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Family Advocacy Centers Strengthening Families in Communities

Erwin McEwen, Director. Family Advocacy Centers Strengthening Families in Communities. Overarching Framework: 6 Protective Factors. DCFS is strengthening families and protecting children by building: 1. Parental Resilience (Be Strong and Flexible)

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Family Advocacy Centers Strengthening Families in Communities

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  1. Erwin McEwen, Director Family Advocacy Centers Strengthening Families in Communities

  2. Overarching Framework: 6 Protective Factors • DCFS is strengthening families and protecting children • by building: • 1. Parental Resilience (Be Strong and Flexible) • 2. Social Connections (Parents Need Friends) • 3. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development • (Being a Great Parent is Part Natural and Part Learned) • 4. Concrete Support in Times of Need • (We All Need Help Sometimes) • 5. Social and Emotional Competence of Children • (Parents Need to Help Their Children Communicate) • 6. Healthy Parent-Child Relationships • (Give Your Children the Love and Respect They Need)

  3. “Keep the Focus on Protecting Children by Strengthening and Supporting Families”

  4. Department that is approachable Can provide help and support to parents who are stressed and struggling to meet the needs of their children Vs. Vision for IDCFS • Department that “Takes away your kids”

  5. How do we accomplish this? Incorporate strength based approaches to serving families Embed protective factors and understanding of Strengthening Families model Serving Voluntary vs. Mandatory Clients

  6. Prevent families from coming into care Help families in care reunite as soon as possible Overarching Goal

  7. Selected Innovations: Family Advocacy Centers Permanency Enhancement Teams Transformation Teams Trauma Initiative Differential Response Strengths-based treatment planning Strengthening Families Strategies

  8. In 2004, IDCFS established it’s first Family Advocacy Center in Bloomington, Illinois to provide advocacy and support to parents outside of the formal child welfare system. Additional FAC’s have been established throughout the state, strategically selected for their locations in areas where IDCFS intake rates were the highest (per 2006 data).

  9. Rockford Peoria Springfield Austin (Chicago) Decatur Waukegan Urbana Champaign Joliet 10. Englewood 2006 Top Ten Areas for PC’s

  10. Twelve FAC’s Currently Operating • Boys Town (Back of the Yards, Near south side, Chicago) • 2. Building Strong Families (Champaign) • 3. Family Community Resource Center (Bloomington) • 4. Lifeline Family Services (Peoria) • 5. Healthy Families (Westside, Chicago) • 6. Family Advocacy House (East St. Louis) • 7. Professional Advocacy Outreach (Springfield)

  11. Twelve FAC’s Currently Operating 8. Knock At Midnite (Southside, Chicago) 9. Latino Resource Institute (Southeast Side, Chicago) 10. Mujares Latinas En Accion (Pilsen Community, Chicago) 11. Fellowship Connection, Inc. (Northwest Side, Chicago) 12. Esperanza: Latino Community Services Network, (Moline, Illinois)

  12. Future FAC’s 1. Family Focus (Aurora) 2. Rockford (to be identified) 3. DBCC Bright Star Community Outreach, Bronzeville (Southside of Chicago) 4. Nucasa (Waukegan) 5. DBCC Cragin-Belmont Community Outreach, Chicago (Northwest Side) 6. Esperanza: Latino Community Outreach Services Network (Moline) 7. Future Foundation (Ford Heights) 8. Erie Neighborhood House (Pilsen)

  13. advocacy parent coaching intensive mediation services referral and linkage counseling case management 24-hour crisis response and systematic support services referral services for substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, shelter and food assistance programs after-school programs summer and other out of school programming assessment in-person or over the telephone contact within 24 hours immigration services parenting classes in English and Spanish counsel women and children who are victims of domestic violence collaborative work with various social and legal agencies parent support and mentoring support groups and skill building workshops leadership development workshops intervention strategies to support the family reunification process court ordered supervised child visitation for non-custodial parents FAC Service Array

  14. Trauma Informed Practice Training Psychological First Aid Training CANS (Child & Adolescent Needs Assessment) Training Access to Statewide Provider Data-base Parent Café & Parent Leadership Training Standardized Intake/Client registration forms Establishment of a FAC Advisory Council Department Supports

  15. Questions? Arthur Bishop Deputy Director of Field Operations Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (312) 793-2003 arthur.bishop@illinois.gov Daniel Fitzgerald Deputy Director- Division of Service Intervention (312) 814-7294 daniel.fitzgerald@illinois.gov

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