Youth for Change
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Youth For Change (YFC) mission is to enhance the well being of children, families, individuals, and communities.
- Income
- $23.0 million
- Spending
- $18.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 14.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 88%
- Employees
- 226
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $197,187, psychiatrist
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $6.5 million spent. Mental Health and Medication Support Services - serves clients who demonstrate emotional and behavioral needs that meet medical necessity for mental health treatment. The therapeutic treatment includes various modalities which include, but are not limited to, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy. The program clinicians may provide individual and or family therapy; provide case management for brokerage and linkage to new services; collateral services for caregivers or other significant members of the client's life such as teachers or social workers; and rehabilitation services for skill building. The goal of mental health therapy is to reduce functional impairment. Treatment may be provided at the office or in the home.Medication support services includes the prescribing and monitoring of psychiatric medications or biologicals necessary to alleviate the symptom of mental illness. These services were provided by licensed psychiatrists and nursing staff.
- $3.1 million spent. The Wraparound Adoptions program is made available to families with adoptive children in Northern California. The focus is on the individual needs of one child, one family, and one plan. Wrap Adoptions builds on the strengths of each individual within the family and the goal is to create a unified family plan for the future. Youth for Change is committed to providing Wrap Adoptions services that are family-centered, strength-based and needs driven. In 2024-2025, the Wrap Adoptions program provided family care and treatment to 41 families, resulting in avoiding approximately 283 months of placement in a facility outside their home.The Wraparound program (Senate Bill 163) is based on the family and the community working together. The focus is on the individual needs of one child, one family, and one plan. Wraparound builds on the strengths of each individual within the family and the goal is to create a unified family plan for the future. Youth for Change is committed to providing Wraparound services that are family-centered, strength-based and needs driven. In 2024-2025 the Wraparound program provided family care and treatment to 79 families in both Butte and Sutter Counties, resulting in avoiding approximately 477 months of placement in a facility outside their home.
- $1.6 million spent. The Youth for Change Foster Family Agency (FFA) certifies Foster Care homes and provides training and therapeutic services for foster parents and children placed in the foster care system. For fiscal year 2024-2025, Youth For Change FFA served 26 children resulting in a total of 3,602 bed nights of care during the period covered.
- $4.4 million spent. The Foster Care Transitional Housing Program began in 2001 offering an experience of independent living for current young adults in the foster care system. This housing opportunity is available to minors aged 17 who are soon emancipating from state care. The program provides basic living assistance including rent, food, clothing, household supplies, transportation assistance, etc., as well as support from a program case manager, mentor, county social worker and independent living advisor. In fiscal year 2024-2025, the Foster Care Transitional Housing Program provided support to 25 clients and approximately 5,786 days of care.The Transitional Housing Plus Program (THP+) provides young adults age 18-24 who were previously in the foster care system the opportunity for emotional and financial support while pursuing goals to live self-sufficiently. To be eligible for THP Plus a youth must have emancipated from the foster care system, be participating in the Butte County Independent Living Program and maintaining employment or education. Youth for Change strives to work with young adults in THP Plus for at least 6 months and up to two years to assist them in their journey to self-sufficiency. For fiscal year 2024-2025 THP+ served 14 clients for a total of 4,018 bed nights.Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC) is an evidence-based, behavior modification program for youth age 12-18 that works with youth who have emotional and behavioral issues that prevent placement stability. When placed in ISFC, youth are immersed in an environment that is consistent and reinforcing of pro-social behaviors. Youth are mentored to develop academic and life skills, and their daily lives are structured with clear and consistent expectations and limits. Discipline in the ISFC Model involves specified consequences, which is delivered through a teaching approach. What makes ISFC unique is that it not only provides treatment to the youth, but also simultaneously works with their parents, relatives or other Aftercare Resource to teach and practice effective parenting. This combination allows the positive changes made while the youth is in treatment to be maintained when they return home. For fiscal year 2024-2025 ISFC served 5 clients for a total of 1,194 bednights.The 6th Street Center for Youth, or LINK program, addresses the immediate and long-range needs of homeless and runaway youth in Butte County. We provide basic needs: showers, laundry services, nutritious food, warm clothing, computer access and a safe haven to give them respite from violence and exploitation. We also provide individual case management/counseling services to address immediate needs and personal goals such as: counseling, crisis intervention, tutoring, education, life skills training, employment development and family reunification.The HEART Program (Homeless Emergency Action Response Team) offers 24-hour services to homeless and runaway youth under the age of 18 and their caregivers in Butte County. Clinical and case managements services also provided for approximately 274 hours during the 2024-2025 fiscal year.Supervised Visitation Center, opened during the 2015-2016 fiscal year, continued to provide supervised visitation services in Oroville. Youth For Change also started providing visitation services in Yuba County in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, and in Chico in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.As a neutral party, Children's Services (FARE) program provides case plan development, and reassessment and adjustment, for families who are involved with Children's Services. The program manager of the FARE program also facilitates the Interagency Specialty Placement Unit meeting that meets weekly on Tuesday afternoons.6th St Mental Health includes access to the resources available under tier one plus mental health services including; assessment and evaluation, individual and group therapy, rehabilitation, individualized plan development and case management. Outcome measures include FIT scores, CANS and progress towards meeting goals identified in the individual case plan. For fiscal year 2024-2025 approximately 403 client hours were provided.The Housing Program is a way to expand housing options for unserved or underserved transition age youth who are consumers of 6th Street or Butte County Behavioral Health. In keeping with the recovery model philosophy of "whatever it takes" to help consumers on their path to recovery, having housing units available is a first step towards assisting consumers achieve self-sufficiency. The Master Lease Housing Program provides permanent supportive housing for consumers of 6th Street Center and/or Butte County Behavioral Health TAY services. Eligible consumers are low-income TAY between 16-24 years of age who have severe emotional disorders or serious mental illness and are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Support services focused on development of independent living skills needed to maintain safe and stable housing are provided throughout the program. Outcome measures include length of stay in housing, status at exit and progress towards meeting goals identified in the individual case plan.Butte County California Home Visiting Program (CHVP): Youth for Change provides certified Parents as Teachers home visitors to support Butte County families with young children ages 0-3, as they experience and overcome challenges every parent faces. The CHVP is fun, increases parenting confidence and satisfaction, helps babies reach developmental milestones, and provides navigation support to parents to access community resources. Butte County CalWORKs Home Visiting Program (CalWORKs HVP): Youth for Change provides certified Parents as Teachers home visitors to support Butte County families having young children ages 0-24 months and enrolled in the Butte County CalWORKs program. The CalWORKs HVP activities count toward CalWORKs requirements, are fun, increase parent confidence and satisfaction, help babies reach developmental milest
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1995.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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