Family Preservation

3Friends

Family Preservation Home-Based Programs

Teaching Family Homes offers three home based programs for families.  These programs provide intensive in-home services to prevent out of home placement for children or to assist families after children return from foster care.  

Services Provided

Families First of Michigan (FFM) offers families intensive and short-term crisis intervention and family education services in their home for four weeks (with the possibility of an extension up to a maximum of six weeks) using the Families First of Michigan model. Families First of Michigan workers are available and accessible to the family 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The workers assist families by establishing individual family goals designed to reduce risk of out of home placement and increase child safety. Families First of Michigan workers assist families in meeting goals by teaching, modeling, and reinforcing appropriate parenting and by providing concrete services and connections to community services.

Family Assistance Program (FAP) is a program that services individuals and families living in the Eastern Upper Peninsula (Luce, Chippewa, and Mackinaw counties). The referrals are made through DHHS case managers and can provide Direct Family Assistance to individuals and families. Direct Family Assistance (DFA) is an in-home teaching program. The workers provide up to one hour per week of support, linkage to resources and assistance with developing skills to ensure family preservation. The program also offers Parenting Time Supervision (PTS) in which the workers oversee visits between parent(s) and child(ren) that must be supervised. FAP workers can also assist with transportation to and from supervised parenting visits. The overall focus of the program is to advocate for families, support and guide families to develop skills and alleviate risk and to promote consistency and safety of visits between parents and children. 

Juvenile Justice Diversion and Reintegration Alternatives (JJDRA) is an intensive home based service assisting families that are in crisis and are at risk of having a child removed by the Family Court.  JJDRA focuses on the youth and family’s strengths.  Depending on the family situation there is a 16 week program, a 9 week program, and a 28 day program offered.   Workers are available to support the family 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can meet with families during non-traditional hours. 

Philosophy

  • Children have a right to their family.
  • The family is the focal point of child welfare services.
  • Our first and greatest investment is for the care and treatment of children in their own homes.
  • The family is the fundamental resource for the nurturing of children.
  • Parents should be supported in their efforts to care for their children.
  • It is in the best interest of children to remain with their families in the absence of compelling evidence to the contrary.
  • Families are diverse and have a right to be respected for the unique cultural, racial, ethnic, and religious traditions that make families distinct.
  • Children can be raised well in different kinds of families and no family should be discriminated against in favor of another.

Values and Beliefs

  • Safety is our first concern
  • Children need families
  • We cannot tell which families are hopeless
  • Troubled families can change
  • Clients are our colleagues
  • Respect our clients’ values and beliefs
  • It is our job to instill hope
  • A crisis is an opportunity for change
  • Inappropriate intervention can do harm