YSS Impacting Marshall County

Last week several members of the Missions & Evangelism committee joined our pastors and staff for a tour of the YSS of Marshall County office. David Hicks, senior director of community engagement, led the tour and gave a history of the social service organization. He shared the counseling (including substance abuse and addictions), foster care support, and supportive housing programs the agency provides, and he also described the innovative, nationally recognized MPACT program and how it came about. In addition, those on the tour learned ways our church can be more involved and support YSS’s work in our community.

Marshall County YSS director David Hicks talks to First Presbyterian Church missions committee members in the YSS reception area.

YSS has used a community-based approach for over 40 years to create hope and opportunity for families in the Marshalltown area. They have been in multiple locations around the city, but after the 2018 tornado destroyed their space, they purchased the old police station at 22 N. Church St. and have updated parts of it to create a welcoming space that fits their needs. Although their mission began to help youth in crisis, YSS also helps adults because strong families aren’t possible without strong, healthy adults. Their focus remains on youth, however, especially youth in the foster care system or those transitioning out of it. They have programs to help young people learn to live on their own, including how to find employment, budget, clean, and maintain their space. YSS counselors also help them work through trauma and mental health issues that may be holding them back. Art therapy is one of several treatment plans that they use.

YSS is also a partner with the Marshalltown Police Department in MPACT (Marshalltown Police and Community Team) a co-responder team that sends a social worker on mental illness, family conflict, substance abuse, and other police calls involving emotional or behavioral situations. MPACT was born in the aftermath of the 2020 nationwide protests following several high-profile deaths in police custody as an effort to de-escalate police encounters with individuals in heightened emotional states. In 2024 MPACT responded to 262 calls for service which led to 1,104 follow-up contacts. 34% of the calls were related to mental health and 32% involved homelessness. Nearly all calls (97%) allowed law enforcement officers to return to the field, and in a astonishing 93% of the calls the client accepted the recommendations of the MPACT social worker (also called an advocate). Over the past two years, 100% of Marshalltown police officers surveyed had had direct involvement with MPACT and agreed that MPACT’s role and engagement had been of benefit to them in their capacity at the MPD. MPACT reduced the officers’ time spent dealing with non-criminal situations (96%) and likely prevented an escalating situation from becoming worse (75%).

You can help YSS in several ways:

·         Donate items to their food pantry. (They prefer items that can be opened without a can opener.)

·         Donate money for needs that grants don’t cover (carpet cleaning, pizza, staff recognition, etc.)

·         Donate household items for transitional living program

·         Donate your time: organizing their storeroom, serving on advisory board, etc.

To learn more about YSS, click here.