Safety & stability
A structured home environment with consistent expectations, attentive supervision, and care rooted in dignity.
DCF-licensed residential group care
A safe place to grow into what comes next.
Harris Teen Home supports dependency youth in Florida’s foster care system through structured, relationship-centered care, independent living skills, and meaningful community experiences.
Licensed by DCF residential group careTrauma-informed approach to care24/7 awake staff support
Who we are
Home-like care with purpose and structure.
Harris Teen Home is licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families to provide residential group care for dependency youth in the foster care system. Our traditional Tampa home is coed and is the only HTH location that accepts male youth. Our other residential programs serve girls.
We create a stable, nurturing environment where young people are treated with dignity, supported by dependable adults, and encouraged to recognize their own strengths. Our team combines clear expectations with compassion so daily life becomes preparation for greater independence.
Our purpose is not simply to provide a bed. It is to provide safety, belonging, guidance, and meaningful opportunities for every young person entrusted to our care.
Meet the founders
Sean & Nashun Harris
For Sean and Nashun Harris, Harris Teen Home grew from a shared belief that every young person deserves a safe home, consistent guidance, and adults who refuse to give up on her.
Both are United States Army veterans whose commitment to service continued long after their military careers. As foster parents and respite caregivers, they saw firsthand the difference that patience, structure, encouragement, and genuine connection can make in a young person’s life.
Their vision became a reality in 2015 with the opening of Harris Teen Home in Tampa, followed by the Clearwater home in 2017. What began as a dream has grown into a continuing commitment to dependency youth across the Tampa Bay area.
“My mother taught me that caring for others is not only something you say—it is something you do.”— Nashun Harris
Nashun credits her mother as one of her greatest inspirations. Her mother’s lifelong habit of caring for relatives, neighbors, and anyone in need helped shape the values that remain at the heart of HTH: compassion, hospitality, responsibility, and making sure people feel seen.
2015Serving youth since
3Tampa Bay homes
StatewideFlorida agency referrals
24/7Awake staff support
What we provide
Services that support the whole young person.
Care is practical, individualized, and grounded in safety, respect, consistency, accountability, and hope.
Education & life skills
Support for school success and practical learning in budgeting, self-care, transportation, employment, and daily living.
Connection & belonging
Relationship-centered care that helps young people build trust, confidence, healthy boundaries, and lasting community ties.
Independent Living Skills
Real skills for real independence.
Youth practice the everyday skills that make adulthood feel more manageable.
- Money management and budgeting
- Health, safety, and self-care
- Healthy relationships and boundaries
- Work readiness and future planning
- Transportation and community navigation
- Emotional regulation and problem-solving
How referrals work
Referrals come through the foster care system.
Harris Teen Home does not accept direct placement requests from parents, guardians, or the general public. Youth must be dependency youth in Florida’s foster care system.
When an authorized foster care placement agency is seeking a home for a youth, the agency contacts HTH with referral information. Our team reviews the youth’s needs, current program capacity, and whether our setting may be a suitable fit. If appropriate, an interview is arranged before an acceptance decision is made.
Information for agency partnersProgram fit considerations
Placement interview completed before admission
Enrollment in a brick-and-mortar school
Able to participate in a non-therapeutic group-care setting
Medication compliant, when medication is prescribed
Able to follow safety expectations and supervision requirements
A referral is not an automatic placement. Acceptance depends on agency coordination, available capacity, a complete review, and an individualized assessment of program fit.Where we serve
Residential homes across Tampa Bay.
For resident privacy and safety, full home addresses are shared only with authorized placement partners.
Tampa
Traditional coed home · Hillsborough County
Clearwater
Girls program · Pinellas County
Wellswood
Girls program · Hillsborough County
Community connection
Learning happens beyond the front door.
Community service, cultural experiences, recreation, and educational outings give youth opportunities to contribute, explore interests, and practice independence in everyday settings.
Community partnerships—including service opportunities with Feeding Tampa Bay—help young people experience the value of connection and giving back.
How you can help
Help create opportunities that reach beyond our homes.
HTH does not use volunteers inside our residential programs, but businesses and community organizations can still make a meaningful difference.
Share career opportunities
Connect eligible youth with job-readiness resources, career exploration, internships, or appropriate employment opportunities.
Offer learning experiences
Partner with HTH on approved educational, cultural, financial-literacy, or independent-living experiences in the community.
Build a community partnership
Help expand access to safe activities, community service projects, and resources that support successful transitions into adulthood.
Interested in working at HTH?We welcome inquiries from dependable, compassionate professionals committed to supporting youth in foster care. Employment requires all applicable screening, training, and licensing qualifications.
Forms and downloads
Download and complete the appropriate forms.
These PDFs may be completed electronically or printed and completed by hand.
Agency referral
Admission Packet
Referral and intake information for authorized placing agencies.
Records authorization
Release of Information
Authorization for health, mental-health, and school records.
Treatment authorization
Consent for Treatment and Services
Parent or legal guardian authorization for identified services.
Submitting completed documents
Email completed forms and requested supporting documents to Shaunnay@HarrisTeenHome.com. Documents cannot be uploaded through this website.
Connect with Harris Teen Home
Learn more about our program and services.
We welcome communication from child-welfare professionals, community partners, and others seeking information about Harris Teen Home’s work with dependency youth throughout Florida.
Information for Community Based Care agencies
HTH accepts referral inquiries from authorized Community Based Care agencies across the State of Florida. Agency inquiries should include the youth’s age, county, level of care, school placement, requested admission date, relevant safety needs, the youth’s Comprehensive Assessment, the placing professional’s contact information, and any other pertinent information needed for HTH to make an informed placement decision.
nashun.harris@harristeenhome.comParents, guardians, and members of the public cannot directly place a youth in an HTH program.