Aspiranet's New Central Valley Programs Help At-Risk Youth Learn to Live Independently

For youth with a history of trauma, child welfare, law enforcement involvement, or any challenge maintaining residential stability in the community, the most difficult thing to do is find someone who believes in them.

Aspiranet’s Hope Forward Transitional Aged Youth (TAY) Independence Program provides outpatient behavioral health services, independent living skills programming, and other wellness resources in a residential area of Turlock in Stanislaus County. The program’s goal is to help vulnerable youth and young adults create a pathway to a successful independent adulthood. Both the residential program, which provides 24-hour therapeutic care delivered by behavioral health professionals, and the Learning Center work together to support youth in developing social-emotional skills while exploring career pathways. Youth will focus on improved social interactions, responsibility, and self-discipline, while learning how to manage their frustration tolerance as ways to address their underlying behavioral health conditions. These experiences also help youth learn to navigate workplace expectations, build professional relationships, and develop the resilience, coping strategies, and problem-solving skills necessary to manage their behavioral health condition and succeed in all areas of adult life.

The Hope Forward TAY Independence Program will officially be opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 9:30 am at 521 W. Linwood Avenue, Turlock, CA 95380. The new facility is the first of its kind in the Central Valley, providing a safe, nurturing environment for youth aged 15-19 who are at risk of future incarceration and homelessness if not provided with the opportunity to develop skills that support their independence. The facility provides youth with the resources they need to acquire long-term community resources and employment. By providing support and services in a home-like setting within the community, care is available in the most appropriate and least restrictive environment. The unique needs and strengths of each youth and family are assessed frequently, and modifications to support plans are made as soon as the need is identified. Each youth and family is engaged through a Child and Family Team (CFT) process and youth development model.

Aspiranet's team approach provides intensive support and services where they are most needed – in the family's home, school, and/or community. Family services are centered on the identified needs of each unique family and young person. The youth who will be served in the program are among the most vulnerable in our communities. Aspiranet staff work with youth, families, and community members to address stigma and behaviors that keep these youth from reaching their full potential.

Aspiranet’s Hope Forward TAY Independence Program is part of the Central Valley Children Crisis Continuum Pilot, with the support and participation of Stanislaus County, San Joaquin County, and Merced County, and is funded through a grant from California’s Department of Healthcare Services Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP).

Currently celebrating its 50^th anniversary, Aspiranet’s mission is to provide children, youth, and families with a foundation of support and services so they can success at home, school, and in their communities. As one of California’s largest human services nonprofits, Aspiranet provides foster care and adoption support, residential group home care, support for youth making the transition from foster care to adulthood, behavioral health services, intensive home-based care, and community-based family resources. Aspiranet has nearly 50 community-based locations across California, serving over 35,000 children, youth, and families every year. For more information on Aspiranet’s services, visit aspiranet.org.