The Street Outreach program, funded by United Way of the Plains and the QuikTrip Corporation, is an exciting community service designed to take resources directly to at-risk youths on the street, in community locations such as recreation centers, as well as shopping malls and schools. The outreach program provides youth access to a comprehensive array of services such as crisis intervention counseling, shelter and runaway programs.
If you are 21 years or younger and in need of immediate help, call 262-4663 or go to any QuikTrip, fire station or anywhere you see the Safe Place logo and ask an employee to call our Street Outreach staff.
Our in-house certified substance abuse counselor provides diagnostic and referral services for youth and parents and is licensed by the state of Kansas through the Addiction and Prevention Services (AAPS) department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS). The substance abuse counselor also provides prevention and educational group counseling, children of alcoholic/addict survival skills group counseling and oversees Alateen support group meetings. The substance abuse counselor is able to assist the child's social worker/case manager, parent and or guardian, with chemical abuse intervention when deemed necessary for the youth and or their parent/guardian.
The substance abuse counselor teams with Street Outreach Staff in order to provide substance use diagnostic and referral services as well as mediation between youth and parent when the issues are related to alcohol and/or drug abuse.
The substance abuse counselor provides community presentations concerning the signs and symptoms of chemical abuse, the physical consequences of chemical abuse and information concerning treatment centers available in our community.
The Wichita Children's Home's newest program is OZ - the Opportunity Zone located at 1157 N. Emporia. The OZ, which is an extension of the street outreach program, opened in January.
The Home's street outreach program has been serving homeless youth for the past 16 years using a van that has traveled thousands of miles through the streets of Wichita to meet with the youth, provide supplies, and get them connected to services. More recently, the van has not been enough to meet the needs of the growing population of homeless youth.
The OZ is not intended to be a residential shelter, but to provide a place where youth can take showers, wash their clothes get a healthy snack, access to computers and most importantly meet with staff to help them get the services that they need. It is open Monday and Wednesday, Noon to 6PM and Thursday, 3PM to 9PM.
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