About this course

Learning Objectives

• Describe common barriers and challenges experienced by youth in residential services and explain how these experiences impact engagement, autonomy, mental health, and transition outcomes.
• Define youth voice and youth-guided care principles and identify how these concepts support trauma-responsive, relationship-based residential interventions.
• Identify evidence-informed practices that promote meaningful youth engagement, including peer support integration, family partnership, independent living skill development, and staff relationship-building strategies.
• Differentiate between tokenistic participation and authentic youth partnership using the “Ladder of Participation” framework and apply strategies that increase youth leadership and shared decision-making
• Develop organizational strategies to strengthen youth partnership roles within residential programs, including advisory structures, hiring practices, program planning, and governance participation.
• Explain the role of staff culture and trauma-informed practice in promoting youth empowerment, trust, and positive treatment engagement within residential settings.

Learning Levels

• Beginner

Target Audience

Course Instructor(s)

• 

  Mark Nickell

  Director of Strategic Initiatives, ACRC

  Mark Nickell, MDiv, serves as the Director of Strategic Initiatives at The Association of Children’s Residential and Community Services (ACRC). Prior to this role, he was the Executive Director of the Building Bridges Initiative, Inc. for four years, leading up to its successful merger with ACRC.

  Mark has an extensive background in the field, having spent over 16 years in California as a Regional Executive Director with Seneca Family of Agencies. During his tenure, he focused on developing and delivering continuums of care within the Bay Area. Mark is a certified Wraparound trainer for the California Department of Social Services and has conducted national training sessions with BBI on topics such as organizational transformation, family engagement, youth-guided care, and data-driven practice. His expertise particularly emphasizes enhancing residential interventions to improve outcomes for youth and their families.

• 

  Kyle Reece

  Youth Training Coordinator, UNC Greensboro

  Kyle Reece was diagnosed with Autism at age 13, and spent his adolescent years transitioning through various residential placements. Kyle got involved with various youth-serving mental health organizations in his hometown of Durham, North Carolina. After serving as president of multiple youth advocacy organizations, including Youth M.O.V.E North Carolina, he transitioned into his current role as Youth Training Coordinator at a UNCG. In this role, he provides technical assistance and training to youth-serving organizations, community collaboratives, and residential placements across the United States, fueled by his passion for advocacy and support.

• 

  Jerry Salazar

  Youth Peer Support Specialist, Sycamores

  Hello My name is Jerry Salazar. I am a Youth Advocate with lived experience in the probation and foster care systems, bringing both professional expertise and personal insight to this work with young people and families. I have served in youth advocacy roles since 2016 and have contributed to policy efforts through California Youth Connections, including presenting recommendations related to child welfare. As founder and chair of the Pasadena Chapter, I am committed to reducing stigma, building strong community partnerships, and creating meaningful support systems for youth.

Disclosure

References

• Kapp, S., Rand, A., & Damman, J. L. (2015). Clinical Gains for Youth in Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities: Results from a State-Wide Performance Information System. Residential Treatment For Children & Youth, 32(1), 37–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/0886571X.2015.1004287
• Tyler, P. M., Nguyen, P. T., Gordon, C. T., Ringle, J. L., Loro, J., & Day, J. (2025). Evaluating Youth Needs and Response to Services in a Residential Program Based on Neighborhood Factors. Residential Treatment For Children & Youth, 42(4), 542–565. https://doi.org/10.1080/0886571X.2025.2543402
• American Association of Children’s Residential Centers. (2014). Youth-Guided Treatment. Residential Treatment For Children & Youth, 31(2), 90–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/0886571X.2014.918424
• Graham, Y., Spencer, A. E., Velez, G. E., & Herbell, K. (2024). Engaging Youth Voice and Family Partnerships to Improve Children's Mental Health Outcomes. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America, 33(3), 343–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2024.02.004
• Blankestein, A. M. M. M., Van der Rijken, R. E. A., Broekhoven, J. L., Lange, A. M. C., Simons, I., Van Domburgh, L., … Scholte, R. H. J. (2022). Residential Youth Care Combined with Systemic Interventions: Exploring Relationships between Family-Centered Care and Outcomes. Residential Treatment For Children & Youth, 39(1), 34–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/0886571X.2020.1863894
• Anselimus S. M. (2025). Mental health in resource-limited settings: amplifying youth voices and approaches. Discover mental health, 5(1), 38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00168-8
• Simmel, C., Bowden, C. F., Todd, S. N., Thorp, K., Hyde, J., & Crystal, S. (2024). Youth in foster care: Highlighting the importance of youth engagement in mental health treatment decisions. Children and Youth Services Review, 169, 108094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.108094
• Trawick, E. S., Aber, M., Allen, N., & Fitts, J. (2019). The strength of youth voice: exploring the influence of youth strength-perspectives on desired outcomes for youth enrolled in system-of-care services. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 47(2), 104–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2019.1582146