Why This Matters
Youth caregivers are present in every school, clinic, and community organization across New York State. Most are never formally identified.
Youth caregiving intersects with academic performance, attendance, mental health, family stability, and health equity.
Without identification frameworks, youth caregivers remain invisible within systems designed to support them.
Many go unrecognized, navigating academic and emotional strain in silence.
Education & Training
COYE delivers structured professional development grounded in research and practice.
Training Audiences:
• Educators and school leaders
• School social workers and counselors
• Healthcare providers
• Community-based organizations
• Youth-serving nonprofits
• Youth Caregivers
• HR and employee wellness teams
Training Topics:
• Identifying youth caregivers in educational and clinical settings
• Understanding caregiving intensity and functional impact
• Differentiating caregiving from truancy or disengagement
• Trauma-informed response strategies
• Referral and documentation protocols
• Cross-sector coordination practices
Delivery Formats:
• Professional development workshops
• Conference presentations
• Pop Up Tours
• Faculty and staff trainings
• Healthcare in-service sessions
• Executive briefings
Collaboration Pathways
COYE partners with institutions seeking structured integration of youth caregiver recognition across New York State.
Partnership Options:
• School-Based Implementation (SHARKS Model)
•“Are You a Youth Caregiver?” Pop-Up Tour
• Community Partnership Agreements
• Healthcare Referral Alignment
• Research Collaboration
• Policy Advisory Engagement
Referral Pathways
Professionals may refer youth who:
• Provide regular emotional, physical, or household caregiving
• Demonstrate academic strain linked to caregiving
• Experience attendance disruption related to family health responsibilities
• Express long-term caregiving concerns
COYE Referral Process Includes:
• Intake screening
• Tier placement assessment
• Service alignment
• Follow-up communication (with consent)
Technical Assistance
For districts, agencies, or healthcare systems seeking deeper integration within New York State, COYE offers:
• Screening tool implementation guidance
• Policy development consultation
• Training-of-trainers models
• Evaluation design support
• Cross-sector coordination frameworks
COYE’s model is designed to be scalable and replicable.
Research & Policy Collaboration (New York State)
COYE is actively advancing structured youth caregiver recognition policy in New York State.
Education and healthcare institutions may collaborate with COYE to support:
• Statewide data collection initiatives
• Pilot screening implementation across districts and health systems
• Pre/Post evaluation alignment
• Needs assessments and impact studies
• Legislative briefings and policy advisory participation
• Membership in the Youth Caregiver Coalition
By partnering in research and advocacy efforts, institutions contribute directly to building a formal identification and support framework for youth caregivers across New York State.
This is not simply program participation. It is systems reform.
Youth caregiving is not an isolated program issue.
It is a New York State systems alignment opportunity.
COYE works alongside education and healthcare professionals to ensure youth caregivers are identified early, supported appropriately, and recognized institutionally.