Frequently Asked Questions
Youth Essential Services is a single-family residential Group home. The program promotes positive mentorship and guidance to (11-17 yrs old) male youths, transitioning to foster care or adoption. The Pennsylvania Department of Health comprehensively regulates the program. The program requires state auditing and licensing by the Department of Health, including approval of all policies, regulations, and on-site inspection before issuance of a license.
Employee qualifications are extensive and include Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Record Checks, FBI Criminal Background Clearances, Child Abuse History Certification, and all required child residential training. All employees maintain current CPR, First Aid, and AED certifications. Staffing levels are individualized based upon each resident's treatment needs and are maintained in accordance with applicable Pennsylvania Chapter 3800 staffing requirements. The Youth Essential Services Three-Phase Critical Support Step-Down Program is integrated into each resident's treatment as a single continuum of care, with every resident beginning in Phase I and progressing through progressively adjusted levels of Critical Support based upon clinical progress, behavioral stability, individualized treatment needs, and established treatment goals. A qualified and certified Child Care Supervisor is available twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week and possesses a bachelor's degree together with more than fifteen (15) years of professional experience, exceeding the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's minimum qualification requirements.
YES is a four-bedroom family group home where children do day-to-day activities like any other child with positive mentorship, transitioning to foster care, and or approved guardianship as a person under 18.
The purpose of a 3800-licensed child group home is to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of children in Children and Youth Services (CYS) care. YES serves youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who are functioning individuals with co-occurring mental health or behavioral needs, requiring structured social skills development and peer interaction support.
YES, is not a facility for high-risk or extreme-acuity cases. Instead, it supports children who need structured encouragement, mentoring, and a nurturing environment. The home fosters a sense of stability, social belonging, and positive reinforcement, elements that may have been missing from their previous living situations. YES, is not designed for and does not provide services to non-ambulatory, non-verbal or medically fragile youth.
YES has identified a national need for essential Critical Support personnel. These highly trained specialists are provided exclusively by Echelon Protection, LLC. Echelon is equipped with extensive certifications and clearances to assist at-risk youth in Children and Youth Services (CYS) care. These professionals undergo rigorous screening and training, ensuring they meet and exceed regulatory standards, including:
– State & FBI Criminal Background Clearances
– Mandated Child Abuse Clearance & Mandated Reporter Training
– Safe Crisis Management Training & Certification
– First Aid/CPR/AED Certification
– Homeland Security Fingerprint Clearance (3800 Regulations)
– Communicable Disease Testing & Physician Statement (Certifying Free of Communicable Disease)
YES provides flexible “at need” care for an average duration of two weeks to several months, as residents typically transition to foster care, placement with a family member, or permanent residency. YES maintains a waiting list for future placements.
During sleeping hours, Critical Support personnel will be stationed in the upstairs bedroom hallways to maintain supervision/oversight.
The entire property is monitored by video surveillance, except for designated privacy areas. Surveillance footage is stored securely in the cloud for 90 days, as outlined in the YES Operations Manual, which has been inspected and approved by the Department of Human Services and Children & Youth.
Yes, Critical Support Personnel have direct access to youth as an integral part of the behavioral support and mentorship program. Critical Supports are highly specialized professionals trained in structured interventions, crisis de-escalation, and behavioral management to safeguard the well-being of youth in the care of Children and Youth. Their presence is intentionally non-uniformed to create a supportive, therapeutic environment that prioritizes engagement, trust, and compliance with DHS regulations. This strategic classification ensures that Critical Support Personnel possess the necessary qualifications, specialized training, and oversight to provide effective, individualized support while maintaining a proactive approach to safety and structured supervision. Their role enhances youth well-being through mentorship and intervention strategies that align with best practices in child welfare. By integrating therapeutic methodologies with operational safeguards, Critical Support Personnel upholds a consistent and compliant model of care, reinforcing a secure, structured, and developmentally appropriate environment for the youth in residence.
No. The Treatment Director does not reside on-site. The Treatment Director oversees the coordination of all childcare programs, including case management with Children and Youth agencies, and is responsible for clinical coordination, regulatory compliance, and implementation of each resident’s individualized treatment plan. The Treatment Director supervises all Child Care Specialists, oversees medication administration practices, and maintains regular on-site involvement while remaining available twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week to provide consultation, clinical guidance, operational support, and emergency response as needed
