YSS Iowa Homeless Youth Center

YSS Iowa Homeless Youth Center (IHYC), located in Des Moines, Iowa, is a vital facility dedicated to supporting adolescents experiencing homelessness, alongside mental health and substance use disorders. With over 45 years of experience through YSS, IHYC provides comprehensive services including education, counseling, and housing, aiming to eliminate youth homelessness in Iowa. Their mission is to equip young individuals with the necessary resources to achieve independence and break cycles of poverty, fostering stability and well-being.

The center offers specialized mental health counseling and a robust Ember Recovery addiction treatment program, which utilizes evidence-based, individualized, and gender-responsive care. Therapeutic modalities include personalized 1-on-1 counseling, play therapy, trauma-specific therapy, art therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Additionally, IHYC provides family therapy, essential life skills training, and relapse prevention counseling, empowering youth with healthy coping strategies and a path towards sustained recovery.

Beyond clinical services, IHYC provides critical accommodations and support, including emergency beds, off-site apartments for young adults, and comprehensive drop-in services such as showers, laundry, hygiene items, free meals, and job assistance. This holistic approach ensures that adolescents receive continuous support, enabling them to pursue educational goals, develop crucial life skills, and successfully transition to independent living within the Des Moines community.