Family Support Center

The Family Support Center is a family oriented center that operates on a strengths-based model to create a safe and supportive environment for the families seeking services. The goal of the Center is to build a healthy relationship with each family by treating every family member with respect in order to assess and identify areas of need to allow for participation in Center facilitated groups or if necessary to make appropriate referrals to community providers.

 

Referral Source and Eligibility

The Family Support Center (FSC) services adolescent boys and girls between the ages of eleven and sixteen who have been referred by the New Haven Superior Court for Juvenile Matters for a Family With Service Needs (FWSN) status offense (truancy, runaway, beyond parental or school control). Once a family has filed a FWSN petition the Superior Court for Juvenile Matters will determine if the petition has met the criteria for the FSC and make the referral to the Center.

All children and their families who are referred to the FSC shall be asked to sign an agreement verifying their willingness to participate in the program and to comply with all program requirements.

Services Provided

• Safe and healthy environment
• Crisis Intervention
• Family Mediation
• Access to respite beds
• Educational assessments and advocacy
• Flex funding for pro-social activities
• A full assessment of strenghts and challenges as individuals and a family
• Gender-specific, tutorial, psycho-educational and skill-based groups for the adolescent and their parents/guardians
• Referral services appropriate for each individual, families' needs
• Access to existing services through CSSD & DCF as well as through other collaborative agencies