Earlier this month, our Butte community-based services crew brought Easter to life for the youth and families they serve.
The team organized egg hunts at the park, hosted crafts and games at the office, and even made hand-dyed eggs—courtesy of Madelin Speer, Targeted Case Manager, and her chickens. Our kids spent the day laughing, creating, and connecting with each other and the caring adults around them.
Simple moments like these leave a real impact. They build positive memories, strengthen trust, and remind kids they are seen and valued.
Celebrating Connection and Community
In Butte, our team creates spaces where youth feel connected, supported, and seen.
Activities like these give kids a chance to experience joy, connection, and moments of celebration. They strengthen trust, build resilience, and help youth keep moving forward with confidence.
Beyond the holidays, our Butte community-based services team works daily to strengthen families, build skills, and support youth in staying connected to the people and communities that matter most.
Thank You to Our Butte Community-Based Services Team
We’re grateful to our Butte team for bringing heart, joy, and connection to the kids and families we serve. No doubt, their care and commitment makes a difference.
We were proud to sponsor Pheasants Forever this year—supporting wildlife conservation and youth development in a truly hands-on way. As part of our partnership, we donated 50 pheasants raised with care by students at Yellowstone Academy at the Ranch through our Vocational Agriculture (Voc-Ag) program.
Building Responsibility & Life Skills Through Voc-Ag
At the Ranch, our Voc-Ag program gives youth the opportunity to raise pheasants from egg to maturity. With support from staff, students learn how to care for the birds throughout every stage of life—feeding, monitoring, and preparing them for release into the wild. Along the way, they build responsibility, confidence, and life skills that will serve them far beyond the classroom.
This hands-on experience also fosters a deep connection to the natural world and instills a lasting sense of pride in giving back—both to their community and to Montana’s wild places.
Partnering with Pheasants Forever to Support Conservation in Montana
Partnering with Pheasants Forever reflects our commitment to service, stewardship, and creating opportunities for youth to build skills for life. The organization plays a vital role in preserving wildlife habitats, promoting outdoor education, and ensuring that future generations of Montanans can experience the outdoors.
By contributing student-raised pheasants, we’re not only supporting local conservation efforts—we’re empowering youth through meaningful, real-world learning that benefits both people and the land.
It’s an honor to support Pheasants Forever’s mission while helping our students grow, give back, and make a lasting impact.
What a match! April 2nd marked the end of volleyball season at the Ranch, and our youth wrapped it up in style—with a spirited game against staff. In a close and exciting match, the staff team edged out a win with a final score of 25–21.
More Than Just a Volleyball Game
While the scoreboard showed a staff victory, the real wins this season came to the kids through the lessons learned on the court. Throughout the season, our youth practiced teamwork, communication, strategy, and perseverance—skills that extend far beyond the game.
From learning to collaborate with peers to encouraging each other through challenges, our volleyball season offered more than just physical activity. It created space for connection, growth, and a whole lot of fun.
We’re incredibly proud of the heart, hustle, and positive spirit our youth brought to every practice and game. And we’re grateful to the staff who stepped up—not just for the final match, but for encouraging and supporting the kids all season long.
🏐 Here’s to a season full of memories, movement, and moments that matter.
YBGR Shelby recently joined Logan Health’s CycleMT fundraiser, rallying behind a powerful cause: raising funds for Montana children facing serious medical hardships.
The high-energy stationary bike relay brought community members together to support youth across the state—kids whose needs aren’t fully met by traditional funding sources.
YBGR Shelby in Action for Montana Kids
For YBGR Shelby, CycleMT was more than just a fun competition—it was a mission in motion. Funds raised during the event directly support children and families facing the overwhelming costs of medical care, including travel, lodging, and other essentials. These efforts ensure more Montana kids have access to the resources they need to stay healthy.
Events like this create a ripple effect of hope and healing, and we’re proud that our team showed up, heart and soul, to be part of it.
Living the Mission—At Work and Beyond
At Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR), our commitment to kids doesn’t end when the workday does. We believe in living the mission—at work and beyond—and that means stepping up for our communities in meaningful ways, like volunteering time and energy to causes that align with our values.
Our Shelby team’s participation in CycleMT reflects that spirit of service. It’s a powerful reminder that the same values guiding our work with youth extend into every corner of our lives. We’re proud to support efforts that make Montana a better place for children and families, one ride at a time.
Thank you, Logan Health, for leading the charge. We’re honored to ride alongside you for a cause that matters.
At Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR), we’re committed to meeting kids where they are—and for many, that means providing support right inside their schools. Through partnerships with 24 school districts across Montana, YBGR delivers school-based mental health services that help students stay engaged, build resilience, and thrive both in and out of the classroom.
What Are School-Based Mental Health Services?
School-based mental health services integrate therapeutic support into the daily school experience. Led by therapists, our teams of behavior specialists work directly in classrooms to deliver targeted interventions and counseling tailored to each child’s needs.
Support doesn’t end at the school doors—our services extend into homes and communities, creating wraparound care that provides stability and consistency for youth and families alike. This model keeps kids in school, reduces disruptions, and builds strong foundations for emotional and academic success.
A Statewide Effort to Support Students in Schools
From small rural communities to more populated school districts, YBGR’s school-based teams are making a meaningful difference across the state. These caring professionals play a vital role in early intervention, helping students navigate challenges before they escalate.
To our school-based community care teams: thank you. Your compassion, skill, and dedication are empowering Montana kids with the tools they need for life.
Today, six months later, we’re not just marking a milestone—we’re seeing real momentum and measurable impact.
That goal isn’t just taking root. It’s reshaping how care reaches kids across Montana.
