Family Focus Program

Program Description

The Family Focus Program offers a strengths-based curriculum designed to help adult mothers obtain parenting and life empowerment skills to strengthen their families. The program uses an interactive approach to psychotherapy, life empowerment and parent education classes. Our extensive curriculum enables the women to build positive skills and character in order to function responsibly within the family and society.

The Family Focus Program also includes a Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) component designed to:

  • Enhance parent-child relationships,
  • Improve parenting skills,
  • Decrease problematic behaviors observed in the child,
  • Reduce risk for child abuse.

The Family Focus Day Program meets Monday through Friday from 8:30am-12:00pm, with PCIT on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am-12:00pm. The program can be tailored to each individual’s case plan. Involvement in the program typically lasts six months to one year.

Eligibility

Mothers must be 18 or older and referred by Child Protection. Participants are often mothers who are financially stressed, come from diverse backgrounds, may be struggling with chemical or mental health issues, and may or may not have their children in their physical custody.

Fees

The referring party typically covers the fee for this service.

Contact Information

Questions and referrals can be made to our Program Director at 612.877.7831 phone, or 612.617.0193 fax. Complete our Agency Referral Form to make a referral.

Program Benefits

Mothers learn how to apply a wide range of parenting and life skills that help break old patterns of behavior and build positive character. Skill areas include:

  • Parenting (i.e. behavior management, child development and parent-child communication),
  • Household management (i.e. time/money management and home safety),
  • Life empowerment (i.e. interpersonal communication, social support, healthy relationships, anger management and stress management),
  • Awareness of the effects of domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental health on parenting as well as children.

Success in the Family Focus Program is measured by parents’ ability to:

  • Work towards their parenting and case plan goals,
  • Make effective choices for self and family,
  • Maintain their children in the home and/or be reunified with their children,
  • Meet their family’s physical, emotional, financial and intellectual needs independently or by utilizing available resources.

Children who are in their mother’s care can utilize our Child Development Center free of charge while their mother participates in programming.

In-Home Parent Education

Program Description

In-Home Parent Education is a strengths-based program designed to assist families in using the resources available to them to:

(a) Improve their parenting skills,
(b) Develop connections to the community,
(c) Create a safe, nurturing environment for their family.

Parent educators work one-on-one with parents in their home, shelter, or treatment center. Parent educators are available day, evening, and weekend hours in order to accommodate parents’ busy schedules. In-home parent educators meet with parents for 2 hours each week for a period of 6 months or 50 hours, whichever comes first.

In-Home Parent Education includes a Parent Coaching component where the parent and child have the opportunity to interact. Parent Coaching occurs once a month during regular meeting times unless otherwise requested by the referring party. During this time parents are given written and verbal feedback on their strengths and areas for improvement.

Parent Coaching is designed to:

  • Enhance parent-child relationships,
  • Improve parenting skills,
  • Decrease problematic behaviors observed in the child,
  • Reduce risk for child abuse.

Eligibility

Families must be referred by a county worker. Participants are often mothers and fathers who are financially stressed, come from diverse backgrounds, and may be struggling with chemical or mental health issues.

Fees

The referring party typically covers the fee for this service.

Contact Information

Questions and referrals can be made to our Program Director at 612.877.7831 phone, or 612.617.0193 fax.  Complete our Agency Referral Form to make a referral.

Program Benefits

Participants gain skills in:

  • Parenting (i.e. behavior management, child development and parent-child communication),
  • Household management (i.e. time/money management and home safety),
  • Life empowerment (i.e. interpersonal communication, social support, healthy relationships, anger management and stress management),
  • Understanding the effects of domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health on parenting and children.

Success in In-Home Parent Education is measured by parents’ ability to:

  • Work toward parenting and case plan goals,
  • Make effective choices for self and family,
  • Meet their family’s physical, emotional, financial and intellectual needs independently or by utilizing available resources.