New Jersey’s Family Success Centers, a New Model of Family …€¦ · New Jersey’s Family...

New Jersey’s Family Success Centers, a New Model of Family Support and Parent Leadership

Antonio R. Lopez, MSW, LSWAdministrator, Office of Family Support ServicesDivision of Family and Community Partnerships

September 20, 2013

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DFCP: Vision Statement

Children, youth, families and communities have the capacity to achieve and promote family success that respects their culture, values and aspirations.

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DFCP: Mission Statement

To promote health, safety and well-being by working with children, youth, families and communities to ensure a responsive and effective network of family supports, education, awareness, and advocacy.

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• Well-being of children and prevention of child abuse and neglect is a shared responsibility.

• It is larger than any single entity or agency.• Who bears the responsibility? Everyone.

• Public and private stakeholders• Government• Healthcare• Social services• Early education• Schools• Legislators• Policymakers• Foundations • Community and faith-based groups• Families and other individuals

AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION…

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• Primary Prevention targets the general population and offers services and activities before any signs of undesired behaviors become present; there is no screening.

• Secondary Prevention is directed at those who are “at risk”of possibly maltreating or neglecting children. Secondary prevention efforts and services are provided before child is abuse or neglect occurs.

• Tertiary Prevention provided after maltreatment has occurred, to reduce the impact of maltreatment and to avoid future abuse.

DFCP DEFINES PREVENTION THREE WAYS

OFFICE OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES

The Office of Family Support Services works withCommunity entities in an effort to coordinate andconsolidate services provided to families and theirchildren on a voluntary basis within community settings.

The emphasis of this office is to provide culturallyresponsive, strengths-based support in a family-friendlyenvironment, in a manner that is universallyaccessible. Families and communities provide asafety net where there is less need for reactiveservice and proactive interaction is nourished.

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Family Success Centers: What are they?

Family Success Centers (FSCs) are neighborhood Gathering places where anyCommunity resident can gofor support, information and services.

Currently there are 52 FamilySuccess Centers representedin 21 counties across NJ.

Family Success Centers (FSCs) are neighborhood gathering

places.

Family Success Centers (FSCs) are neighborhood gathering

places.

FSCs Embrace the Protective Factors for Strengthening Families

• Parental Resilience: A parent’s ability to manage all types of challenges & find ways to solve problems, builds and sustains trusting relationships including relationships with their children.

• Social Connections: Friends, family & community provide emotional support, help solve problems, offer parenting advice and give concrete assistance to parents.

• Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development: Information about child development and appropriate expectations for children’s behavior help parents see children in a positive light and promotes healthy development.

• Concrete Support in Times of Need: Meeting basic needs like food, shelter, clothing and health care is essential. Adequate services & supports must be in place to provide stability, treatment and help for families in crisis.

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FSCs Embrace the Protective Factors for Strengthening Families

• Healthy Social & Emotional Competence of children: A child’s ability to interact positively with others, self-regulate behavior and effectively communicate feelings has a positive impact on their relationships with family, other adult, and peers

• Nurturing and Attachment: The importance of early bonding, as well as nurturing throughout childhood. Building a close bond helps parents better understand, respond to, and communicate with their children.

• Effective Problem Solving and Communications Skills: A parent, caregiver or family’s ability to identify their goals, consider challenges, set realistic approaches to overcome challenges, and communicate effectively with others to reach their goals.

• Healthy (Marriages) Relationships: Developing and sustaining relationships with diminished levels of conflict and other attributes such as affectionate parents, high self-esteem, or a role model that helps children and youth to achieve positive outcomes.

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FSCs PROMOTE FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES

Family success goes beyond the predominant view of prevention.

Family success focus on creating, promoting and supporting situations that allow well-being to flourish and ensures positive outcomes for individuals and families.

Family success breaks away from the traditional targeted , time –constrained, casualty based interventions.

NJ is committed to the practice that all prevention efforts must be family-centered.

NJ is committed to the practice that all prevention efforts must be family-centered.

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What is the Family Success Approach? It is a collaborative, strength-based method of

organizing resources, supports and services to support the growth and development of families.

Embraces families and partners to achieve their aspirations for the future.

It strives to help families build upon those strengths through community involvement and shared-decision making with families.

FSCs provide culturallyresponsive, strengths-based support in a family-friendly

environment

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How are Family Success Centers Different?

Family Success Centers (FSCs) are designed to:

Enrich the lives of children by strengthening families and neighborhood.

