The basic philosophy of The First Step Youth & Family Services, LLC is to provide client centered services to individuals with mental and emotional challenges. TFS believes that through education and support, we can help individuals reach the highest level of independence and maintain and enjoy a quality of life which leads to independent living in their community thus ensuring their human dignity.

The basic philosophy of The First Step Youth & Family Services, LLC is to provide client centered services to individuals with mental and emotional challenges. TFS believes that through education and support, we can help individuals reach the highest level of independence and maintain and enjoy a quality of life which leads to independent living in their community thus ensuring their human dignity.

The mission of The First Step is to assist and empower individuals with mental and emotional challenges to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to function at their maximum potential. At the core of all the agency’s services is the deeply held belief in the development of the whole individual. TFS believes that all people can confront and conquer the stigma of mental illness and can make meaningful choices about their lives.

The First Step will:
1. Provide individually-designed mental health services & supports to maximize:
• Independent decision-making capabilities;
• Client’s ability to function in a crisis
• Daily living, educational, and work-related skills.

2. Demonstrate our commitment to the individual and families by always treating those who use our services, and their families, with dignity and respect.

3. Attract, train and retain staff who are committed to providing services of consistently high quality, who are compensated fairly for their work, and who are treated with respect.

The staff of TFS has over 15 years of experience in working with at-risk and court-involved youth as well as adults with a history of substance abuse and mental illness.