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Youth & Young Adult Services

Thresholds’ Youth & Young Adult Services (YAYAS) offer groundbreaking programs for adolescents, young adults, families, young mothers, and their children. These programs offer development of skills and supports they need to master mental health challenges while reducing the negative impact of those challenges on what matters most to young people: relationships, school success, recreational activities, health and wellness, day-to-day living and early career experiences. Specializing in the transition to adulthood, Thresholds’ Youth & Young Adult Services provide young people experiential learning within their communities to maximize success.


Guided by the latest scientific evidence and recognized best practice, each YAYAS program provides a unique array of services that share common core principles and methods. We use the Transition to Independence Process (TIP) Model as our foundational approach. TIP leverages young person voice and preference, and empowers them to make decisions, experience outcomes, and learn with the support of their team and self-identified supportive adults. Thresholds’ Youth & Young Adult Services focus heavily on creative engagement strategies, socializing opportunities, enhancing competencies across multiple life domains, and facilitating self-discovery.

The cornerstones of YAYAS are our innovative and effective employment and education supports. We believe that anyone can work or go to school with the right supports. We’ve adapted an evidence-based practice called Individual Placement and Supports (IPS) Supported Employment, specifically fit for youth and young adults with mental health conditions. Supported Employment and Supported Education Specialists are integrated into our YAYAS treatment teams. Learn more about our Supported Employment model, and the consultation we provide nationwide.

From school-based to community-based and residential services, we are regularly studying our adopted models to provide the highest quality programming and interventions for young people.

Youth & Young Adult Advisory Board

The Thresholds Youth & Young Adult (YAYA) Advisory Board is made up of young adult representatives who are current clients at Thresholds. The YAYAS Advisory Board mission is to positively impact Thresholds and the communities in which it serves. The board advises Thresholds on program materials, practices and policies, develops young person leadership and advocacy skills, connects young people to one another for natural mentorship opportunities through service learning, educational, volunteer, and socialization activities.

Elected Representatives are responsible for:

  • Meeting with the monthly with Advisory Board Coordinator and Advisory Board
  • Planning and co-leading a meeting in their specific program once a quarter that brings together peers to plan activities and consult on programming
  • Support and co-lead (on rotating basis) a big, fun, centrally-located quarterly meeting that brings together participants across all YAYAS programs
  • Co-facilitate and support any activities, service learning, volunteer, or advocacy efforts
  • Communicating between meetings
  • Rotating representatives meet with YAYA leaders on a quarterly basis to review project and activity progress, and to advise leaders on program improvement opportunities

Representatives are paid a monthly stipend and must:

  • Be actively engaged in school, work &/or making progress on personal goals.
  • Serve as a representative for your program & get feedback from peers
  • Be a role model and leader