YOUTH EMERGENCY SERVICES & SHELTER OF IOWA
YESS changes lives by protecting children and empowering families.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Emergency Youth Shelter
YESS is home to the largest and most comprehensive emergency youth shelter in Iowa. In combination with our Blumenthal Crisis Nursery, YESS provides a safe environment to the entire age range of children under one roof. Kids in shelter are surrounded by supportive services that acknowledge their past and look to brighter futures. In our trauma-informed setting, we meet basic needs (food/shelter/clothing), provide diverse counseling services, educational support, medical care, case management, and resources. Kids of all ages and backgrounds find a safe and supportive environment at YESS when home is not a safe option.
Integrated Care Connections
The YESS Integrated Care Connections (ICC) program supports children experiencing mental health challenges by focusing on the needs of the family as a whole. ICC brings together mental, physical, and social health services into one integrated program so families can receive the best care possible for their child. Each family in the YESS ICC program is connected with a three-person team to receive flexible support and services focused on their strengths, needs, and comfort level. These teams include a Nurse, Care Coordinator, and Family Peer Support Specialist, who work in partnership with families to determine the best path to success.
Blumenthal Crisis Nursery
The Blumenthal Crisis Nursery cares for the youngest children when their lives are turned upside down. As Iowa’s only site-based, 24-hour emergency shelter for newborns, toddlers, and young children, YESS provides a nurturing, supportive environment and a temporary haven from the trouble and uncertainty in their lives. Children in the crisis nursery receive specialized services to meet their unique developmental needs. Infants and small children arrive at the Crisis Nursery for a variety of reasons. Some have been removed from their parent’s care due to unsafe living conditions (such as drugs in the home). Other little ones stay at YESS when a caregiver is hospitalized, incarcerated, or other crisis situations prevent a guardian from caring for their children.
ACCESS YESS
Through our ACCESS line, the caring staff at YESS are available 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week to assess difficult family situations, create a plan, and work toward solutions while ensuring everyone is safe.
Whether families are in need of immediate crisis intervention or just want to learn more about our services, the Access Center can help by providing face-to-face crisis counseling, safety and risk screenings, crisis planning, assessment for emergency placement, and resources and information.
Behavioral Health Intervention Services
Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS) is a home-based skill building program that helps children and teens learn to make healthy and positive choices. BHIS providers help kids learn developmentally appropriate ways to manage their behaviors. This is done through educational skill development and maintenance associated with mental health and behavioral concerns such as anger management, relational and communication skills, coping skills, problem solving, healthy emotional expression, decision making, building self-esteem and confidence, making and maintaining positive relationships.
By bringing the entire family together for BHIS services, clients improve their communication, manage unhealthy behaviors, and build stronger relationships.
Therapy and Counseling
Our therapists work with children, teens, individuals, and families every day to build skills, improve quality of life, begin the process of healing, and achieve successes that once seemed out of reach. Efforts include individual counseling, family and group counseling, expressive arts therapy, assessments, and specialized therapeutic support (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)).
Respite Care
YESS' Hope Hall Respite program provides a nurturing, secure, and supportive environment for children (newborn through age 17) who need a short term place to stay. We offer up to 72 hours of care during a crisis situation or when parents need time to plan and connect with resources to ensure children stay safe in their own homes. Children and Families who turn to Hope Hall Respite receive specialized services to meet their needs, including mental health assessments, developmentally appropriate activities, and case management. YESS is one of the few emergency shelters that also provides respite services. When these family crises arise, YESS provides the nurturing environment that young children need.
Where we work
External reviews

Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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YOUTH EMERGENCY SERVICES & SHELTER OF IOWA
Board of directorsas of 08/03/2021
Travis Etchison
Banker's Trust
Don Blumenthal
Blumenthal, Inc.
Jane Sturtz
Mom's Meals
J. Scott Johnson
Kane Johnson
The Printer, Inc.
Jay Larsen
Nationwide
Joanne Lasrado
Kemin
Jason Madden
Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C.
Jim McCulloh
Cy Phillips
Space Simply
Joe Price
R&R Realty Group
Paul Schlueter
Flynn Wright
Travis Sheets
BH Management
Peggy Strief
Delta Design
Markjon Trierweiler
GEM Homes, LLC
Al Tunks
Des Moines Police Department
Amy Williams
Amy Williams, LLC
Karen Worth
Shane Zimmerman
Two Rivers Bank & Trust
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Not applicable -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Not applicable -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 07/26/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.