We provide programs that improve the health and well being of all Island residents.
Mental Health Counseling
Professional staff provide individual, couple and family counseling to help Mercer Island families, couples and individuals resolve personal problems and deal effectively with life events. To ensure access to services, low and moderate income families are served using a sliding fee scale. All services are confidential. -more-
Senior Advocacy and Case Management
Our MIYFS geriatric specialists provides in-home assessment, case management, grief and loss support, counseling, and information & resources to Island seniors age 55 and older. In addition, they provide Island families with seniors both on and off the Island consultation services and caregiving resources. -more-
School-based Services
Working in partnership with the Mercer Island School District, professional Youth and Family Services (MIYFS) mental health counselors are based on site in each public school on Mercer Island. Staff provide counseling services for children, adolescents and their families; classroom presentations; and group activities to deal with personal difficulties and to promote healthy emotional and interpersonal development. At the high school and middle school, substance abuse services include prevention, education, intervention and assessment and referral. -more-
Community-based Drug and Alcohol Prevention
Mercer Island Communities That Care (MICTC) is a coalition of concerned parents, youth and community members who are joined around the common purpose of reducing the harmful effects of underage drinking and other drug use among Mercer Island youth. Coalition efforts take a public health, not a moralistic, perspective and use the latest brain science and prevention technology. MICTC is funded through a federal Drug Free Communities Grant and receives generous support from Island volunteers, the City of Mercer Island, the Mercer Island School District, and community partners. -more-
Court Diversion
Diversion is a legal process whereby youth alleged to have committed certain misdemeanors or Class C felonies are offered an alternative to the formal Juvenile Court system. Arrested youth who live on Mercer Island are referred by the King County Prosecutor’s Office to MIYFS where they meet with the Diversion Counselor to establish diversion agreements that assign certain responsibilities and consequences to the youth. In addition to the formal diversion process, MIYFS has worked with the Mercer Island Police to develop the Early Intervention Program, which provides an opportunity for families to respond to a youth’s arrest within a very short period following the incident. This service is strictly voluntary, but is welcomed by many families who desire timely accountability and a structured format for exploring issues related to youths’ actions. -more-
