Allen County Youth Services Center (YSC): What Families Need to Know About Admissions, Eligibility, and Care

Allen County's Youth Services Center (YSC) is a 25-bed, county-operated residential emergency shelter. It's non-secure and designed for short-term crisis placement when a young person needs a safe place to stay. The center is licensed by the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) and holds CARF accreditation. Its mission centers on giving area youth a safe, structured, and caring environment. Funding comes from DCS and Allen County government. The bottom line for families: YSC is a temporary, supportive placement, not a long-term locked facility.

Who Serves

• ✓ YSC serves males and females ages six to eighteen with an IQ of sixty or above.
• ✓ To be considered for admission, a youth must be able to use the restroom and complete basic hygiene tasks on their own.

Wondering whether YSC is the right setting for your child? The clearest answer usually comes from the agency making the referral. Placements are arranged through juvenile probation or DCS, and those agencies decide what type of placement fits based on the youth's situation, needs, and safety considerations. As a parent or guardian, ask the referring worker what eligibility factors they're weighing and what information the center will need before a youth can be accepted. That conversation can clear up a lot of confusion early on.

Youth cannot self-refer to YSC. Referrals come through juvenile probation departments and the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS). YSC accepts placements from DCS-defined regions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 11. If your case falls outside those regions, your DCS worker can point you toward other placement options.

YSC is time-limited. The maximum length of stay is 20 days, unless the state Department of Child Services (DCS) approves an extension.

When a youth is admitted, the center's registered nurse and a contracted physician review medical needs and provide treatment. That medical support continues throughout the stay as needed. If your child is already on prescription medications, the nurse monitors and continues previously ordered prescriptions that are brought to YSC. This is one of the most practical things families can do to help the transition go smoothly: make sure the center has every medication the youth is currently prescribed.

Education continues during a stay. The youth's school of origin remains responsible for meeting educational requirements, with support from an on-grounds classroom. YSC's on-grounds licensed teacher is hired by Northwest Allen County Schools. In practice, that means schoolwork support is built into daily life at the center while the home school stays in the loop on academics.

1. Coordinate through the referring agency. Admissions referrals have to be called into YSC before a youth can be accepted, so your juvenile probation officer or DCS worker will handle that referral call.
2. Gather school-of-origin details. Education is tied to your child’s school of origin, so be ready to share school contact information and any details that help coordinate schoolwork.
3. Bring current prescription medications. Previously ordered prescription medications that are brought to YSC can be continued and monitored by the nurse.
4. Share medical background early. Medical needs are reviewed upon admission and afterward by the registered nurse and contracted physician, so provide any information that helps them understand ongoing needs.