Agency Paper 1

Running head: YOUTH ADVOCATE PROGRAM, INC.

Youth Advocate Program, Inc.

Agency Paper
Anna Cruz
Wilmington University
AHS 8100
02/11/2015

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Introduction

I am presently doing my internship at the Youth Advocate Program, Inc. in Vineland,

New Jersey. The YAP is a non-profit organization, which provides various services to over
10,000 families per year in 17 states. I will discuss the mission statement, demographic
information, as well as policy and procedures. I will also discuss organizational structure of the
agency, governance, funding and relationship to other agencies. I will continue with the
strengths, trends and challenges and finish with my role as an intern for the Youth Advocate
Program, Inc.
Mission of YAP
The Youth Advocate Program, Inc.s mission is to provide individuals who are, have
been or may be subject to compulsory care with the opportunity to develop, contribute and be
valued as assets so that communities have safe, proven effective and economical alternatives to
institutional placement. (www.yapinc.org)

Demographic Information
The Youth Advocate Program, Inc. serves over 10, 000 families a year in more than 100
programs across 17 states in rural and urban areas including 25 major metro areas.
(www.yapinc.org) The YAP in Vineland, New Jersey consists of Cumberland and Cape May
County. The children range in age from 6 to 18. The agency supports youth with a history of
multiple foster placements. They also support those in cross systems such as juvenile justice
and welfare. Youth with behavioral and mental health issues are also supported. Developmental
disability services and autism support services are also supported.

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Policy and Procedures
Then Youth Advocate Program, Inc. follows policies and procedures as any agency would
incorporate. Confidentiality is a priority since there is sensitive information regarding a clients
diagnoses and personal information about their case. Staff is forbidden from sharing any
information with anyone other than the client or those involved in the care of client. Employees
are also required to report any form of suspected abuse or neglect to the proper authorities. There
is a non-discrimination policy where the YAP does not discriminate in any way on the basis of
race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, and sexual orientation or preference.
(Youth Advocate Programs, Inc, Personnel Policy Manual, p.4) Employees are to maintain code
of conduct with the highest standards of ethical principles. The YAP provides servant leadership.
The staff provides love for the work they do. The staff takes pride in taking care of the clients
and knowing that they are able to help them in being more independent. They care for the clients
they are taking care of and provide them with the services they need. The agency encourages
family involvement in all aspects of the services provided for the youth involved. There is also
an open door policy with staff and clients alike within our agency.
Structure
TheYAPsstructureconsistsofBoardofDirectors,President,VicePresident,Program
Director,AssistantProgramDirector,ProgramCoordinator,Therapists/Counselors,Advocates,
andSecretary.IntheagencyIamcurrentlyinterningIhaveonlyhadcontactwiththeProgram
Director,ProgramCoordinator,Therapists/Counselors,Advocates,andtheSecretary.Icurrently
amsupervisedbytheProgramCoordinator.Sheoverseesthetherapists,counselors,advocates,
internsandthesecretary.ShemanagestheofficealongwiththeProgramDirectorandAssistant
ProgramDirector.

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Governance/Funding
ThegovernanceconsistsoftheDivisionofChildProtectionandPermanency,Stateand
FederalLaws,andtheStateofNewJersey.Asanagencythatprovidesservicesforyouththat
havevariousneedswemustmeetguidelinesandregulationsofotherentities.Wemustadhereto
thelawsthatprotectfamiliesandchildren.Theagencyhastomakesurethatthestaffmeetsthe
requirementsofthegovernanceespeciallytrainingthatwillhelpinprovidingthepropercarethe
clientsneed.
FundingisprovidedbyStateandFederalgrantsaswellascontracts.Corporateand
privatefoundationsalsoprovidefundingtotheagency.Individualandemployeecontributions
arealsoasourceoffundingfortheYouthAdvocateProgram,Inc.Employeecontributionsare
madethroughpayrolldeduction.Fundraiserssuchasraffleticketsforitemssuchasairline
tickets,orothervaluableitemsareoneexample.Anotherformoffundingishavingcontestssuch
asquotesthatwouldrepresenttheagencytobeputontshirts.Thewinnerwillhavetheprivilege
ofhavingtheirquoteplacedontheshirtandwillbeavailableforpurchase.Theproceedswill
thengotoYAP.EndowmentisanotherformoffundingfortheYouthAdvocateProgram,Inc.
RelationshipstoOtherAgencies
Relationshipstootheragenciesareimportantsincetheyaretheonesthatreferclientsto
ouragency.Thefamilycourtrefersclientsthatrequiresessionsinordertoavoidincarceration.It
isusedasaformofinterventionforyouthtogivethemasecondchance.Robinsnestalso
consideredmobileresponse.Theyarethefirstonesonscenewhenthereisacrisisintervention
withanycases.TheDivisionofChildProtectionandPermanencyisalsoahugereferrertoour
agency.Weallworktogethertokeeptheyouthoutoftrouble,learnsocialskillsandbeableto

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keepthemwiththeirfamilies.Wehelpthemcopewithanyissuesandproblemstheymayhave
withthehelpoftheirfamilies.
Strengths,Trends,andChallenges
StrengthsoftheYAParethatsupportisavailable24hoursaday,7daysaweekthrough
acrisisinterventionhotline.Wealsohaveadvocatesthatareassignedtocasesavailableatall
times.Wehavearapidengagementwhichmeansthatassoonaswegetareferralwemake
contactwithin48hourstosetupanappointment.Wehaveteammeetingtocommunicateand
helpeachotherwithanyproblemsthatmayarise.Weprovideinclusiveintakeandunconditional
carewherewefollowastrictpolicywherewedontrejectorejectanyone.Trendsoftheagency
arefindingmorefundingforprogramssuchasprovidingsnacksforyouthsincecounselingis
doneintheeveninghours,whichisusuallydinnertime.Anothertrendisimprovingwaysto
buildstrongerfamilybuildingbondswithyouth.ChallengesoftheYAParefamiliesnot
participatinginsessionsaswellasyouthnotcomingtosessions.Anotherchallengeisnothaving
correctcontactinformation.Withoutpropercontactinformationwecantinitiateameetingto
solvetheyouthsissues.Thiswillinturnpreventfromtheyouthmeetingthehourstheyneedto
completeeachweek,whichcouldcausefamilycourtorotheragenciesgettinginvolved.
RoleasanIntern
Myroleasaninternvariesfromweektoweek,sinceitisaverybusyoffice.I
haveassistedinupdatingtreatmentplans,andinitiatingnewtreatmentplans.Ihave
assistedinverifyingtherapistssessionsaswellastheirhoursfortheweekwiththeir
caseloads.Ihaveassistedinconductingintakewiththeparentandclientaswell.Ihave
assistedinsittinginoncounselingsessionstolearnhowitisconductedaswellashow

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theclientresponds.IhaveagreatdealtolearnandIlookforwardtolearningmoreasthe
weekscontinuetoprogress.

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References

http://www.yapinc.orgindex.html
YouthAdvocateProgram,Inc.PersonnelPolicyManual