Friends of Youth

About Friends of Youth

Friends of Youth is a nonprofit in east King County, Washington, that has served young people and families for about 75 years with counseling, shelter, housing, and foster care. Their substance use services are built for youth and young adults: outpatient counseling for ages 12 to 24, delivered alongside mental health care through individual, family, and group sessions. They see recovery as closely tied to stability, so they pair counseling with housing help for young adults who are homeless or at risk of losing housing. Youth and families of all backgrounds are welcome, including BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ young people and caregivers.

Their counseling is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and family-centered, with caregivers actively involved and small groups where young people can build skills alongside peers. For adults ages 18 to 24 leaving inpatient behavioral health treatment without a safe place to go, their Bridge Pointe program offers up to 90 days in a substance-free home in Kirkland with private bedrooms. Residents receive on-site therapy, recovery support, medication coordination, peer-led groups, and daily coaching in practical skills like budgeting and cooking, plus help finding permanent housing. Young adults in King County who have a substance use disorder and limited income can also get short-term financial help with rent, deposits, housing costs tied to entering treatment, and rent at Oxford houses or recovery residences.