LAS CRUCES – Families and Youth, Inc. has renamed its image with a new name: Families and Youth Innovations Plus.
The FYI + team hopes the new name will grab the public’s attention and let them know that FYI + is more than just a service for teenagers or families, it is a resource for any community member seeking help.
The idea behind the renaming is to “always embody the plus,” as FYI + chief executive officer Brian Kavanaugh said Friday afternoon during a ribbon cutting ceremony.
“Our identity has been reinvented, recharged, and renamed,” said Kavanaugh. “We would like to welcome you all to rediscover who we are and how we as Families and Youth Innovations Plus can serve and support the community.”
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FYI + has provided a variety of services to children, families, and community members for decades. First known as Children in Need of Services (CHINS) before renaming in 1987.
Its services include well-known offers such as the summer meal program and therapy programs. The company also provides housing, housing, mental health resources, and other health services.
Kavanuagh said no specific or individual changes would be made to the company’s services. He explained that the change is more of an expanded view of what the company is capable of.
“We’re not necessarily changing our trajectory in relation to what we’re doing, we’re just expanding it,” said Kavanaugh. “We have grown tremendously in the last few years, both in terms of programs and employees, in terms of our training, our capacities and our expertise, which really contributes to a new identity.”
During Kavanaugh’s speech, he mentioned the 2013-2016 investigation into FYI’s Medicaid behavior and possible double billing. The court exonerated FYI after three years, but the company suffered.
Kavanaugh said this period allowed FYI to reevaluate its mission and eventually led to that renaming.
“It really felt like it was time for us to move forward and develop the brand and image in an inclusive way,” said Jolene Martinez, chief operating officer of FYI +. “We want people to know about us that we are adaptable, that we can innovate with you. So it’s more of an invitation to get people to really explore our identity. “
Martinez said when hearing “families and teens” people often think the group’s services are limited to those with children. She hopes the “plus” will invite community members to explore more of the company’s services.
Martinez said some of the programs she wants the community to be aware of include LGBTQ + resources and an emergency shelter that provides temporary homes to people ages 12-17.
All people have individual needs. Martinez and FYI + would like to highlight that the company is looking for new ways to help community members that are not suitable for everyone.
“We really challenge ourselves to be innovative and do it in our own unique way,” said Martinez. “I think that really inspired us to add the ‘plus’ to make sure people know we are doing more than just that service. It will be different. “
FYI + has a new website. Information on the company’s services can be found at fyiplusnm.org/.
Miranda Cyr, a member of the Report for America corps, can be reached at [email protected] or @mirandabcyr on Twitter. Show your support for the Report for America program at https://bit.ly/LCSNRFA.
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