Manchester Aldermen Back Ruais Plan To Refocus Youth Services Office

MANCHESTER, NH — The city's Board of Aldermen has approved Mayor Jay Ruais' proposal to reshape the city's Office of Youth Services and more closely align its work with the Manchester School District.

The city said the change was meant to strengthen support for students dealing with chronic absenteeism, classroom behavior issues, and high school graduation challenges.

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The plan formalizes an existing collaboration between the city and school district and follows months of community engagement and an operational assessment of the Office of Youth Services, known as OYS. The Manchester Health Department's 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment identified chronic school absenteeism and high school graduation rates as factors negatively affecting health outcomes in the community.

"We took a thoughtful approach in evaluating the challenges facing our young people, listened to our educators, Aldermen, and community partners, and identified areas where we can make a meaningful difference," Ruais said. "Chronic absenteeism, students disengaging from the classroom, and young people struggling to graduate are challenges we can address and continue to improve upon. We have dedicated professionals in our Office of Youth Services who are uniquely positioned to help address these issues. This effort is about giving them the structure, direction, and tools to do just that."

Under the proposal, OYS counselors in schools will be formally integrated into the Manchester School District's Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Behavior, or MTSS-B. The city said those counselors will work with school administrators, counselors, school-based community partners and other support staff.

As members of each middle and high school's MTSS-B team, OYS counselors will support students identified with chronic absenteeism, intervene with students who repeatedly cut class, help students transition from middle to high school, and provide individual support to students at risk of dropping out. Counselors will also continue participating in behavioral intervention teams and help expand programs focused on conflict resolution, school climate and student engagement.

The city said it convened 114 participants in April from Manchester's youth-serving community to identify strengths, gaps and opportunities in services. A second meeting in July, facilitated by Manchester Proud, included 62 participants representing 47 organizations and agencies.

"Manchester has an incredible network of organizations committed to helping our young people succeed, but we know there are gaps in how those services are coordinated and delivered," Ruais said. "Rather than duplicate the good work already being done, we are taking a more strategic approach to connecting students with the support they need. By focusing OYS on the challenges we have identified, we can strengthen our schools, support families, and help put more students on a path toward success."

The plan also creates a Youth Community Liaison position to coordinate among the city, school district and community organizations. The 18-month pilot is set to begin in January 2027 and end in June 2028. The city said a formal memorandum of understanding will spell out roles, responsibilities, expectations and accountability measures, with regular updates planned for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the School Committee.