State of Missouri - Department of Social Services, Division of Youth Services

The Division of Youth Services (DYS) is responsible for the care and treatment of youth committed to DYS custody by one of the 46 Missouri juvenile courts.

DYS provides:

• Individualized Care
• Day Treatment Services
• Residential Treatment Services
• Education Services
• Aftercare Services
• Family Engagement

The vision of the Missouri Division of Youth Services (DYS) is that every young person served by Missouri DYS will become a productive citizen and lead a fulfilling life. DYS is committed to protecting the safety of Missouri citizens by providing individualized, comprehensive, strengths and needs-based services that enable youth to successfully reintegrate into their home and community.

Small, regionalized, residential and non-residential programs and services have replaced the large training schools that once characterized DYS. In order to more effectively and efficiently administer the programs and services, DYS is divided into five geographic regions:

• Northeast
• Northwest
• St. Louis
• Southeast
• Southwest

DYS was created within the Department of Social Services through the Omnibus State Reorganization Act of 1974. DYS provides services to youth committed to the division’s custody and provides day treatment services to youth referred by other agencies and juvenile courts.