Who We Are
Crisis Intervention
Each year in our community, hundreds of young people – boys and girls of every age, race, and economic class – run away because, in their perception, circumstances at home have reached crisis proportions. They, and their families, need help to resolve the problems and differences which divide them. Most important, they need a safe, secure living place while working out solutions. And that’s when REACH can help.
REACH operates on the belief that running away from home is not a criminal act which should be punished by arrest, lock-up, or a delinquency record. Rather, it is a symptom of family problems which can often be solved with the help of caring professionals. At REACH, our focus is on the whole family. Our services include crisis intervention, counseling, safe shelter, family counseling to reunite young people and their parents, and resource assistance to find other programs that may help.
Counseling
Often, with counseling, REACH is able to help families resolve problems and prevent a young person from leaving home. However, if a home situation is dangerous, a “cooling off’ period is needed, or a young person has already run from home, we offer placement in our licensed shelter.
If you would like to know more about our program, or if you – or someone you know could use our services,call REACH at (810) 233-8700 any time.
REACH is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to offer immediate assistance to young people and their families. Our licensed REACH facility is open all day and night to offer shelter for youth 10 to 17 years old who need a safe place to stay. Our professional staff is always ready to work with youth and families to help improve the lines of communication and develop healthy family relationships.
Shelter
The REACH facility is a large, comfortable home which offers both security and structure. Residents have many opportunities for quiet time, study, recreation, and counseling. REACH has been approved by the Michigan Department of Licensing as a licensed child caring institution, and our home has met all State and local fire, health and licensing regulations.
Young people may stay at the REACH home for up to 21 days, but the usual stay is about a week. During this time, we require residents to abide by our house rules, participate in counseling and group activities, share in household chores, and – if possible attend school. Our shelter is open 24 hours a day and staffed by both professional counselors and youth care specialists to supervise the residents.
Before we place any youth in the REACH shelter, we notify parents and seek their permission. While no one is ever required to stay at REACH, for safety’s sake, we encourage runaways to take advantage of our housing. If a client chooses to leave the REACH shelter at any time, we notify parents right away.
At REACH, we cannot house any young person who is threatening harm, or who may be dangerous to themself or others. Also, we will not return a client to a home which is unsafe. If it is necessary for any REACH client to have long-term alternative living, we work with the family to find an alternative placement or another appropriate living situation.
Juvenile Justice Alternative
While REACH cooperates fully with police and the courts, no young person or family is required to accept services from the REACH program.
Law enforcement officers, schools, parents/guardians and/or youth can make direct contact with REACH for shelter and/or family counseling. This lessens tranportation time for law enforcement and the needless processing of youth through the juvenile justice system.
While REACH serves as an alternative to juvenile justice processing, Family Court intervention is utilized in approximately seven to ten percent of REACH cases. This occurs when REACH intervention alone is not sufficient to provide resolution of the family problem. In these cases, the Family Court allows REACH to file a petition directly to Court for additional assistance. This avoids police arrest and paperwork; utilizes the approach of least restraint and restrictiveness; and, permits case specific recommendations to the Court for subsequent intervention.
What We Do
Our Mission
Our mission is to empower youth & families (in Genesee, Lapeer, and Shiawassee counties) to change crisis into success through counseling, shelter, and the promotion of independent living skills.
History of REACH
While our program has expanded since its beginning, our mission remains the same: to help families in crisis and offer safe housing to runaways. The REACH program began in 1977 in response to growing concern about the problem of runaway youth. A task force made up of representatives from area schools, probate court, law enforcement, community agencies, clergy, and young people met to establish our agency and its mission. They agreed to these REACH goals:
- To preserve, assist, and reunite families whenever possible.
- To offer a community-based alternative to the juvenile justice, or court process, for runaway youth.
- To provide safe, secure, short-term shelter for runaways.
- And to assist young people in identifying and using other appropriate community services.
For the first few years, our program operated under the jurisdiction of the Flint Community Schools. Then, in 1981, REACH secured federal funding and became an independent community program. At that time, REACH expanded services to include Lapeer and Shiawassee counties. The Genesee County office also moved to its present location at 914 Church Street, near downtown Flint.
Today, REACH is governed by the Genesee County Youth Corporation Board of Directors whose members represent a cross-section of the communities we serve. We receive our financial support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development. Michigan Department of Human Services, Michigan State Housing & Development Authority, the United Way of Genesee County, the City of Flint, Genesee County, Lapeer County, and private donations. To further extend our services, REACH belongs to a statewide network of special agencies which offer alternatives to street life for runaways throughout Michigan.
About Us
Our organization provides a vital 24 hour / 7 days a week refuge for children, teens and families in crisis. We offer human services including shelter, safety, and counseling to immediately help those in need.
REACH & Traverse Place are the only organizations of their kind in Genesee, Shiawassee and Lapeer counties. Many youths and their families have benefitted from the services they received and the skills they learned at REACH & Traverse Place.
All of our services are confidential and free to any runaway; or potential runaway aged 10 to 17. While we cooperate fully with police agencies and the courts, no young person or family is required to accept services from the REACH program. Many young people and parents call REACH directly for help, but we also accept referrals from schools, community agencies, police, and the probate courts.
Details
| (810) 233-8700 | |
| reachtraverseplace@gmail.com | |
| Holly Huestis | |
| Resource Development Manager | |
| http://reach-traverseplace.org/ |
