43 North Iowa
300 North Washington Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401
Youth and Shelter Services (YSS)
Also known as Ember Recovery/30 N Eisenhower
Address: 50 North Eisenhower Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401 · Map
Phone: (641) 423-7362
Intake: (515) 233-4930
Website: yss.org
About Youth and Shelter Services (YSS)
YSS of North Iowa is a program that supports adolescents who are experiencing homelessness, alongside challenges related to mental health and substance use. For more than 45 years, YSS has delivered education, counseling, and housing assistance to adolescents and families who need it most. A key priority of the center is to reduce homelessness among young people across Iowa by offering tools and support that help them build independence and escape the cycle of poverty.
YSS of North Iowa includes mental health counseling designed to give teens the help they need to improve stability and self-sufficiency. The center also works with case managers who support each individual in achieving education and long-term goals, offering guidance such as tutoring, help accessing financial aid, and referrals to additional services. The Ember Recovery addiction treatment program provides evidence-based care along with plans tailored to each youth, focusing on skills for preventing relapse in healthy ways. Through gender-responsive support, involvement of families, and a welcoming atmosphere, the center aims to make clients feel comfortable and encouraged during their recovery.
YSS of North Iowa offers a wide range of supports for adolescents experiencing homelessness at every stage of recovery and regardless of how ready they are to participate in services. The organization provides emergency beds to ensure youth can access safe, stable housing. Drop-in options are also available, including showers, laundry, hygiene supplies, free meals, employment support, and other helpful resources.
Services reported to SAMHSA
- Levels of care
- Residential/24-hour residential · Long-term residential · Short-term residential
- Treatment focus
- Substance use treatment · Treatment for co-occurring disorders plus serious mental illness (SMI) in adults · Treatment for co-occurring disorders plus serious emotional disturbance (SED) in children
- Opioid treatment
- Prescribes naltrexone · Relapse prevention with naltrexone · Accepts clients using MAT but prescribed elsewhere · Lofexidine or Clonidine detoxification
- Medications used
- Buprenorphine with naloxone · Naltrexone (oral) · Clonidine · Medication for mental disorders · Nicotine replacement · Non-nicotine smoking/tobacco cessation
- Treatment approaches
- Anger management · Brief intervention · Cognitive behavioral therapy · Contingency management/motivational incentives · Motivational interviewing · Matrix Model · Relapse prevention · Substance use disorder counseling · Telemedicine/telehealth therapy · Trauma-related counseling · 12-step facilitation
- Education and counseling
- HIV or AIDS education, counseling, or support · Hepatitis education, counseling, or support · Health education services other than HIV/AIDS or hepatitis · Substance use disorder education · Smoking/vaping/tobacco cessation counseling · Individual counseling · Group counseling · Family counseling · Vocational training or educational support (for example, high school coursework, GED preparation, etc.)
- Special programs
- Adolescents · Young adults · Criminal justice (other than DUI/DWI)/Forensic clients · Clients with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders · Clients who have experienced sexual abuse · Clients who have experienced intimate partner violence, domestic violence · Clients who have experienced trauma
- Ages accepted
- Children/Adolescents · Young Adults
- Genders accepted
- Female · Male
- Payment accepted
- Federal, or any government funding for substance use treatment programs · Medicaid · Federal military insurance (e.g., TRICARE) · Private health insurance · Cash or self-payment · State-financed health insurance plan other than Medicaid · SAMHSA funding/block grants
- Payment assistance
- Sliding fee scale (fee is based on income and other factors)
- Licensing and accreditation
- State substance use treatment agency · State department of health · Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
- Ownership
- Private non-profit organization
- Recovery support
- Housing services · Assistance with obtaining social services · Employment counseling or training
- Transitional services
- Aftercare/continuing care · Discharge Planning · Naloxone and overdose education · Outcome follow-up after discharge
- Other services
- Case management service · Domestic violence services, including family or partner · Mental health services · Social skills development · Suicide prevention services
- Language services
- Spanish
Facility-provided information
- Care offered
- Residential Rehab · Outpatient
- Substances treated
- Chronic Relapse · Co-Occurring Disorders · Drug Addiction
- Conditions treated
- Anxiety · Depression · Post Traumatic Stress Disorder · Trauma
- Therapies
- 1-on-1 Counseling · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy · Eye Movement Therapy (EMDR) · Family Therapy · Group Therapy · Life Skills · Online Therapy · Relapse Prevention Counseling · Trauma-Specific Therapy
- Approaches
- Evidence-Based · Family Involvement · Gender-Specific · Personalized Treatment · Trauma Informed
- Who it serves
- Adolescents · Boys · Children · Girls · LGBTQ+ · Men · Women · Young Adults
- Aftercare
- Continuing Care · Discharge Planning · Housing Services · Outpatient Treatment
- Amenities
- Allow Cell Phones · Business Center, Computers · Laundry Service
- Languages
- English
Questions to ask Youth and Shelter Services (YSS)
- Is my specific plan in network, and do you need prior authorization before admission?
