Movefwd Inc

TO FACILITATE CHANGE AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES BY SUPPORTING TEENS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH SUPPORTIVE COUNSELING, CRISIS REFERRAL AND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICES. OUR VISION IS TO DEVELOP COMMUNITIES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE ENSURED OF ALL RESOURCES TO THRIVE AND BE CONNECTED.

MOVEFWD, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION) IS A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL CRISIS COUNSELING AND REFERRAL SERVICES TO YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS OF MINNEAPOLIS. THE ORGANIZATION ADDRESSES ISSUES OF DRUG/ALCOHOL ABUSE, SEXUAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE, RACIAL ISSUES, PREGNANCY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, FAMILY BREAKUPS AND TEEN HOMELESSNESS. THE ORGANIZATION'S MASTERS-LEVEL COUNSELORS WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS, DRAW ON STRENGTHS AND BUILD SOLUTIONS. OUR RESPONSE IS IMMEDIATE WITH ALL CALLS RETURNED WITHIN ONE BUSINESS DAY. SERVICES ARE FREE AND ARE PROVIDED IN HOME, IN SCHOOL, OR AT THE ORGANIZATION. OUR COUNSELORS PROVIDE PRACTICAL, STRENGTHS-BASED COUNSELLING SERVICES AND HELP THE MAJORITY OF HOMELESS OR IMMINENTLY HOMELESS YOUNG PEOPLE REUNIFY WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND LIVE SAFELY AT HOME. PREVENTION COUNSELING ALSO ADDRESSES BROADER ISSUES SUCH AS FAMILY PROBLEMS, CHEMICAL USE, ABUSE AND NEGLECT, SITUATIONAL DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, AND EMERGING MENTAL ILLNESS. COUNSELORS EMPLOY EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPEUTIC APPROACH INCLUDING MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY. SCHOOL-BASES CHEMICAL HEALTH PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION GROUPS ALSO SUPPORT YOUTH. WHEN COUNSELING SERVICES CANNOT REUNIFY YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THEIR FAMILIES, THE ORGANIZATION'S HOMELESS YOUTH CASE MANAGER HELPS THE YOUNG PERSON ESTABLISH A SAFE AND STABLE PLACE TO LIVE (RELATIVE'S OR FRIEND'S HOME, FOSTER CARE, YOUTH TRANSITIONAL HOUSING). ONGOING WEEKLY OR MORE FREQUENT SUPPORT HELPS YOUNG PEOPLE MAINTAIN SCHOOLING AND WORK, ACCESS NEEDED RESOURCES, AND INCREASES THEIR STABILITY AND INDEPENDENCE IN THEIR NEW SAFE HOME. THE ORGANIZATION OPERATED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IN THE FORM OF SCATTERED-SITE APARTMENTS ACROSS THE WEST METRO AREA. ONGOING HOMELESS YOUTH CASE MANAGEMENT AND PARTIAL RENTAL ASSISTANCE WILL HELP 8-10 HOMELESS YOUTH ESTABLISH SAFE AND STABLE HOMES THIS YEAR. EIGHT YOUTHS WERE IN HOUSING AS OF JUNE 30, 2021.