Adult Friends for Youth's (AFY) mission is to reduce and eliminate substance abuse, gang-related activities, and family dysfunction in an effort to enhance the potential for ALL youth to achieve a rewarding life and become productive members of society.

Description:
Adult Friends for Youth (AFY) has been providing therapeutic prevention and mental health programs for high-risk youth for 22 years. Most recently, Mental Health America of Hawaii awarded AFY as their Outstanding Community Mental Health Agency in recognition of "a pioneering therapeutic approach" in the field. At its award ceremony honoring AFY, MHA wrote, "Troubled youth know that they can depend on AFY to never give up on them, and we are honored to salute you for that commitment." AFY believes that no youth or child is beyond hope. Its therapeutic approach, Redirectional Therapy, has helped some of the highest-risk youth on Oahu, and its outreach services have focused on communities with some of the highest levels of critical youth issues, including drug use, unemployment, crime, poverty, gang involvement, teen pregnancy, and truancy, helping redirect their pent-up energy from destructive to constructive activities.

History:
Initially established at the University of Hawaii School of Social Work in 1985 under a federal grant, Adult Friends for Youth (AFY) has been helping build stronger communities and safe schools by providing services to youth in need, receiving wide recognition from the community for its work with the highest-risk youth.

Contact people:

Jane Tampon, Executive Assistant, (phone), (email) Cynthia Emoto, Grants / Communications, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (808) 833-6469

Address:

3375 Koapaka Street, Ste. B290 Honolulu, HI 96819 (See a map)

Web Site: http://afyhawaii.com

Directions:

Take the Nimitz Highway, heading Ewa(west) to Paiea Street. Turn left on Paiea. Turn right on Koapaka. On the lefthand side, take the ramp up, at the Airport Industrial Park. Turn right at the first level "B." Office is on. . . (more)