Youth Mental Health Services

What We Do

One of Iowa's oldest and largest youth-serving nonprofit organizations, YSS's mission is to create hope and opportunity by putting kids first. We offer education to build healthy minds and bodies; counseling to overcome life’s challenges; and stability to focus on the future.

Learn more about our programs.

Where We Are

YSS is headquartered in Ames with locations across the state: YSS of Boone County, YSS of Marshall County, YSS of Hamilton County, YSS Francis Lauer, and Iowa Homeless Youth Centers (IHYC). Each of our centers are tailored to fit the needs of the surrounding community.

Learn more about our locations.

Featured Programs

youth residential addiction treatment iowa

EMBER RECOVERY CAMPUS

YSS is constructing Ember, a 50-acre recovery campus in Central Iowa that will offer shelter, crisis stabilization, and residential addiction treatment for youth and young adults.

Learn more

YSS MENTORING

Looking for a fun and rewarding volunteer opportunity? Become a YSS mentor! You can be a positive role model in a youth's life through YSS's school-based or community-based programs.

Learn more

News + Events

See all

Reggie’s Sleepout 2023

September 30, 2023

Join us in the fight to end youth homelessness in...

YSS of North Iowa hosts HHS director

September 19, 2023

Director of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kelly Garcia and...

Congressman Nunn Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Youth Suicide

September 18, 2023

Congressman Zach Nunn was at Iowa Homeless Youth Center to...

Meet the Team: Sarah Zollar

August 21, 2023

Sarah Zollar is the Clinical Supervisor for Ember Recovery, and...

Meet CJ: Ember Recovery Alumni Spotlight

August 11, 2023

CJ Christiansen didn’t recognize who he was anymore. After the...

YSS Kids Club Opens in Colo-Nesco School District

August 2, 2023

YSS cut the ribbon on its ninth Kids Club location...

Ames Barbershop Owner Gives Free Haircuts to YSS Youth

July 26, 2023

Joe Evans always wanted to help youth in his community....

2023 McCay Awards Honors YSS Youth

July 19, 2023

YSS honored inspiring youth the 2023 McCay Awards on July...

Tucker DeVries Joins YSS Ambassador Program

July 14, 2023

Drake University’s Tucker DeVries was announced as a YSS Ambassador...

Meet Bambi: Retiring After Three Decades at YSS

July 10, 2023

After 34 years at YSS, Bambi Schrader is retiring. “It’s...

YSS of Marshall County Celebrates 40 Years

June 29, 2023

This year, YSS of Marshall County celebrates 40 years of...

Meet Abigail and Elli: Sisters and YSS Mentors

June 16, 2023

Abigail and Elli Jennings are sisters. Born and raised...

Meet the Team: Matthew Voorhees

June 16, 2023

Matthew Voorhees has worked at YSS for the last 5...

Meet Tierra: Mental Health Therapist at YSS

June 16, 2023

Tierra Smith always knew she wanted to be a mental...

Laura’s Story: Housing, Stability, and Hope

June 13, 2023

When Laura* began accessing drop-in services at Iowa Homeless Youth...

YSS Announces New Leadership

June 13, 2023

YSS is pleased to welcome new leaders across the agency....

Jaz’s Story: How Residential Treatment Changed Her Life

June 13, 2023

Jaz was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa and...

Furnishing a New Life

June 8, 2023

The YSS Supportive Housing programs help youth move into their...

One of YSS’s First Residents Remembers Shelter House

June 8, 2023

Even though it’s been 50 years, Cheryl remembers her stay...

Meet Nicolle, YSS Nurse Practitioner

June 1, 2023

For Nicolle Medina, the best part of working at YSS...

YSS and GreenState Announce Partnership at Sixth Avenue Flats

May 24, 2023

YSS is partnering with GreenState Credit Union to bring much-needed...

Meet the Team: Melissa Gravlin

May 22, 2023

Melissa Gravlin has been the Residential Admissions Coordinator at Ember...

IHYC Celebrates Youth and Supporters at Achievement Tea

May 19, 2023

On May 16, Iowa Homeless Youth Centers (IHYC) hosted its...

YSS Participates in 2023 Washington D.C. Fly-in

May 11, 2023

In April, YSS was part of a delegation that participated...

