Youth Services of Bryan County celebrated its grand reopening and expansion with an open house recently.
Founded in 1971, YSBC helps at-risk youth and their families through counseling, education, life skills, and community- based programs. Dedicated to promoting healthy behavior, social responsibility, and personal growth, YSBC serves youth struggling within educational and social systems.
Courtney Dukes, executive director of YSBC, said the open house was to celebrate and show the community what the agency has been able to accomplish through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars they received.
“Those are federal dollars from COVID 19 that were passed down to the states and they allowed the states to delegate what they would fund with those dollars and so our state legislators decided that they would fund capital improvements with the ARPA dollars and with that, we had to be awarded through a proposal through a grant writing process and they picked which proposals they wanted to fund with that.”
According to Dukes, there was almost $2 billion allocated, and businesses and nonprofi t organizations statewide wrote proposals for capital improvements.
“They received over 1,400 applications,” Dukes said. “We’re part of Youth Services Association and we collectively submitted our application as one with each of our individual proposals as one large proposal and so through the association, we were awarded $33 million where Youth Services of Bryan County was awarded just shy of $1.5 million.”
She said that 1,800 square feet was added to the facility that included a large conference room and a group room they will use to host the summer school and after school programs, plus it will used as fun space where children can get services.
The expansion was completed at the end of 2025, Dukes said.
According to Dukes, YSBC does everything from preven- tion, intervention and diversion programs for the youth.
“We also now are serving the adult population through our Work Readiness program and our Fathers in Action, which is a parenting program for dads and then we have our shelter services as well,” Dukes said.
YSBC is contracted with the Department of Human Services and the Office of Juvenile Affairs to provide shelter care for children who are in custody of the state.
“We’ve been trying to be heavy on the prevention side and be very proactive with some of the trends and patterns we’ve seen as kids transition into adulthood and those entered into the juvenile justice system continue that pattern and way of life into their adulthood,” Dukes said. “So, we’re really focusing on the prevention side and trying to give those kids education at early ages and keep them on the right path rather than trying to divert them once mistakes have been made.”
YSBC serves about 4,500 youth and families annually by partnering with other entities, according to Dukes.
“We partner with local partnerships to provide services at the Back to School Bash where we partner with the Turning Point Coalition and so we’re able to serve large groups that way, but directly in our care coming through our direct services, we serve around 2,000 per year,” Dukes said.
She said she appreciated the attendance for the open house. “It’s very humbling to be here today and the celebration and have all of our community show up and show their support to us,” Dukes said. “We couldn’t be who we are today and still thriving 55 years after our establishment without the community support, so I’m just very appreciative of all that they do for us.”
She spoke about an August 2024 Durant Democrat article when Dot Phelps, the first director of YSBC in 1971, was interviewed about the history of the agency.
“The one thing when I read it that just stood out to me was it talked about how Dot and the board had reached out to local churches and to the university here and they planted flowerbeds and they painted the building and things like that and it just is a reminder that the community is who’s always been behind us and helped us be successful and move onto that next phase of growth and services and things we can offer,” Dukes said. “How she relied on them back in 1971 when we were trying to get this thing started. We still rely on them today and they still show up for us and they are still.”
Kara Kuykendall is the president of the YSBC board of directors, and she said it was not just about reopening a building, it was about recognizing the people inside it who spent decades pouring their hearts into the youth and families of the county.
“Since 1971, YSBC has been a place where people can turn during some of the hardest moments of their lives,” Kuykendall said. “Whether it’s a child needing safety, a family needing guidance, a father trying to reconnect with his children, or a young person searching for direction and opportunity, this organization has continued to meet those needs with compassion and dignity.”
She said the services YSBC provides, from the shelter to outpatient counseling, Fathers in Action and the Work Ready programs are life changing.
“But what truly makes those programs successful is the staff behind them,” Kuykendall said. “Every day, these employees choose to carry burdens that are not their own. They listen, encourage, protect, advocate, and support families when they need it most. The work they do is not always easy, and many times it happens quietly and behind the scenes, but the impact is felt throughout this entire community.
“Today, YSBC employs 33 people who continue the mission that began over 50 years ago. That growth is a reflection of their dedication, their selflessness, and the trust this community has placed in them over generations. There are countless children, parents, and families whose lives look drastically different today because someone here cared enough to step in and help.”
