Partners in Student Well-Being: YES Honored with WASA Community Leadership Award
Heather Tow-Yick, at left, Issaquah School District (ISD) Superintendent; Alaina Sivadasan, ISD Executive Director of Elementary; Kristie Neklason, YES School-Based Program former Director; Jackie Bui, YES School Programs and Community Impact Chief; Laura Hitchcock, YES CEO.
When YES supports students through our School-Based Behavioral Health Program, our counselors become part of the school community. They’re walking the halls, checking in with students during lunch, leading small groups, providing one-on-one counseling, and serving as trusted adults when young people need someone to turn to.
That work is only possible because of strong partnerships with local school districts. Together with Bellevue, Issaquah, and Lake Washington school districts, YES helps support the mental health and well-being of about 70,000 students across the Eastside.
This spring, that partnership was recognized when Youth Eastside Services received the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Community Leadership Award, following a nomination from the Issaquah School District. The award honors community organizations that have made outstanding contributions to education through leadership, collaboration, and lasting benefit for students.
“We’re honored to receive this recognition, but what it really celebrates is the partnership we’ve built with our school districts,” said Laura Hitchcock, CEO, Youth Eastside Services. “When schools and community organizations work together, we can meet students where they are and ensure more young people have access to the support they need to thrive.”
The Issaquah School District recognized YES for its expanding partnership to increase access to school-based mental health services. Beginning with the 2026–27 school year, YES will serve as the district’s primary provider of school-based behavioral health services, helping students access prevention education, small-group support, individual therapy, and crisis response in the place they spend most of their day.
Alongside school counselors, YES School-Based Behavioral Health Specialists have the time and clinical expertise to address behavioral health needs directly while connecting students and families to additional counseling and community resources when needed.
This fall, YES will continue expanding its School-Based Behavioral Health Program, bringing mental health support to even more students across the Eastside. We’re grateful to our school partners for their trust and collaboration as we work together to help every young person thrive.