The Link

Youth advocacy division - see schedule o. Youth advocacy divisionthe link and subsidiary's youth advocacy programs recognize that young people engaging in criminal activity are often times doing so in order to survive or for other underlying reasons, such as homelessness, being victimized by sex trafficking or suffering from a mental health issue. The link and subsidiary's youth advocacy programs offer alternative strength-based youth programming for youth age 10-17 that have committed low level or high level offenses. The link and subsidiary's programming helps to resolve the underlying reasons for criminal activity and empowers youth to attend school regularly and not continue down a path of criminal activity.the link has the following youth advocacy programs: the youth connections center (ycc) the marshall reed youth centers (mrycs) school matters the parent support program p.o.w.e.r (positive opportunities for women of every race) program community navigator programthe youth connections center is located in downtown minneapolis where any law enforcement within hennepin county can drop off youth for low level or status offenses, felony car theft and/or sexual exploitation. The link and subsidiary's staff members provide advocacy, assessment and supportive services.the marshall reed youth center is located in north minneapolis and provides an alternative to out of home placement or juvenile detention. The mrycs host a five day per week program that includes restorative justice, case management, education assistance and positive youth development activities for youth who have committed higher level offenses and are court ordered to participate.school matters is based in downtown minneapolis but serves all of hennepin county. School matters provides support and services for youth who have been truant from school and helps to resolve the underlying causes of their attendance while helping to prevent school drop-out.the parent support program is based in north minneapolis but also serves all of hennepin county. This culturally specific parent support program provides parenting education as well as basic needs assistance for african american parents of youth who have been in our juvenile supervision center and/or school matters program.the p.o.w.e.r. Program is based in north minneapolis and provides supportive services, groups and individualized case management for girls referred by hennepin county probation. The goal of the program is to help further empower girls involved in the juvenile justice system to realize the goals they have for themselves and prevent them from becoming further involved in the criminal justice system.the community navigator program is based in downtown minneapolis, but serves youth throughout hennepin county. This program provides individual case management for youth ages 13-24 on probation. The goal of the program is to come up with a case plan and achieve those goals within a 6 month time span. These goals typically involve relationship building, employment, housing, education, and independent living skills.

Safe harbor division - see schedule o.safe harbor divisionthe link and subsidiary partner within the state of minnesota's safe harbor law and no wrong door response for sexually exploited youth and provide the following programs: passageways emergency shelter and housing program west metro regional navigator aftercare and outreach mental health and family reunificationthe passageways emergency shelter and housing program is located in prior lake and provides six emergency shelter beds and ten units of supportive housing for sex trafficked youth of all gender identities age 13-24, including parenting youth with children. The program has specialized on-site services for sexually exploited youth including an on-site school in partnership with the prior lake school district, individual and family mental health counseling, a survivor mentor program, case management, medical care and chemical dependency services.west metro regional navigator provides services for hennepin, scott and carver counties. This position provides a 24/7 response for sexually exploited youth, and provides safety and needs assessments and planning, crisis intervention, assistance with basic and longer term needs, connections with services, court advocacy and case management.the aftercare and outreach program provides support to sexually exploited youth who have either worked with the regional navigator or have lived at passageways, and programming provides support with the transition back into the youth's home community and on-going case management.mental health and family reunification program provides on-going mental health, family reunification therapy and services for sexually exploited youth age 13-18 who are not currently living at passageways.