Description
Grayson County Juvenile Alternatives, Inc. (GCJA) doing business as North Texas Youth Connection (NTYC) is a locally controlled, community-based, private nonprofit organization, founded in 1979 whose mission is to provide opportunities to enable youth and families to develop a positive healthful lifestyle by promoting their safety and well being. NTYC has 3 major program areas: Emergency Shelter, Outreach, and STAR (Services to At Risk Youth).
NTYC is licensed as a 14-bed emergency shelter by the Texas Department of Protective and Family Services to serve male and female youth (ages 10-17.)
Outreach provides basic life skills programs, which are conducted at school districts and community organizations throughout a three-county service area. Outreach also sponsors the National Safe Place sites throughout Grayson, Fannin, and Cooke Counties and sponsors NTYC?s Youth Advocacy Council (YAC.)
The primary goal of STAR is to strengthen family relationships and keep the youth in the home. Although these programs provide essential prevention and intervention services to the youth and families of Grayson County, their primary focus is on intervention ? once the family is in crisis. The STAR program provides crisis intervention and counseling to youth (ages 0-17) and their families 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to reduce and prevent the occurrences of runaway, truancy, family conflict, child abuse/neglect and delinquent behaviors through the provision of timely and appropriate services.