Develop and reinforce local networks and provide integrated, locally based services.

Reduce isolation and promote social connections among family and community.

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How are Family Success Centers Different?

FSCs support activities and provide services in a friendly, safe and non-stigmatizing location.

FSCs work towards long-term sustainability through collaboration, fundraising and the leveraging of funds and resources.

FSCs are success-driven which creates the conditions for families to address positive sustainable futures for themselves.

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How are Family Success Centers Different?

FSCs provide a defined set of activities and core services for parents, families and individuals.

The design and delivery of this set of core services are guided by parents’ and individuals’ voice and choice through a Parent/Community Advisory Board.

FSCs Services are Family Friendly

FSCs Services are Family Friendly

FSCs Services are Family Friendly

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How are Family Success Centers Different?

FSCs are intended to be catalysts for transforming the way families, communities and resources connect.

Families are “at the table” in all decisions that affect their lives.

Family Success Center recognizes that families possess the inherent strengths and knowledge they need to succeed given the opportunity, support and resources.

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What are Family Success Networks?

Family Success Networks (FSNs) are locally organized and managed family fueled systems.

FSNs connect with an array of untapped or unconnected formal and informal resources.

Local networks shared a common purpose, collaborate and embrace the vision, mission and values of family success.

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Parent Leadership

Family and community members are key partners and are genuinely involved at all levels, from determining organizational policy to resource allocation and programming to meet family and community needs.

FSCs provide leadership in the delivery of prevention services.

FSCs foster and enhance engagement, leadership and choice.

Local residents serve as mentors and decision-makers

Youth Summit Leadership Presenters at Winslow FSC

Residents influence development, implementation of services and participate in governance of the FSC

Residents influence development, implementation of services and participate in governance of the FSC

Fatherhood leadership meeting at Glassboro FSC

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FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES

• Parenting Group (evidenced based parent education)• Mom’s Group-New Babies, New Emotions, Kiddie

Academy-Emotional Coaching• Computer Lab (Job Search, Resume Writing, Financial

Literacy Workshop, etc.)• Breast Feeding Support Group, Prenatal Nutrition

Classes, Adult Literacy Programs• Grandparents Support Group• Parent & Me Arts and Crafts• Fatherhood activities (father-daughter dance, movie

night, play with dad, exercise with dad, etc.)• Girls empowerment groups, tutoring, gardening clubs• Group exercise: Yoga, Zumba

FSCs provide residents support,information and services.

Riverview FSC Family Event

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FAMILY SUCCESS CENTERS: Core Services

Access to child, maternal and family health services Development of “Family Success” plans Parent education Employment related services Life Skills training (budgeting, nutrition, etc.) Housing related services Advocacy & related support General information and

Referral/Linkages

Car Maintenance for Kids

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FAMILY SUCCESS CENTERSSERVICES

• Services most often utilized in the Centers continue to be primary and secondary prevention services in the areas of: Information & Referral, Access to Health Services and Life Skills.

• In calendar year 2012 FSCs served 64,193 families.

• Families continue to play a vital role in the governance of the centers and communities are embracing these centers as their own.

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FAMILY SUCCESS CENTER FAMILIES SERVED

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A FAMILY SUCCESS STORY: Aurelia’s story

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A FAMILY SUCCESS STORY: Aurelia’s story• When Jose T. visited the Paterson Family

Success Center (PFSC) last year, he wasn’t expecting to get help for his wife Aurelia who was battling chronic depression.

• Jose wondered whether the center could help with Aurelia’s sadness. It took a lot of convincing, but by Christmas he finally got her to come and see what he was raving about.

• Aurelia enjoyed the center so much she eventually became a Parent Advisory Board member, and she never missed a meeting. That is, until she was hospitalized.

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A FAMILY SUCCESS STORY: Aurelia’s story

• During her hospital stay, Aurelia’s family needed help. The PFSC community members stepped up and supported her with meals for her family as well as various other kinds of help.

• Knowing that her husband and children were cared for, Aurelia concentrated on getting better.

• As of today, she is emotionally stable and has also enrolled in ESL classes held Saturdays at the PFSC and lastly, Aurelia landed a full-time job.

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THANK YOU!Family and Community Partnerships

Office of Family Support ServicesAntonio R. Lopez, Administrator

http://www.state.nj.us/dcf/about/divisions/dfcp/

http://www.state.nj.us/dcf/families/support/success/