PSERP Helps Youth Achieve Education Goals

May 1, 2023

Katie is a driven individual. She is currently a nursing...

YSS Announces New Ambassadors

April 27, 2023

YSS is pleased to announce the following three Iowa State...

ISU Athletes Recognized for YSS Volunteer Service

April 24, 2023

Several Iowa State University student-athletes were recognized for their volunteer...

From Board Member to Mentor: Don’s Story of Giving Back

April 18, 2023

Don Lester first became involved with YSS through serving on...

Meet Pat: Making a Difference after Retirement

April 18, 2023

Pat Kremer spends most of his retirement volunteering in the...

Teen Club’s Service Project Creates New Ball Pit for Park

April 17, 2023

Over the past couple of months, YSS’s Teen Club in...

Teen Maze Welcomes 800+ Seventh Graders

April 11, 2023

Around 850 seventh grade students from a dozen schools in...

Jill’s Story: Two Jobs, One Dream, and the Calling to Help Others

April 11, 2023

For the past year and a half, Jill Niswander has...

Fulfilling the dreams of Iowa’s youth

April 5, 2023

Reverend Deb Hill-Davis has helped youth throughout her whole career....

YSS Francis Lauer Renamed ‘YSS of North Iowa’

April 3, 2023

Effective immediately, YSS has renamed its community-based center in Mason...

YSS Welcomes Kara Warme as Chief Development Officer and Sara Lindquist as Community-Based Director

March 24, 2023

YSS is pleased to welcome two new leaders to the...

Jill Johnson Named YSS’s 2023 Outstanding Alumna

March 22, 2023

Jill Johnson, a graduate of YSS’s residential addiction treatment program—now...

Meet David Lee, the youth voice for YSS

March 13, 2023

David Lee uses his younger perspective to make his voice...

Riley’s Story

March 8, 2023

At 16, Riley was heading down a bad path—smoking weed,...

Meet Mary Oliver, Iowa Homeless Youth Center’s most Consistent Volunteer

February 28, 2023

Every Monday, the IHYC staff and youth are greeted by...

Athletes. Mentors. Rolemodels.

February 27, 2023

For over 20 years, the YSS Mentoring program has matched...

Finding Hope at YSS

February 27, 2023

When Angela Harms was 14 years old, she found her...

Meet Faith, YSS Mental Health Intern

February 24, 2023

Faith Wilson says the best part of working for YSS...

Teleza’s Story: How a YSS Christmas Gift Changed Her Life

February 13, 2023

When Teleza Daniels was 15 years old, she made the...

From Mentee to Mentor: Meet Noah

January 31, 2023

When Noah was in second grade, he moved in with...

Sarina Flathers Named ‘FUEL 4 Under 40’ by Ames Chamber of Commerce

January 30, 2023

Sarina Flathers, YSS Community Engagement Coordinator, was named a recipient...

YSS Holds 2023 Recognition Luncheon

January 27, 2023

YSS held its 2023 Recognition Luncheon on Jan. 26 at...

Iowa Foster Care Youth Council Present ‘Amp Day on the Hill’

January 24, 2023

Foster care youth held the annual AMP Day on the...

YSS Residential Addiction Treatment Program Rebranded to Ember Recovery

January 16, 2023

Effective immediately, YSS has rebranded its long-standing and highly successful...

YSS Kids Club Builds Experience for Future Teacher

January 16, 2023

When Nile Horak changed his major to Elementary Education at...

YSS Selected as Inaugural Charity by Gov. Kim Reynolds

January 13, 2023

YSS was one of three Iowa nonprofit organizations selected to...

Green Hills Donates Holiday Toys to YSS Children

December 12, 2022

Residents from Green Hills Community, a retirement and assisted living...

Amanda Briggs Named 2022 Best of Story County

December 12, 2022

Amanda Briggs, YSS Chief Financial Officer, was named "Best Accountant"...

The Path to Recovery

November 30, 2022

Gina remembers the day she learned her 14-year-old son, CJ,...

GreenState Donates New Truck to IHYC

November 29, 2022

Thanks to GreenState Credit Union, Iowa Homeless Youth Centers (IHYC)...

YSS Recovery Scholarship Recipients Announced

November 14, 2022

YSS is pleased to announce the 2022 recipients of the...

