YES Summer Programs

YES offers a variety of programs to support youth mental health, well-being and resilience across the Eastside this summer. Contact us for availability, location and wait list information. Thank you to King County Integrated Care Network for funding these programs.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) program

This program will support youth and their families in learning coping skills throughout the summer of 2026. Weekly multi-family DBT skills groups will support up to ten youth and their caregivers who are struggling with emotion regulation, family conflict and impulsiveness. The DBT program will provide a 2-hour weekly group to learn and practice skills together in a fun, friendly environment. This program is either insurance-reimbursed or has a sliding scale fee up to $60 per session for those not using insurance.

Summer Camp for LWSD Middle School Students

The YES LWSD Summer camp will be able to accommodate 30 Lake Washington School District (LWSD) middle school students. The goal of summer camp is to provide a safe and substance free space for middle school students during the summer months through a variety of activities that are both therapeutic and non-therapeutic. The camp is facilitated and designed by master’s level clinicians and those pursuing master’s degrees in the counseling field. Campers will engage in team building games such as completing scavenger hunts and obstacle courses, participate in group check-in and check-outs to build emotional regulation skills, participate in mindfulness activities, and go on field trips in the community. Contact lwsdsummercamp@youtheastsideservices.org for more information.

YOUTH SHINE: Community-based summer programs

YOUTH SHINE summer programming engages youth in social-emotional learning (SEL) and provides opportunities for youth who experience risk factors. Our programming promotes the development of healthy relationships and social-emotional skills that can mitigate mental health risks. We also facilitate integrated care by engaging youth who receiving behavioral health counseling services to enhance their treatment and keep them engaged during the summer; we further introduce behavioral health options to youth who experience a significant amount of risk factors, stressors and barriers accessing treatment. Through YOUTH SHINE Summer Programming underrepresented youth will have options for safe, prosocial activities, welcoming spaces that foster wellness, skill building and opportunities to grow and shine.

Programs include: Summer Mariposa Latina Girls Group: Latiné Youth and Family Services Program-serving Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland and Issaquah; Summer Latino Boys and Young Men’s Group: Latiné Youth and Family Services Program-serving Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland; Guys Group: Real-World Navigation Group: BIPOC Youth Engagement Specialist-serving Kirkland; Summer Hangout Series: Activities, Food & Connection: Boys & Girls Club Youth Case Manager-serving Bellevue and onsite youth participants; Youth Music Access Pilot: Crossroads Community Center (CCC) Youth Case Manager-serving Bellevue and onsite youth participants; Summer Experience Lab: Exploration & Try Something New Series: Crossroads Community Center Youth Case Manager-serving Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland; Back-to-School Community Event: Crossroads Community Center Youth Case Manager-serving Bellevue and CCC site members from Redmond, Kirkland; Pro-social and leadership group activities serving Latiné youth from Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland Issaquah.

For these programs, contact Tina Morales for more information, TinaM@YouthEastsideServices.org.

Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS)

This neuro-affirming, evidence-based program will support adolescent youth in learning social skills throughout the summer of 2026. Weekly PEERS social skills groups will support up to ten neurodivergent youth who struggle with making friends, keeping friends, and effectively engaging in reciprocal social communications and interactions. The PEERS group will provide a weekly, 90-minute group to practice skills together in a safe, fun environment. This program is either insurance-reimbursed or has a sliding scale fee up to $60 per session for those not using insurance. Please contact Hermine Banga for more information: hermine.banga@youtheastsideservices.org.

BGLAD support group for LGBTQ+ youth

This summer (2026), we will provide BGLAD support group activities for 5-10 members weekly. BGLAD is a drop-in support group for LGBTQ+ youth, with the goal of creating and maintaining safe LGBTQ+ youth space for expression, acceptance, support, and building positive social relationships and healthy activities.

Summer Pro-Social Activities Group

The Pro-Social Activities Group is designed for youth (ages 14–18) navigating the journey of mental health and/or substance use recovery. This group provides a supportive summer experience designed to help youth build confidence, strengthen prosocial skills, and make positive peer connections in a safe and judgment-free environment. This group offers teens a stigma-free space to replace isolation with community and stress with sustainable joy. Each session pairs with a therapeutic group check-in with recreational and creative activities, providing an exciting way for participants to strengthen their skills and build positive social connections while having a genuinely fun summer. This program is either insurance-reimbursed or has a sliding scale fee up to $60 per session for those not using insurance. No additional cost for the activities.

Seven Challenges Groups Summer Event

In addition to Summer Prosocial Activity Group, YES is also planning on incorporating different summer activities specifically for the Seven Challenges Group to promote fun and healthy social connection, self-discovery, as well as reflecting and celebrating effort made towards working on substance use issues and life challenges. This program is either insurance-reimbursed or has a sliding scale fee up to $60 per session for those not using insurance.

For both Prosocial Activities Group and Seven Challenges Group Summer Event please contact Ann.Chen@youtheastsideservices.org for more information.