Before joining forces, YDI and YBGR each served around 2,000 kids a year. Today, together, we’re reaching that many every day.
Integrated Care in Action
Here’s what we’ve accomplished since Youth Dynamics joined the YBGR team:
Expanded Access and Increased Capacity
The majority of our therapeutic group homes are now at full capacity, with efforts underway to reopen additional locations across Montana. This growth allows more youth to receive care closer to home in an environment that bridges higher levels of treatment and community-based support.
Integrated care is reducing delays and strengthening transitions between different levels of service. In our second month as a unified organization, nearly 800 youth entered care under YBGR—a milestone made possible by shared systems, strong collaboration, and the combined strengths of both teams.
Youth now move more seamlessly through the continuum—from case management to group homes to residential treatment—receiving timely, connected support with fewer disruptions.
Increased Responsiveness
Our ability to respond to shifting needs has increased significantly with aligned teams and shared systems. Integrated care allows us to move quickly and deliver the right care at the right time.
When 13-year-old Jason’s needs escalated last fall, that responsiveness made all the difference. After transitioning from residential care at the Ranch to a previous Youth Dynamics group home, it became clear he needed more support.
In the past, moving him to a higher level of care could have taken weeks—time he didn’t have. But one call from Program Manager Jennifer Hawks was all it took to get him the help he needed—without hospitalization or disruption.
“Unifying as one provider allowed us to act fast and provide the care Jason needed when he needed it most.”— Jennifer Hawks, Group Home Program Manager
Across Montana—from Billings to Boulder, Glendive to Great Falls, Malta, Colstrip, and beyond—youth are getting help faster, more consistently, and in environment built for healing.
“With the addition of YDI into our ranks, I’m so grateful that YBGR is able to expand more in the Great Falls area!” — Stacey Sullivan, Therapist, Great Falls
Our progress reflects the strength of a unified mission and the dedication of the people carrying it forward. It shows what happens when two teams come together around a shared vision—and lean in to do hard things for the right reasons.
And we’re just getting started.
This progress is only possible because of the people behind it.
To our teammates across the state—thank you for showing up, embracing the vision behind this new path, and helping carry our mission forward: “Caring people, preparing youth for life.”
March’s delivery from Amazon brought more than just snack bags to the Ranch—it brought joy, excitement, and a wave of gratitude from the kids we serve. As part of a generous donation, Amazon provided individually packed snack bags for every child on campus.
The response? Pure happiness. The smiles, laughter, and energy in the lodges made it clear—this simple gesture made a big impact.
Supporting Youth with More Than Just Snacks
We’re incredibly grateful to Amazon for their continued support of our mission. Donations like these go a long way in making our kids feel cared for and seen. While the snack bags were a hit, the real impact was in the message behind them: you matter.
At Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, we know that meaningful experiences like this can leave a lasting impression. When kids experience generosity and community support firsthand, it helps reinforce their sense of worth and belonging.
From all of us at YBGR, thank you to Amazon for investing in the well-being of youth at the Ranch. Your support helps us continue our work in preparing them for life.
Get Involved
Want to learn more about how your organization can support our kids? Visit Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation at yellowstonefoundation.org.
See the signs that Jennifer Bauman and Stacey Sullivan, Therapists, are proudly showcasing at our Great Falls Community Office? They’re among the first in a statewide signage rollout happening now through early summer.
These new signs represent more than a visual update—they bring a clean, consistent, and unified face to the brick-and-mortar spaces where caring people at YBGR prepare youth for life.
From our community offices to group home campuses, the fresh new look ensures each site is easily recognizable and welcoming, reinforcing our commitment to youth where our mission hits the pavement in the areas we serve.
As installations continue across the state, keep an eye out for new signs going up in a community near you. Each one is a visible reminder of the hope, healing, and connection happening within.
Earlier this week, students at Yellowstone Academy participated in the ACT exam—a crucial academic milestone and a step forward on the path to college and future opportunities.
ACT Prepares Youth for What’s Next
The ACT, administered on the Ranch campus in Billings, helps students explore post-secondary options and set goals for what comes next. For the kids we serve, it’s more than just a test. It’s a chance to think beyond today—to imagine possibilities and take tangible steps toward them.
Education is provided through Yellowstone Academy, working hand-in-hand with the therapeutic support students receive through YBGR. This experience highlights the strength of that partnership—helping kids stabilize, heal, and re-engage with learning in a way that prepares them for life, not just school.
A Shared Commitment
Moments like this bring our mission to life: Caring people, preparing youth for life. They also align with Yellowstone Academy’s mission: To provide excellence in education through trusting, positive, and supportive relationships.
We’re proud of our kids for showing up, setting goals, and stepping into their future with purpose.
Big changes are underway at River’s Edge, one of our therapeutic group homes serving youth in Billings. With generous support from the Charles M. Bair Family Trust, renovations have officially begun—starting with brand-new, energy-efficient windows.
River’s Edge provides essential mental health support and safe housing for youth in need of stability, structure, and care in a family-style environment. These renovations are part of a more significant effort to strengthen the environment where healing happens every day.
Investing in the Future of River’s Edge
Thanks to HB 872 grant funding through the State of Montana, the next phase of improvements at River’s Edge includes new roofing, siding, and doors. These upgrades enhance safety, reduce energy costs, and support long-term sustainability—ensuring the home can continue to serve Montana kids for years to come.
Renovations like these reflect our commitment to building safe, welcoming environments where youth can thrive. As we continue improving our facilities across the state, the work at River’s Edge marks a meaningful step forward in strengthening access to care.
