Bridges for Youth and Families (BYF) is a program that has provided services for homeless and runaway youth in Tompkins County since 1995. The BYF staff works closely with youth ages 12 to 21 who have run away or are contemplating doing so. Involvement in the program is voluntary and free for all youth in the county, and all services are culturally sensitive and confidential. BYF is governed by the Federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, which also provides funding for runaway youth centers on a grant basis. According to BYF employee W. Parker Rulison, "Our mission is to strengthen children and their families so they can live safely, independently, and productively within their home communities."

Specifically, the program aims to prevent teens from running away and to reunite runaways with their families. Although the problem of teens running away has not always been recognized as widespread in the local community, for some youths in the Tompkins County area, family situations may make running away from home seem the best option. To prevent teens from leaving their homes or to reunite them and their families, BYF offers support services and resources that help them communicate with families and mediate struggles.

Services provided include extensive case management, family mediation, short-term counseling, anger management groups, short-term emergency housing, advocacy, and pairing teens with host families. For each specific case, BYF creates an individualized goal plan for the teen to follow during the 90 days of service the program provides. While creating realistic goals, BYF staff try to accommodate the specific needs of each person they help. They also establish plans for the time after the end of the 90 days of intensive service. Each situation varies, however, and so do the services employed with each case. "The possibilities are endless," said Rulison.

BYF is currently reaching out to teens and members of the local community to make their services more accessible and more widely known. Students, staff, and IHS families can do their part to help. Teens who could use the services provided might be suffering through the following: academic difficulty; depression; anxiety; familial conflicts; "couch surfing;" discussing running away; or having run away already. To help, community members should give at-risk teens information about the program, said Rulison. If the teen is willing to receive help, they may set up an appointment with the staff as soon as possible by visiting Bridges for Youth and Families on the fourth floor of 120 W. State St. in Ithaca. Families can also volunteer to host runaway or homeless teens for temporary periods of time. The most important thing IHS community members can do is inform others of the program's services. As Rulison explained, "[BYF is] looking to the community to get the word out."