Research shows that more than half of Latina girls get pregnant before age twenty and that teen pregnancy in Texas is predicted to continue increasing due to projected population growth of Latino adolescents. As an organization devoted to addressing the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of Latino and other families in Central Texas, TNOYS member… Read more »
Posts By: Sondra Lehmann
TNOYS’ 35th Annual Conference Enhanced by Focus on Youth Voice
Because youth voice is critical to TNOYS’ work, we have always included youth presenters at our Annual Conference, and we began inviting youth to participate alongside professional attendees two years ago. At our 35th Annual Conference, which took place in Houston last week, we wanted to take that participation even further and make it a… Read more »
TNOYS Recognizes Deserving Youth Services Organizations and Professionals with Annual Awards
For the staff here at TNOYS, one of the highlights of our Annual Conference is getting to present annual member awards to deserving youth services professionals and organizations within our network. This year, we had an amazing group of awardees to recognize for all their hard work to secure a bright future for Texas’ youth… Read more »
How TNOYS’ Consulting Services Helped Three Organizations Reach a Common Goal
Thanks to our network of organizations and leaders across the state, TNOYS has access to incredible expertise for strengthening youth services programming and administrative functions. In our effort to support youth services organizations so they are best able to serve our state’s young people, we share our expertise with organizations who need it through our… Read more »
Member Spotlight: Houston reVision
Houston reVision has been working since 2011 to end the school to prison pipeline in the Houston area through a combination of mentoring, outreach and community activities. While the bulk of their work has been with youth in the juvenile justice system, like many other providers they have increasingly encountered youth that are also simultaneously… Read more »
Member Spotlight: Connections Individual and Family Services
Connections Individual and Family Services first started operating in Comal County in 1981 and since then, has expanded to provide a variety of services in nearly 20 Texas counties. Connections CEO Kellie Stallings estimates that the organization now reaches over 20,000 people a year through its various programs that include counseling, substance abuse prevention education,… Read more »
Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission Helps TNOYS Enhance Youth Voice Efforts
Youth voice has always been a critical piece of TNOYS’ approach to strengthening youth services, represented by the “participation” piece of our three-pronged Policy-Practice-Participation framework. Since our annual conference is our largest yearly event, and best opportunity for training and collaboration, it only makes sense that youth should be part of it and we began… Read more »
What Does the Families First Prevention Services Act Mean for Youth and Providers?
By Katherine Barillas, PhD, TNOYS’ Director of Child Welfare Policy The challenges of Texas’ child welfare system have received a lot of attention and many leaders and service providers have been hard at work to find solutions to address them. At the federal level, a new wave of reform presented itself with the Families First Prevention… Read more »
Updates from Members, State Agencies and TNOYS Staff Shared at Winter Member Meeting
TNOYS always welcomes opportunities to bring our members together to learn, network, and have fun. Yesterday’s Winter Member Meeting was a great chance to do that, as we hosted nearly 50 members from across the state who heard from state executives, TNOYS staff and each other about new developments in youth and family services. Click here… Read more »
Member Spotlight: Promise House
Promise House has been serving homeless youth in North Texas for over thirty years, providing life-saving emergency shelter, transitional housing, pregnant and parenting teen support, counseling, education and outreach services. This past year has been one of significant growth for the organization. While developing their strategic plan almost three years ago, Promise House identified… Read more »