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Programs
and Services
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The
Family and Youth Services Bureau believes that the earlier in
life significant family risk-factors can be identified and
addressed, the greater the opportunity for the family to make effective
changes and reduce the likelihood of significant problems
later. Four initiatives have been developed in keeping with
that belief.
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Healthy Families
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A home visitation program which promotes positive
parenting through support, services, and referrals to
community resources. Staff can stay involved with a family
through the 5th birthday of the child.
In
2007 staff served 292 families and made 2312 home visits.
The
Healthy Families program helps to prevent child abuse and
neglect because staff members work with clients on parenting
skills, promoting positive parent-child interaction and
connecting parents to community resources. These resources
include services for special needs children but also cover
housing needs, financial aid and getting jobs, which provide
stability for the parents in supporting their children.
Community
Partners : A service to help parents and families
provides strength-based support to build confidence, skills,
and connect families with community resources. (Referrals
welcome).
CASA
(Court Appointed Special Advocates)
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Provides advocacy and support services for neglected children or those children alleged to be abused.
CASA's are assigned
to every case of alleged abuse and neglect in Porter County.
In 2007, CASA had 85
trained volunteers working with 221 families totaling
404 children.
CASA's
help ensure the best interest of these vulnerable children
are represented in court. On average, an FYSB CASA volunteer
serves 4 years in that role.
TOT
SHOP : A program in which parents obtain
coupons for attending parenting classes, getting well-baby
check-ups and obtaining other services needed to ensure
healthy children. They can redeem these coupons for needed items such as diapers and clothing for young children.
Coupons
distributed throughout the county can be redeemed for baby
supplies, beds, clothes, diapers, etc.
408
families were served in 2007
The
community supports the TOT SHOP through on-going donations
and "baby showers".
The
Health Department reports that because of the TOT SHOP, more
at-risk children are getting their immunizations on time.
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The Family and Youth Services Bureau provides a myriad of
counseling and educational services which help children and
their families make positive changes in their lives. Services
include:
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Risk Management
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Plays a substantial role in
efforts to keep young offenders in the community by providing
effective, practical, cost effective alternatives.
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Since
1972 the FYSB has proved support services for children, youth,
and families. Services include:.
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Parent
Enrichment Workshops:
An
educational series that focuses on strengthening the family
unit. Topics such as goals of misbehavior, power struggles,
and how to instill personal power are discussed. (Open to the
Public)
Nurturing: A
parent education and support workshop for parents referred by
the Department of Child Services.
Mentor
Program:
Volunteer
mentors spend one lunch period per week during the school year
with at-risk middle school age students in Portage. The goal
is to establish a one to one relationship in which both the
mentor and child can share life experiences. Potential exists
to maintain the relationship through the high school years.
Parent Support Groups:
Support for parents who do
the "right" things, such as eating meals together, spending time together as a family, encouraging
participation in extracurricular activities and volunteering, and providing reasonable consequences for
misbehavior.
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All information contained in the site is subject to Copyright,
Family & Youth Services Bureau, 2009
[FYSB
Homepage]
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