Youth First Student Assistance Program
2022-23 Academic Year
"I am now someone who knows that my anxiety doesn’t have to define me, nor does it have to hold me back from anything that I want to do in life. Congratulations, Youth First, on 25 years of helping kids reach their full potential!"
– Leah, Former Student Served by Youth First
Youth First, Inc. equips thousands of young people like Leah with the hope and help they need to become thriving adults. The agency partners with over 100 Indiana schools to give students and families free, easy access to licensed mental health professionals (primarily master’s level social workers) and evidence-based prevention programs. These clinically trained professionals strengthen student mental health and well-being through one-to-one mentoring, small group support, educational programming, links to resources, and parent/teacher engagement.
83 Social Workers
110 K–12 Schools
51,094 Students with Access
Studies show when young people have caring relationships, healthy coping skills, and accurate information, they become more resilient, better prepared to withstand the pressures of today’s world, and more likely to lead positive, productive lives. This report summarizes the impact of Youth First’s Student Assistance Program in 2022-23.
Youth First Student Assistance Strategies
21,641 Students in Educational Presentations
696 Teachers
934 Students in Group Sessions
3,913 Students on Caseload 530
15,345
14,143
38,737 Teacher/Staff Consultations
5,519 Referrals to Community Resources
Childhood Experiences
Source of Referral
Strengthened Protective Factors
Statistically Significant Improvements from Baseline to 3 Months
Reduced Individual Concerns
School Adjustment
Students and parents reported significant improvements in protective factors.
Teachers, parents, and students reported significant reduction in the intensity of concerns.
Examples of Individual Concerns
• Teachers: grades, attendance, poor decision making, disengagement, conduct issues
• Parents: poor decision making, depression, defiance, anger, family conflict
• Students: negative self-image, anxiety, depression, anger, academic performance
Teachers reported significant improvements in school adjustment for high school students.
Peer relationships Examples of Adjustment Behaviors Decreased Problematic Behaviors
School attendance
Homework completion
Classroom participation
Teachers reported significant decreases in problematic behaviors in elementary students.
Easily loses temper Examples of Problematic Behaviors
Poor social behavior
• Quits tasks without finishing • Poor attention span • Physically hurts others
Hides inner thoughts
Positive Academic Progress for 2022-23 Caseload Students
2022-23 School Partners
Public
Barr-Reeve Community School Corp.
East Gibson School Corp.
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp.
Loogootee Community School Corp.
MSD of Martinsville
Mitchell Community Schools
Mooresville Consolidated School Corp.
MSD of Mount Vernon
North Daviess Community School Corp.
North Gibson School Corp.
MSD of North Posey
Orleans Community School Corp.
Paoli Community School Corp.
Perry Central Community School Corp.
Pike County School Corp.
South Gibson School Corp.
Springs Valley Community School Corp.
Tell City-Troy Township School Corp.
Warrick County School Corp.
Washington Community School Corp.
Charter
Joshua Academy Signature School
Independent & Parochial
Catholic
Evansville Christian School
Evansville Day School
Vanderburgh Warrick Spencer* Posey Gibson Dubois
Daviess Martin
Orange Perry
Morgan
Lawrence
Green e
Kno x
*Serving Bloomfield, Flaget, and Rivet Catholic schools in 2023-24.