Our History
Tahoe Youth & Family Services is a private non-profit organization whose mission is:
“To promote the healthy development of children, families, and individuals through counseling and support programs.”
Tahoe Youth & Family Services began serving youth and families as a response to a growing heroin overdose epidemic among youth in South Lake Tahoe in October 1971. It was incorporated as a non-profit organization under Section 501(c)3 on July 28, 1975, under the original name, The Awakening Peace. Staff at The Awakening Peace operated a drug and alcohol diversion program to promote sobriety in the community. Recognizing the need for counseling services, and with the absence of available resources on Lake Tahoe’s south shore, The Awakening Peace began offering low and no-cost mental health and substance abuse counseling services to the community.
The organization changed its name to Tahoe Youth & Family Services in 1989 after receiving federal grant funds to provide Basic Center Program outreach and support to homeless and runaway youth. Our organization’s current operations include, but are not limited to:
Substance Abuse Counseling Offered
Mental Health Counseling Offered
Support Programs Offered
Tahoe Youth & Family Services’ expansion as a regional service provider began with the opening of a Gardnerville, Nevada office in 2008 that offered mental health counseling and substance abuse prevention and treatment for residents of Douglas County.
In 2018 - 2019, due to changes in Federal Funding and changing community needs, funding for several programs in both Douglas County, Nevada and Alpine County, CA ended. Tahoe Youth & Family Services took this opportunity to re-evaluate our programs and services. Tahoe Youth & Family Services choose to concentrate our energies on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling in both Nevada and California along with continuing to provide Homeless Services for youth and Housing for Transitional age youth, ages 18 - 21 years in South Lake Tahoe, California.
The organization changed its name to Tahoe Youth & Family Services in 1989 after receiving federal grant funds to provide Basic Center Program outreach and support to homeless and runaway youth. Our organization’s current operations include, but are not limited to:
Substance Abuse Counseling Offered
- Individual Substance Abuse Counseling (CA and NV)
- Alcohol or Drug Court Ordered Evaluations (CA and NV)
- Substance Abuse Assessments (CA and NV)
- Substance Abuse Groups for Teens (CA and NV) and Adults (NV)
- Intensive Outpatient Services for Adults for Substance Abuse (NV)
Mental Health Counseling Offered
- Mental Health Assessments (CA and NV)
- Individual Assessments (CA and NV)
- Individual Mental Health Counseling (CA and NV)
- Family Counseling (CA and NV)
- Individual Counseling for School Age Children (CA and NV)
- Relationship Group for Couples & Individuals (NV)
- Group Counseling Teen & Children's Groups (NV)
- Teen Empowerment Groups for Boys & Girls (NV)
- First Responders Support Group (NV)
- Nurses Support Group certified by the Nevada Nurses Board (NV)
Support Programs Offered
- Primary Intervention Program in (CA) Elementary Schools (Teacher Referral Based)
- 24-hour Crisis Line for runaway, homeless, and street youth to access emergency shelter (CA)
- A California Basic Center Program and Drop-in/Resource Center providing supportive services for runaway, homeless, and street youth (CA)
- Emergency shelter via host homes for youth up to the age of 18 (CA)
- Referrals between community-based and governmental agencies through Memorandum of Understandings and contract (CA and NV)
- Rapid Rehousing Program to connect transitional aged youth experiencing homelessness, ages 18 - 24 (CA)
- Transitional Living Program for young adults, ages 18 - 21 (CA)
Tahoe Youth & Family Services’ expansion as a regional service provider began with the opening of a Gardnerville, Nevada office in 2008 that offered mental health counseling and substance abuse prevention and treatment for residents of Douglas County.
In 2018 - 2019, due to changes in Federal Funding and changing community needs, funding for several programs in both Douglas County, Nevada and Alpine County, CA ended. Tahoe Youth & Family Services took this opportunity to re-evaluate our programs and services. Tahoe Youth & Family Services choose to concentrate our energies on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling in both Nevada and California along with continuing to provide Homeless Services for youth and Housing for Transitional age youth, ages 18 - 21 years in South Lake Tahoe, California.