The Palm Beach County Youth Services Department has been recognized with four Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) in the categories of children and youth and civic education and public information. The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

NACo recognized the following programs:
 
Education and Training Center's Equity and Diversity Program - The program offers free trainings to multidisciplinary professionals in Palm Beach County and outreach to youth, families, and various community organizations. The program functions as a proactive intervention in the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
 
Highridge Family Center's Intensive Outpatient Program - Highridge Family Center is a trauma-informed residential treatment program for Palm Beach County youth. During the pandemic, Highridge altered programming to become an Intensive Outpatient Program, to serve a population that was in need of a higher level of care. The alteration of the program and conversion to an IOP was the first time in over twenty-five years that the program changed its five-day residential structure.
 
Summer Camp Scholarship Program (SCSP) During a Pandemic – SCSP offers eligible children a full scholarship to day camp for the entire summer. The SCSP demonstrated flexibility, creativity, and provided support to the program's providers during the pandemic allowing providers to utilize in-person, virtual-only, and a hybrid option that offered a blend of both in-person and virtual camps.
 
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) During a Pandemic - SFSP provides meals and snacks to eligible children during the summer months and in times of emergency. During the onset of the pandemic, the closing of brick and mortar schools meant that children were at risk of missing meals. To bridge feeding gaps, the SFSP facilitated meetings with the vendor, acquired sites, and trained supervisors to begin Pre-Summer Feeding in April of 2020.
For more information on the programs recognized, visit pbcgov.com/youthservices.