- How long is the typical residential stay, and can family visit?
- Which medications do you prescribe (buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone), and can I continue a medication I already take?
- Do you treat mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety at the same time?
- Is there a waitlist, and how soon can you do an assessment?
- What happens after the program ends: aftercare, alumni groups or step-down care?
Also confirm the facility is licensed by Iowa (this facility reports accreditation). If you are withdrawing from alcohol or benzodiazepines, ask about medical detox; do not stop suddenly on your own.
Paying for treatment at Youth and Shelter Services (YSS)
Youth and Shelter Services (YSS) reports accepting Medicaid, Private insurance, TRICARE / VA, Sliding scale, Self-pay. With Iowa Medicaid, treatment is usually covered at little or no cost, though some levels of care need prior authorization. Most private plans must cover substance use treatment on terms comparable to other medical care under federal parity law. A sliding fee scale is available, so bring proof of income.
Distance to specialized care from Mason City
Measured from the population center of Cerro Gordo County, using SAMHSA locator data mapped by FindRehabMap:
- Nearest medical detox: Mason City, about 1.4 miles
- Nearest methadone clinic (OTP): Mason City, about 1.4 miles (1 within 25 miles)
- Nearest buprenorphine (Suboxone) provider: Mason City, about 1.4 miles (3 within 25 miles)
See the Cerro Gordo County treatment map, methadone clinics near Cerro Gordo County and Suboxone doctors near Cerro Gordo County.
Frequently asked questions
What services does Youth and Shelter Services (YSS) offer?
Youth and Shelter Services (YSS) reports these levels of care to SAMHSA: Residential, MAT, Dual diagnosis. Call to confirm current services and openings.
Does Youth and Shelter Services (YSS) accept insurance?
It reports accepting Medicaid, Private insurance, TRICARE / VA, Sliding scale, Self-pay. Ask whether your specific plan is in network before admission.
Where is Youth and Shelter Services (YSS) located?
50 North Eisenhower Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401.
How far is the nearest medical detox from Mason City?
From the center of Cerro Gordo County, the closest program offering medical detox is in Mason City, about 1.4 miles away (straight-line), based on SAMHSA locator data mapped by FindRehabMap.
Other treatment facilities in Mason City
Four Oaks Mason City
80 North Eisenhower Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401
Life Connections Mason City
202 1st St. SE, Ste. 108, Mason City, IA 50401
Prairie Ridge Integrated Behavioral
320 North Eisenhower Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401
Prairie Ridge Integrated Behavioral
320 North Eisenhower Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401
Youth and Shelter Services (YSS)
30 North Eisenhower Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401
See all 9 facilities in Mason City · Residential · Outpatient · MAT · Accepts Medicaid · Accepts Medicare · Private insurance
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Facility details come from SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov locator and facility-provided information. Confirm services, availability and payment directly with the facility.