The Family Support Services program offers an array of services to support and empower families with children and adolescents experiencing serious emotional challenges. The goal of the program is to reduce family stress and to enhance each family's ability to care for their child.
Family Support Services staff are individuals with personal experience parenting a child with similar needs. The lived in experience of staff bolsters the services provided by offering families a friendly and understanding ear while managing difficult situations. These services may be provided in the home, at the Catholic Charities office, in an appropriate community location or virtually.
Services provided in this program may be customized to meet each families specific needs, but the general areas of support are:
Needs Assessment and Planning - Upon intake into the program, each family completes a Family Needs and Strengths (FANS) assessment with the guidance of a staff person. Through this process, needs are identified and prioritized and a family plan is then developed based on that assessment.
Self Advocacy and Empowerment - Caregivers are assisted to advocate for themselves in many settings including: medical care, schools, employment, housing, social services and other community and natural supports.
Family / Peer Support - A monthly support group enables families and children to participate and share experiences, concerns and success in a concerted effort to cope with their situations. Each meeting features a light dinner and an educational component. In addition, families can meet with staff on an individual basis to discuss their needs.
Skill Building / Educational Opportunities - All participating caregivers are offered the opportunity to participate in Breakthrough Parenting classes, which can be offered individually or in a group setting dependent upon the wishes of participants. Additional educational opportunities in the local community and on-line are shared with families as well.
Information and Referral - Staff also provide families with information and referrals to other community service providers and other resources needed based upon individual need.