Missoula, Mont. — Youth Homes opened its new Birnbaum Home in Missoula, with children set to begin arriving on September 15th.
The nonprofit cut the ribbon on the new home on Wednesday. The facility has been built for kids ages 10 to 17 who are going through crises and need a place to stay.
The home can serve eight young people at a time and about 100 each year. Youth Homes CEO Amy Schaer said it will help keep kids out of dangerous situations.
“The kids would be potentially going to the emergency room or the psychiatric unit at the hospital,” Schaer said. “Detention is another alternative or, sometimes kids are sleeping on the floor of a social workers office.”
Youth Homes named the home after the late Geoff Birnbaum, the longtime executive director of the organization. At the ribbon cutting, his daughter Mona Birnbaum said her father would have been proud of the new space.
“His drive, his commitment and his legacy are so deserving of this honor. Our family is deeply grateful and incredibly humbled by all the friends and colleagues here today,” said Mona Birnbaum.
Schaer said Youth Homes had seen strong results from its work with residents at other facilities.
“We do resident surveys, when kids are in our home, 90% of our kids are completing their treatment plans and kids are reporting that they feel safe,” Schaer said.
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