The Youth Development Center (YDC) is a psychosocial group treatment program for children aged 6 through 17. Treatment for the child occurs during the day, allowing the child to return home in the evening.

The term "psychosocial" refers to how each individual develops and how they interact with other people. Some children simply aren't fully aware of how they relate to other people and their environment.

Psychosocial treatment consists of three major components: group psychotherapy, where skills are discovered and discussed; psycho-education, where skills are enhanced; and therapeutic recreation, where skills are practiced in a "real world" setting.

YDC operates in a group format that allows children the opportunity to build social skills as they focus on important skills like stress and anger management, appropriate decision-making, relationship-building, appropriate expression of emotion and creative expression.

Treatment plans are created for each child based on a clinical assessment and the expressed needs of the family. This plan may include other services, like family therapy, individual therapy, case management, psychological assessment and medication management.

Children at risk of hospitalization in an inpatient facility, or those who have recently returned from one, are appropriate for the program. Other children who have difficulty dealing with peers or authority can also benefit.

A child or adolescent may benefit from YDC if they: