in the life of a teenager, The RHY program needs YOU! If you think you could help please contact the RHY Case Manager, Carrie Messier, at 363-5274 for more information.
The program is also accepting donations of grooming supplies for the youth that it serves.
For anyone requiring the services of Catholic Charities Runaway & Homeless Youth Program outside of normal business hours (Monday-Friday 8:30-4:00), the hotline number is 366-5006.