Known as My Friend’s House (MFH), our emergency shelter provides around-the-clock residential care and services in partnership with Child Protective Services for kids who have been removed from their homes due to abuse and/or neglect. RHY (Runaway and Homeless Youth) are also granted support through MFH with an average stay of 21 days, often referred through the juvenile court system, school districts, or word of mouth.
My Friend’s House serves all surrounding counties, and is the only shelter of its kind in Collin County that specializes in keeping sibling groups together, and providing services to runaway and homeless youth with a focus on family reunification.
o Basic Needs (food, clothing, shelter)
o Case Management/Assessment Services
o Medical/Dental Assistance
o Development Evaluations
o Psychological Assessments
o Education Assistance
o Life Skills
o Counseling (individual, group and family)
o Transportation to & from existing school
o Enrichment Experiences
Whether in a crisis and needing to talk with a counselor, seeking help with a job search, or even taking one of City House’s life skills classes, the Youth Resource and Community Outreach Center is a go to destination when help is needed, and we provide a special focus on supporting the unique experiences of at-risk LGBTQ youth and young adults.
Located within walking distance of a DART station and bus stop, we are able to provide ample support for at-risk young adults up to 21 years old. The center provides free crisis counseling, emergency sheltering, food, transportation, healthcare, houses our Street Outreach Team, and other life-changing services that are critical to protecting at-risk and homeless youth and getting their lives back on track.
Our Street Outreach team drives and walks the streets in known “hotspots” and other areas where youth and young adults congregate, in order to distribute food, clothing, hygiene products, resource information. We make it a point to be accessible at consistent times during the week at your youth resource center in order to build relationships and help ensure they get connected to other programs and services we provide.
o Basic Needs (food, clothing, toiletries)
o Transportation Assistance
o Crisis Consultation (in person & via phone)
o Access to Computers and Resource & Reference Library
o Resource Referrals & Case Management
o Counseling (individual, group and family)
o Education & Life Skills Assistance
o Job Training & Money Management
City House’s Transitional Living Program (TLP) is designed to transform the lives of homeless young adults, ages 18 to 21, focusing on helping them grow and learn to live independently. These young adults are aspiring individuals, often coming from a home with unresolved family conflict, having aged out of foster care, or are victims of abuse, neglect, or homelessness.
Our objective is to provide these young people with the skills and confidence to be self-sufficient, and live independently as contributing members of their community.
We
currently offer three supervised homes all located Collin County. The program
is voluntary, with a thorough application process along with specific
conditions that residents attend school an/or work, and abide by strict rules
(i.e. no overnight guests, no drugs or alcohol, certain chores, etc.).
Residents can stay up to 18 months. They are also required to attend life
skills classes that focus on topics that help them navigate to a better more
responsible life contributing to their community.
o Case Management
o Individual Counseling
o Job Training & Financial Management Skills
o Mentorship / Life Coaching
o Education Assistance (tutoring, GED, trade school, and college preparation and scholarship aid)
o Basic Life Skills (based on assessment)
o Rapid Re-Housing for Graduating Residents
City House also offers non-resident Counseling Services with licensed therapist’s on staff who are experienced in providing effective, solution-focused individual and family therapy with proven results through the use of evidence-based counseling methods.
Families and/or individuals are able to come and participate in eight free sessions. Our counselors work with those who are looking to stay in front of family problems before they turn into runaway or homeless situations, such as:
o Counseling
o Healthcare Assistance
o Free Counseling Services
o Running Away
o At-Risk Behaviors
o Family & Relationship Conflict
o School-Based Concerns
o Self-Image
We encourage any youth or family that is concerned about their situation at home to contact us for free counseling towards easing family conflict and issues.