The YMCA POINT Northwest program is a 24-hour crisis intervention and mediation program for youth and their families, ages 10-21, in Northwest Hennepin County, who are on run, thinking of running away, homeless, precariously housed, or transitioning out of foster care, group home, and correctional placements.
The YMCA POINT Northwest program provides Host Home shelter service in which YMCA staff work closely with volunteer Host Home families who provide short-term, emergency, crisis housing for youth. Family reunification is the focus of the POINT Northwest program and mediation services are provided by the YMCA staff or another agency if a referral is needed. The YMCA POINT Northwest program runs a scattered-site, transitional living program that currently provides rent subsidy, employment training and case management to 14 youth. The YMCA staff partners with Bridging for apartment furnishings, high schools, vocational schools and post-secondary institutions for education, and employment agencies for training, resource and placements.
The POINT Northwest also provides both urban and suburban outreach services. It is a collaborating partner of Streetworks that provides an umbrella of youth services to homeless youth in the Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs.
The YMCA staff provides case management to all youth who access services through the POINT Northwest programs. The POINT Northwest program relies on numerous youth serving agencies to provide resource and referral to youth and their families who call the crisis line, are in the Transitional Living Program or are met during outreach.