Why We Sleep Out: Reggie’s Story

October 28, 2022

For nearly two decades, Reggie's Sleepout has raised awareness and...

Variety Awards $1M Grant to Ember Recovery Campus

October 21, 2022

YSS has received a $1 million grant from Variety -...

Reunited at Last: Alumnus Credits YSS with Saving His Life Five Decades Ago

October 7, 2022

On a sunny, fall afternoon, Casey Collins reunited with the...

YSS Kids Club Offers Open Houses

October 7, 2022

YSS Kids Club is raising awareness for the “Lights On...

Samanthya’s Story: Advocating for Foster Care Youth

October 5, 2022

Samanthya Marlatt first heard of YSS when she entered foster...

YSS Selected for Target Circle Community Giving Program

October 3, 2022

YSS is eligible for a grant from the Target Circle...

YSS Named Recipient of Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grants

September 30, 2022

Prairie Meadows has awarded funding from its Community Betterment Grants...

Ember Awarded $3M Grant

September 20, 2022

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced YSS will receive $3 million...

Toby’s Story: Finding His Calling After 9/11

September 13, 2022

Women’s dress shoes, covered in dust. That is one of...

YSS Names 2022 Core Value Award Winners

September 12, 2022

On Sept. 12, YSS celebrated its employees at the annual...

Youth Connect at AMP Camp

September 9, 2022

In August, foster care youth attended AMP Camp in Bloomfield,...

YSS Hosts ‘Evening with Francis’ Gala

September 8, 2022

YSS Francis Lauer raised over $34,000 at the annual Evening...

Prairie Meadows Awards $600K Grant to Ember

August 30, 2022

YSS received a $600,000 Prairie Meadows Legacy Grant that will...

IHYC Hosts Annual Achievement Tea

August 17, 2022

On Aug. 9, Iowa Homeless Youth Centers (IHYC) hosted its...

Full Circle: Teryssa’s Story

August 16, 2022

When Teryssa was 14, she came to the YSS Francis...

YSS Breaks Ground on Ember Recovery Campus

August 9, 2022

On Aug. 9, YSS held a groundbreaking ceremony for its...

Meet Our Founder: Dr. George’s Story

July 26, 2022

Sitting on his 25-acre llama farm known as Hobbit’s Hill,...

Introducing Ember: YSS’s New Youth Recovery Campus

July 20, 2022

YSS officially released the designs for its new youth recovery...

YSS Youth Honored at 2022 McCay Awards

July 14, 2022

YSS honored inspiring youth the 2022 McCay Awards on July...

Sixth Avenue Flats Opens in Des Moines

July 8, 2022

On July 7, a grand opening ceremony was held for...

Andrew’s Story: Meet Our CEO

June 14, 2022

Over the past five decades, YSS has helped thousands of...

YSS Announces New Board Members

June 3, 2022

YSS is pleased to welcome three new board members. Stacey...

YSS Welcomes Gabe Kalscheur as First-Ever YSS Ambassador

May 16, 2022

YSS has announced Gabe Kalscheur, a member of the Iowa...

YSS Organizes ‘Mentoring Madness on Main Street’

May 10, 2022

On May 5, YSS held the first-ever “Mentoring Madness on...

More than Shelter

May 6, 2022

It all started when a young boy needed a safe...

Student Team Wins Award for YSS Recovery Campus Plan

April 29, 2022

A team of Iowa State University landscape architecture students won...

YSS to Co-Host #GETAJOB Youth Summer Job Fair

April 19, 2022

YSS is one of several organizations that will host the...

Schools Participate in Annual Teen Maze

April 4, 2022

More than 1,300 seventh grade students from a dozen schools...

Intern Spotlight: Meet Laticia

March 31, 2022

Laticia Aossey has been involved with AMP since she was...

Director David Hicks Honored by Iowa Wild

March 28, 2022

David Hicks, Director of Community Engagement at YSS of Marshall...

YSS Awarded CARF Accreditation

March 24, 2022

YSS received yet another three-year accreditation from the Commission on...

YSS Launches New LGBTQ+ Therapy Group

March 14, 2022

YSS is introducing AFFIRM, a new affirmative therapy group for...

Intern Spotlight: Meet Brenda

March 7, 2022

After working in law enforcement and serving in the military...

