TNOYS has always made it a priority to elevate the voices of youth in a variety of ways in our policy work. Hearing directly from youth with lived experience in the youth services and child welfare system has a powerful impact on all who witness it. It is especially important that the lawmakers who create… Read more »

Since the start of the 86thTexas Legislature this January, TNOYS has been at the forefront in engaging youth and young adults from our member and partner organizations in the legislative process. Through opportunities to give testimony during legislative hearings and at our February 1stYouth in Action Capitol Day, youth have been able to share their… Read more »

TNOYS is honored to have awarded $117,500 in grants so far to support schools and community-based organizations in meeting the demand from youth and families who are homeless or in unstable living conditions as a result of Hurricane Harvey as part of its Safety Nets for Students and Families project. Grants to Increase Capacity In… Read more »

Since its inception in September, 2018, the Safety Net for Students and Families initiative has hosted 10 training events in cities and communities across the Gulf Coast region to support partnerships among school and district personnel as well as youth and homeless services providers as well as build critical skills to support youth and families who… Read more »

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Texas, a reflection of the deep commitment held by our state’s leaders to ending child sex trafficking. The designation, first made by the Legislature in 2015 and championed by Governor. Greg Abbott, provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the problem and solutions to address it. Several of… Read more »

The devastation of Hurricane Harvey was hard to deny in the immediate aftermath of the storm – pictures and videos showed startling images of businesses destroyed and survivors fleeing their damaged homes. Now, just a little over a year after the hurricane hit, the visuals may not be as striking but the impacts are still… Read more »

The new Statewide Workgroup on Youth Homelessness kicked off its first meeting on October 4, providing a space for state agencies, statewide organizations, and local entities to collaborate on efforts to strengthen services and supports for Texas’ homeless youth. Although the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless addresses the issue of homelessness broadly, there has… Read more »

For more than 30 years, TNOYS has hosted PEAKS Camp – a therapeutic, experiential camp for youth in foster care. PEAKS is one of TNOYS’ longest-running and most successful programs, during which licensed professionals regularly take paid time off to volunteer with and enrich the lives of the youth who attend. The week-long camp experience helps… Read more »

Research shows that when youth have a voice in decisions that impact their lives, it contributes to their own future success and strengthens the systems that serve them — particularly in the case of those who are recovering from trauma. But for service providers, finding ways to authentically engage youth isn’t always easy. Guided by… Read more »

Last month, TNOYS hosted a meeting of its Emergency Shelter Task Force, with organizations from across Texas traveling to Fort Worth to hear important updates that affect their work. We’re grateful to Superior Health Plan for helping to sponsor the meeting and sharing information about their work with attendees, and to ACH Child and Family… Read more »