(PCM+)Shelter. Support. Solutions.

Northern Oklahoma Youth Services Does It All

The following article appeared in the print issue of Ponca City Monthly magazine, which includes hyperlocal stories about Ponca City. Get full access to all online articles, videos, and content by becoming a paid subscriber. We offer free and paid subscription plans. Find rack locations to pick up your free print copy here, or subscribe here to get online access plus exclusive content.

Northern Oklahoma Youth Services (NOYS) is most widely known as our area’s temporary youth shelter, but the organization does so much more than that. NOYS was incorporated in 1971 and has been providing a youth shelter and preventative programs to our area for over 50 years. Their mission is “to empower and advocate for children, adolescents and families at-risk in North Central Oklahoma through home, agency and school-based programs offering temporary shelter for children and adolescents, integrated behavioral health outpatient counseling, prevention and intervention services.” NOYS serves Kay, Noble, (part of) Osage and Pawnee counties. There are no fees for any of the services offered by Northern Oklahoma Youth Services.

The Emergency Youth Shelter is one of the most important components of the work done at NOYS. The shelter is a 12-bed facility located at 2203 N. Ash Street in Ponca City. NOYS Executive Director James Carter says the shelter hosts an average of 7-8 kids per day. The shelter will accept youths ages 7-17, but James says they are mostly housing teens. The average length of stay is around three weeks, though the shelter sees a lot of kids who are only there for a few days.