Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. > What We Do > Direct Services
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YAP provides young people, adults, and families with intensive support in their homes, schools and communities through our YAPWrap® model that blends best practices from research in wraparound, mentoring, and positive youth development.

We partner with families to build and strengthen essential skills and resources needed to thrive throughout life, such as increasing their ability to safely problem-solve their needs, developing social, emotional, academic and career competencies, and building networks of community support.

YAP Advocates meet with participants multiple times a week at the times most needed by the individual and family, with an emphasis on safety and support. Individualized plans balance involuntary service demands with activities driven by the participant's prioritized wants and needs.

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YAPWRAP®

YAPWrap®

YAPWrap® is an intensive, individualized, holistic care planning and management approach to working with high and complex need youth and families in their homes and communities. It is deeply rooted in core concepts that differentiate YAP. From the moment we meet a family through their completion of our programs, families are given voice and choice- empowered as equal partners- and services are tailored to their unique needs, strengths, interests and preferences. YAP's wraparound principles also emphasize the importance of individualized strength-based services that engage community support resources.

YAP’s planning process has three components: assessment, a family team meeting, and plan development.

 
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Assessment
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Family Team
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Plan Development
 

During assessment, we introduce ourselves and the program, and learn more about the family through discussion and by using 4 assessment tools. We also spend time identifying and addressing any immediate safety concerns. Our assessment process empowers youth and families to express their needs, to identify what resources and capacities they have that can assist them, and to identify where there are gaps and how, in fact, we can help them help themselves. We also reach out to other important stakeholders in the family’s life to learn their perspective on the family’s need and strengths.

Upon completion of the assessment process, we build a team with the family that will help them develop their individualized service plan and support them in achieving their goals. The team includes both formal supports, such as system and service representatives, as well as informal supports, such as extended family, friends, coaches, pastors, etc. We meet with each team member to learn their perspective on the family’s strengths and needs and how they can help. Everyone on the team has a role to play.

After meeting with the family team members, we develop an individualized service plan that is shared with all team members and becomes the basis of our work with the family. The plan is frequently reviewed and revised to assess progress and also to include any needs. We also develop a thorough safety plan during this time.

 

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ADVOCATE

YAP Advocate Model

YAP model
 

The Advocate model is the foundation of YAP’s intervention with youth and families. YAP Advocates are paid, trained and weekly supervised credible messengers who work with YAP youth and families. Advocates frequently share common childhood experiences with young people: they live in the same neighborhoods, might speak the same language, and often share interests. Many Advocates also have overcome the challenges our young people and families face, making Advocates positive role models to whom young people can easily relate. Shared interests and similar upbringings are a bridge to developing the trusting relationship that is essential in engaging youth and families in a positive change process.

YAP Advocates help implement the individual service plan that is developed with each family. Available 24/7, Advocates provide services at times and locations when they are most needed, allowing for highly individualized and effective intervention. During their assigned hours—up to 30 hours per week—Advocates provide mentoring, coaching, case management, and modeling through purposeful individual, family and, at times, group activities.

YAP Advocates help youth and families meet their obligations to judges, probation officers, case managers and other referring entities. Advocate services may also include assistance with part-time employment, transportation, attendance at meetings with system and service stakeholders with families, community service, and connections with positive people, places, activities and services within the community.

 

Core Principles

Individualized Service Planning

Interventions and goals are tailored to each youth and family's unique needs, strengths, interests, and preferences.

Focus on Strengths

Intervention and Service Plans build on youth, family and community strengths to fulfill potential.

Partnership with Parents

Staff engages the entire family in achieving their goals. Families are co-designers of their own services and are invested in having the plan succeed.

Understanding and Respecting Background and Culture

We recruit staff from the communities we serve. Staff share interests and other attributes, such as language, with families. All staff demonstrate commitment to learning and honoring each family's background, history, experience and preferences.

Team Work

A team of professional and non-professional individuals who care about the youth and family work together in helping the family achieve their goals. YAP works to ensure that all team members contribute in a meaningful way to helping the family achieve their goals.

Community-Based Care

Supportive persons and associations are organized on behalf of the family from within the community. These are both formal (professional/system) and informal (natural) supports.

Unconditional Caring

Staff show consistent positive regard for families and maintain a "never give up" approach with all youth.

Giving Back

Staff identify with youth and families a way for them to contribute to their community through building upon their strengths and interests.

Corporate and Clinical Integrity

Staff maintain professional relationships with youth and families and other systems and maintain ethical business practice.