Youth Services

The Youth Services System partners with providers in the community to evaluate, coordinate, and offer resources for providers and community members to address substance abuse, mental illness, residential services, and specialized programs for youth.

Independent Living Classes

Region 6 Transitional Resources for Youth (TRY) offers a wide range of Independent Living Classes.  These classes are designed to address the many unique challenges that young adults face during the transition to independence. The purpose of the classes is to make the transition to independence successful and foster self-sufficiency by providing valuable resources and teaching the necessary skills. The classes are presented by members of the community and are offered on a wide range of topics.

The classes are available to residents of Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, and Washington counties who are ages 16-26 and experiencing behavioral health challenges.

For more information, contact the TRY Coordinator at 402-996-8193.  Click here to complete a registration form.

Independent Living Brochure
Independent Living Class Schedule
ILC Registration Form

Coalition for the Advancement of Children’s Mental Health

The Coalition for the Advancement of Children’s Mental Health (CACMH) is a collaboration of over 30 metro Omaha agencies that work to promote the development of a comprehensive, coordinated system of care addressing the social and emotional needs of young children and their families.

Kid Squad

KidSquad is a program based on the Teaching Pyramid, an evidence-based mental health early childhood consultation model designed to support the social and emotional development of young children. KidSquad consultants partner with child care programs to provide strategies to promote social-emotional competence in children and to address specific mental health and behavioral concerns.

Kid Squad Partner Sites

• Lutheran Family Services Nebraska
• Child Saving Institute
• Behave’n Inc.
• Heartland Family Service
• Nebraska’s Early Childhood Training Center
• The Center for Holistic Development
• Munroe-Meyer Institute

Juvenile Justice and Provider Forum

The Juvenile Justice and Provider Forum (JJPF) is organized into 7 committees that focus on decreasing juvenile delinquency and improving youth services, each committee is progressively working toward one or more of the priority areas identified in the Douglas County Juvenile Services Comprehensive Plan.

The groups meet on a regular basis, discuss the issues surrounding their respective priority area, and progressively work on addressing the issues.

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative

The Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) focuses on the premise that all youth involved in the juvenile justice system should have opportunities to develop into healthy, productive adults as a result of policies, practices, and programs that maximize their chances for personal transformation, protect their legal rights, reduce their likelihood of unnecessary or inappropriate incarceration, and minimize the risks they pose to their communities. JDAI is based upon eight core, interconnected strategies that address the primary reasons why youth are unnecessarily or inappropriately detained.