Residential Group Care

Our Approach

YFA subscribes to Advancing Youth Development (AYD) philosophy in working with youth.  AYD is a strength-based approach in which we partner with youth to effect positive change in their lives.  Focusing on strengths rather than failures is the underlying principle of the AYD approach.  AYD takes into account that young people have basic needs that are critical to survival and healthy development.  These include a sense of safety and structure, belonging and membership, self-worth and the ability to contribute, independence and control over one’s life, competency, and mastery.  Using the AYD approach, youth are given opportunities to become engaged in decisions that affect their well-being and future and help to master the basic needs described herein.  Through AYD, young people attempt to meet their basis personal and social needs and build competencies necessary for successful transitional into adulthood.    Along with elements from the Character Counts program, YFA has developed the Youth Development System (YDS) as an approach to working with youth in the shelters. 

In addition, the shelters have been incorporating Trauma Informed Care (TIC) practices into the training curriculum.  In addition, the shelter also uses Psychological First Aid (PFA) as a training tool with staff.  PFA is an evidenced-based practice that focuses on providing here-and-now service to the youth at the shelter that focuses on identifying their needs and understanding how to respond to youth who come to the shelter in crisis.  

YFA operates three youth crisis shelters, one located in each of the counties of Hernando, Pasco and Polk County. These shelters are designed to work with runaway and homeless youth and youth in need of a short-term out of home respite placement. In addition, we provides emergency shelter placements for children who have been abused and/or neglected and for children who have a foster placement disruption and are in need of a shelter placement. Each year, YFA's youth crisis shelters serves over 700 youth and their families, promoting positive family interactions, resource referrals, and temporary residential care.  Our goal is to help families ensure a healthy and safe environment in which to flourish: a nurturing, supportive environment free of drugs and alcohol abuse, physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse.  The shelters are open seven (7) days a week, twenty-four (24) hours per day.

We serve youth between the ages of 10 and 17, who may have runaway, are homeless, have been kicked out/locked out by their parent(s) or guardian(s), may need short-term respite or crisis placement due to family conflict, require emergency shelter placement due to abuse and/or neglect, or due to foster home disruption.

Shelter Services are funded through the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice through the Florida Network of Youth & Family Services, Inc., and include, youth supervision, food and clothing, life skills education, crisis counseling, individual and family counseling, recreation and leisure activities, and case management services.  Educational services are provided by the local school district, in the county in which the shelter is located.  There is no cost to families for program services.

G.W. Harris, Jr. Runaway and Youth
Crisis Shelter
1060 U.S. Highway 17 South
Bartow, FL 33830

Toll Free: 800-786-8614
Telephone: 863-595-0220
Fax: 863-595-0225

New Beginnings Youth Shelter
18377 Sheriff Mylander Way
Brooksville, FL 34601

Toll Free: 877-506-2721
Telephone: 352-540-6015
Fax: 352-540-6051