They say not all heroes wear capes. Some wear scrubs, carry thermometers, and open their homes to young people who need it most.
But Conzy Mitchell would simply say…she’s just doing her job.
Mitchell, a longtime nurse manager at Youth Villages, has built her career overseeing nurses who care for young people on residential campuses across Memphis and Georgia. A mental and behavioral health nonprofit organization, Youth Villages is committed to finding the most effective solutions to help children, families, and young adults overcome obstacles and live successfully.
Mitchell began her nursing career as a pediatric nurse in Missouri. She transferred to a sister facility in the Memphis area — working with adolescents and adults in a psychiatric setting — prior to joining Youth Villages. Eventually, she felt drawn back to caring for children. “With kids, you still have a chance to intervene early,” she says. “If I can help a young person become a productive member of society as an adult, then I’ve helped somebody.”
Her commitment to young people doesn’t end when she leaves work — she’s also a licensed foster parent and adoptive mother. “I’ve always loved psychiatry, and I’ve always loved kids,” says Mitchell. “When I had the opportunity to work with children in the behavioral health realm, it felt like the best of both worlds.”
Mitchell’s belief in second chances goes beyond her work as a nurse. For years, she has opened her home to teenagers with nowhere else to go — young people who were kicked out, abandoned, or in need of temporary guardianship.
After moving from Missouri to Tennessee, she became a licensed foster parent. Just two months after completing her training, a 13-year-old boy was placed in her home, and she later adopted him. He is now 20 years old. “Even when they turn 18, some are unsure where they want to be in life,” she says, laughing softly. “But that’s part of the journey.”
She believes adoption is incredibly rewarding, even with the challenges. “Kids will be kids,” she says.
Mitchell understands that trauma can disrupt development in ways that aren’t always visible. She explains that young people in state custody often become emotionally “paused” at the age when their trauma began, until they receive the therapy and stability needed to move forward.
“Foster care is the bridge between crisis and healing, offering safety during uncertainty that helps a child move through — and past — trauma,” says Del Rodgers, foster care training placement manager at Youth Villages. “Our foster parents are a foundational piece of the puzzle when building the community for our youth to be successful.”
In addition to her adopted son, Mitchell has temporarily provided placements for other young people, including some waiting for beds within Youth Villages programs. “I had children in my home for two or three months awaiting a higher level of support,” she says. “Then a bed opened up at Youth Villages, and they were able to receive the care they needed.”
For Mitchell, fostering and nursing are extensions of the same calling. “It’s never about money,” she says. “It’s always about the kids.”
Whether she’s monitoring a child’s medication or welcoming a youth into her home for a temporary stay, Mitchell’s approach is always the same: meet youth where they are and help them move forward. “Sometimes they can’t see the full picture all at once,” she says. “But if you walk with them long enough, they get there.”
Mitchell has simple advice for anyone on the fence about fostering or adopting:
Provide a loving home, celebrate the wins, learn from the losses, and meet them where they are,” she says.
Shelby Mitchell is a senior public relations coordinator in communications at Youth Villages. Youth Villages believes every child should have the opportunity to reach for their dreams. To learn more about becoming a foster parent or services provided at Youth Villages, visit youthvillages.org, or call 1-888-MY-YV-KID.