Family & Youth Peer Support
Building trusted relationships to navigate NYC social services systems
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Call: 646-574-7680
Navigating city and state systems to access needed government assistance or avoid legal jeopardy can be very challenging. People who have personal experience with these bureaucracies – including the juvenile justice system, the health care and mental health care systems, the child welfare system, the immigration system, and NYC schools ¬– have valuable wisdom and expertise to share with people who are encountering them for the first time.
Our Family and Youth Peer Support (FYPS) program supports and empowers young people (ages 0 – 24 years old) and their parents and caregivers in Manhattan who are navigating New York’s social safety net for support with social, emotional, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges, strategically pairing people and families with family and youth advocates who have lived experience with these systems.
FYPS provides 6 core services:
- Engaging young people and families experiencing crisis situations with peer-to-peer and group support
- Helping families navigate child-serving systems including Individual Education Plans (IEP) and Educational Assistance, the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), Family Court, and mental health supports
- Sharing information about mental health conditions, services, and family rights
- Making referrals to appropriate services and resources, including University Settlement’s Care Coordination program
- Developing skills through parenting groups and educational workshops
- Coordinating recreational activities to support bonding and socialization
Services are free and are available in English and Spanish.
University Settlement is contracted by New York City’s Department of Health & Mental Hygiene as the sole provider of FYPS services in Manhattan.