Welcome to Central Counties Youth Center

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 Central Counties Youth Center (CCYC) is a secure juvenile detention center established in 1982 and located in Centre County, PA. CCYC is owned by Centre, Huntingdon, Clinton, Mifflin, and Clearfield Counties, making it the only detention center in Pennsylvania with multiple owning counties. CCYC also serves numerous other counties throughout Central Pennsylvania. 

 The Central Counties Youth Center is a  structured environment providing secure,  safe surroundings for both the youth and the community while the youth await court proceedings. 

Although safety and security are the  foundation of our environment, we afford youth the opportunity to gain control of their lives by taking responsibility for their actions. This is accomplished through the structure,  redirection, and educational systems of the center and the role modeling, interaction, and experience of educated professionals. 

 While providing safety and security to our  residents, our goal is to promote positive  behavior in a controlled rule-guided setting. This includes but is not limited to using  appropriate rewards for well managed  behavior and use of positive coping skills, appropriate redirection when necessary, and above all the allowance of all residents to be independent and in control of their own  behaviors and emotions. 

Residents are provided school in-house from 9 AM to 3 PM during the school year (August-June). Individualized instruction plans are  developed based on academic levels of  learning gauged by their results from the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT). The WRAT assessment measures basic reeding, writing, math, and language skills. Special education services are provided for those students that may require an IEP. Summer language arts and poetry classes are also offered (June-August). 

 Recreation and physical exercise is an  important part of the resident’s liffe. Recreation programs are provided through school physical education classes, and open gym time offered during resident’s free time. The goal of  recreation and physical exercise is to assist with maintenance of energy levels, the therapeutic benefits of physical movement, teambuilding, building communication skills, increasing good decision making skills, self-esteem and self-confidence 

 Both male and female staff are employed at CCYC to assist in the care of both female and male residents during their short term stay  before they are assigned to placement by the Juvenile Justice System. Full and part time youth counselors are available to meet the needs of residents 24/7. 

 Our internship program provides students in various fields to experience the day-to-day workings of the detention center. Through the use of staff development programs, interns are afforded the opportunity to learn how the juvenile justice systems works. 

 Individuals and groups who have skills, talents abilities, and/or knowledge to share with the resident group are encouraged to apply for a volunteer commitment with the facility.  Volunteer opportunities are available for short or long-term commitments, and on a flexible schedule.