Finding Inspiration Everywhere

March 3, 2022

It started with breakfast pizza. YSS President & CEO Andrew...

YSS participates in Black Lives Matter community event

February 26, 2022

YSS was one of several Ames community groups that participated...

Youth Organize AMP Day on the Hill

February 15, 2022

Youth from AMP (Achieving Maximum Potential) held their 11th annual...

Staff Spotlight: Meet Bambi

February 10, 2022

After 32 years at YSS, Bambi Schrader still finds her...

A Mom’s Story of Generational Addiction

February 10, 2022

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, genetics can...

YSS Kids Club receives $10,000 grant from Bayer Fund

January 28, 2022

YSS Kids Club received a grant for $10,000 from Bayer...

YSS partners with FLIA to improve foster care youth outreach

January 28, 2022

Last year, the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) partnered...

YSS Partners with Athletic Club of Ames

January 20, 2022

YSS has partnered with the Athletic Club of Ames (ACA)...

YSS Holiday Giving brings joy to hundreds of youth and families in need

January 3, 2022

Thanks to generous donors and community supporters, YSS helped bring...

2021 Recognition Luncheon Honors YSS Supporters

December 20, 2021

YSS held its 2021 Recognition Luncheon on Dec. 16 at the Gateway...

Kiera’s Story

December 20, 2021

In early 2021, YSS of Marshall County partnered with the Marshalltown...

Arminta’s Story

December 20, 2021

What did you dream of becoming when you were little?...

Courtney’s Story

December 20, 2021

Raised in a family of drug dealers, Courtney became pregnant...

Angela’s Story

December 20, 2021

After being removed from her biological mother in third grade,...

Charlie’s Story

December 20, 2021

Charlie—a young mother with a two-year-old daughter—recently enrolled in Family...

Fritz’s Story

December 20, 2021

As a high school freshman, Fritz was a 4.0 student....

Town & Gown hosts concert for YSS youth

December 10, 2021

Grammy-nominated Imani Winds performed for YSS staff and shelter and...

Staff Spotlight: Meet Saul

November 22, 2021

When Saul Hammond was looking at job opportunities, he knew...

MPACT Receives $200,000 Grant

November 19, 2021

Earlier this year, YSS of Marshall County partnered with the...

Jazmin Melo Receives First YSS Collegiate Recovery Scholarship

October 8, 2021

Many addicts hit rock bottom before they seek help. For...

Reggie’s Sleepout is Sept. 24-Oct. 3

September 24, 2021

Choose a night. Sleep outside. Support homeless youth. Iowa Homeless...

Making Connections, Building Futures

June 22, 2021

YSS is celebrating 45 years of service to youth and...

Introducing Telehealth Services

March 19, 2020

If you are experiencing stress or anxiety and need help,...

<< >>

A brighter future begins today

Whether we’re providing safe housing and pre- and post-natal care for young mothers, residential addiction treatment for teens, afterschool opportunities for children or counseling for families, YSS’ comprehensive network of empowerment programs serve all ages of youth.

Select below for more information about YSS and complete list of programs and services provided at all of our locations.

ALL PROGRAMS

Iowa Homeless Youth Centers: Des Moines

Francis Lauer Youth Services: Mason City

News + Events

See all

YSS of North Iowa hosts HHS director

September 19, 2023

Director of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kelly Garcia and...

Congressman Nunn Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Youth Suicide

September 18, 2023

Congressman Zach Nunn was at Iowa Homeless Youth Center to...

Meet the Team: Sarah Zollar

August 21, 2023

Sarah Zollar is the Clinical Supervisor for Ember Recovery, and...

Meet CJ: Ember Recovery Alumni Spotlight

August 11, 2023

CJ Christiansen didn’t recognize who he was anymore. After the...

YSS Kids Club Opens in Colo-Nesco School District

August 2, 2023

YSS cut the ribbon on its ninth Kids Club location...

Ames Barbershop Owner Gives Free Haircuts to YSS Youth

July 26, 2023

Joe Evans always wanted to help youth in his community....

Creating Hope and Opportunity

Creating Hope and Opportunity

What We Do

Where We Are

Featured Programs

EMBER RECOVERY CAMPUS

YSS MENTORING

News + Events

A brighter future begins today

News + Events