THE LEE COUNTY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER was founded in 1973 by two tireless community leaders, the late Mrs. Jane Walker and the late Mrs. Cecil Moreman. The agency began operation in response to a growing need for the residential placement and care of abused and neglected children. Over the course of more than thirty-five years, the scope of services provided has expanded to include community and home based prevention programs as well as therapeutic residential care.

The main campus of the agency is located on 15 acres in Opelika, Alabama, on property donated by the George King Family. Campus Residential programs include Correctional and Transitional Service Programs, The Chanticleer Learning Center, Outreach Services, The Psychological Services Clinic and Central Administration.

Off-site satellite locations include the Project Uplift office which is located on the campus of Auburn University, the Comprehensive Family Services Program located in the Lee County Department of Human Resources building, our Transitional Living Home, and our Independent Living Apartments.

As the only social service agency providing a comprehensive continuum of care for youth and families in this region of the state, Lee County Youth Development Center strives to maintain the highest standards of quality care, innovative prevention and treatment programs, and a team of motivated and committed employees. The agency employs a staff of approximately 200 full-time and part-time employees and additional contracted staff. LCYDC is a private, non-profit corporation which is governed by a highly committed board of directors. Our directors and advisors represent a broad spectrum of diverse community specialities and interests. The agency's management team implements agency policy, mission and continually evolving goals.

Our Mission Statement:

A place for change...
Working together,
Offering rays of hope for children and families...
Stengthening our community.

Our Core Values:

Building and valuing a committed, compassionate and enthusiastic team.

Honoring tradition while inviting and embracing diversity, change and growth.

Providing a comprehensive range of service designed to improve the quality of life for children, families and our community.

Our Ethics:

The Lee County Youth Development Center supports, affirms, and expects all agents of LCYDC to adhere to the principles outlined in the National Assocation of Homes for Children's Code of Ethics which reads as follows:

We will protect children in our care from abuse or maltreatment, experimentation, economic exploitation, malnutrition and unsafe environments; and shall bring to account adults who thwart that purpose.
We will utilize fully our professional skills in striving to obtain for each child the permanence of a family life.
We will obtain or provide for children who are physically or mentally ill the best therapeutic care available to us.
We will provide every opportunity for children to learn and develop whatever talents they may possess.
We will accord children in our care full respsect as individuals, the full rights guaranteed all citizens of the United States, while teaching them to respect the rights of others.
We will respect the uniqueness of each child's race, culture and religion while attempting to instill a sense of self-worth, individuality, and the responsibilities as well as the privileges of citizenship.
We will nurture in each child the spiritual ethic appropriate to his background and religious heritage
We will serve only those children for whom our service is appropriate and will plan carefully and realistically with, and for each child and, when available, with the family of each child.
We will strive to enhance the talents, techniques and compassion of adults in our employ.
We will use our knowledge and influence, as advocates for children, to improve social conditions and develop resources beneficial to children to the strengthening of American family life.
We will review constantly our services for relevance and effectiveness and shall strive to provide soceity and the community with child care services appropriate to their needs.
We will represent our services and intentions honestly and openly.

Copyright 1976 by NAHC
Reproduced with permission of
Alliance for Families & Children

Formally endorsed and Adopted by
LCYDC Board of Directors, October 2002