Morgan Yost

I attribute my success to a strong commitment to service, continuous learning, and a passion for supporting individuals and families through complex challenges. I began my career in social and behavioral health seven years ago as a nanny, which sparked my interest in helping families and led me into roles in behavioral health service coordination, case management, and life service coordination. I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management at Western Governors University, which complements my social work experience by strengthening my understanding of people, systems, and workplace dynamics, while also supporting my long-term goal of becoming a business owner. My key strength is behavioral de-escalation, supported by C3 training, allowing me to effectively manage high-emotion situations and collaborate with a wide network of professionals. One of my proudest achievements has been building and training an eight-person team of independent contractors with lived experience across eight counties in just six months to mentor and support families navigating the child welfare system.

The most meaningful guidance I’ve received comes from lived experience rather than formal advice. My mother, who is now in recovery from years of addiction, taught me to learn from mistakes and use them as lessons for growth rather than setbacks. My younger sister also deeply shaped my perspective after we were separated due to adoption; seeing her struggles reinforced my commitment to being a steady, supportive presence in a child’s life. My grandmother, the heart of my world, taught me to believe in myself, face life's challenges head on, and stay faithful in the hardest of times. Together, their experiences have guided me to focus on resilience, empathy, and helping young people build confidence and stability.

My advice to young women entering this field is to lead with empathy and withhold judgment as much as possible. It’s easy to form assumptions in this line of work, especially when you see people make difficult or unhealthy choices, but true support requires understanding that you haven’t walked in their shoes. Every person has a different story, and mistakes are part of the human experience. Approaching each situation with compassion rather than judgment allows you to build trust, provide more effective support, and meet people where they are.

One of the biggest challenges in my field is the shortage of qualified providers, including mental health professionals and social workers, combined with consistently high turnover rates driven by heavy workloads and burnout. This shortage directly impacts the quality and consistency of care, which is critical in child welfare and human services work. Many individuals and families rely on stable, ongoing support to successfully navigate recovery and system involvement with HHS, and outcomes often depend on whether they have consistent caseworkers who can provide accountability and connection to services. Without enough providers to meet the demand, maintaining that continuity of care remains a significant and ongoing challenge.

The values most important to me are integrity, empathy, development, resilience, and creativity. In my work, they guide how I support individuals and families through complex and high-stress situations. I’m also focused on long-term growth and entrepreneurship, which is why I’m studying HR Management with the goal of becoming a business owner and eventually building solutions to gaps I see in social work. Outside of work, I value exploration and balance—I enjoy reading, nature, and traveling, including a recent multi-state trip that gave me time to recharge and experience new places and perspectives.