History

Danbury Youth Services, Inc. (DYS) originated in the 1960s as Danbury Area Unified Social Services, Inc. (DAUSS). Initially tasked with coordinating and expanding social services in Danbury, the Agency faced early challenges, particularly with its experimental programs: Interchange, a drug counseling program, and Liberty House, a group home for troubled youth. These programs operated outside traditional frameworks and faced funding competition from other agencies.

In 1977, new leadership shifted the Agency’s focus exclusively to youth services, leading to a rebranding in 1979 as Danbury Youth Services, Inc. (DYS) and its designation as the Youth Services Bureau for Danbury.

Throughout the 1980s, DYS expanded its youth programs, including Youth and Family Counseling, Hotline, Youth Shelter Program, Big Brother/Big Sister Program, and an Aftercare/Re-Entry Program for ex-offenders. The 1990s saw DYS become an affiliate of United Way of Northern Fairfield County, securing substantial funding for programs such as Substance Abuse Prevention (TARGET), Youth and Family Counseling, and Teenage Education and Mentoring. New initiatives included the Earn-A-Bike Program, Youth Employment Services, and One-on-One Mentoring for foster youth.

By 2000, DYS had grown enough to purchase a new facility at 91 West Street, where it still operates. Over the past fifty-five years, DYS has adapted to community needs and funding changes, maintaining a continuum of care with programs in prevention, intervention, education, treatment, and aftercare. Long-standing services like Youth and Family Counseling have been complemented by newer programs such as the Juvenile Review Board and Truancy Solutions Partnership. DYS remains committed to providing quality programs and comprehensive services to all youth, regardless of their ability to pay, through collaboration with local agencies and organizations.