FAMILY TIES OF WESTCHESTER INC

FAMILY PEER SUPPORT SERVICES/RESOURCE CENTERSFAMILY TIES' THIRTY-YEAR HISTORY BEGAN WITH ONE SMALL GROUP OF PARENTS WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THEIR OWN FAMILIES' COMPLEX CHALLENGES. TODAY, OUR CERTIFIED PEER STAFF SERVE OVER 1,500 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY AT OUR FOUR RESOURCE CENTERS LOCATED IN MOUNT VERNON, OSSINING, PEEKSKILL, AND YONKERS. FAMILY TIES' OPEN-ACCESS RESOURCE CENTERS ARE THE HEART OF OUR ORGANIZATION. THIS IS WHERE PARTICIPANTS CONNECT TO A LARGER PEER COMMUNITY, FIND MUCH-NEEDED RESPITE AND MOTIVATION, GAIN THE CONFIDENCE TO SET AND ACHIEVE GOALS, AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR SUCCESSES. RESOURCE CENTERS ARE ANALOGOUS TO SETTLEMENT HOUSES - EMBEDDED IN NEIGHBORHOODS, ACTING AS COMMUNITY HUBS, AND BUILDING CONNECTIONS THAT BRIDGE GENERATIONS, CULTURES, RACES AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS. OUR FAMILY PEER ADVOCATES PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SUPPORT, EVIDENCE-BASED PARENTING EDUCATION, SYSTEMS NAVIGATION, AND WRAPAROUND FACILITATION SERVICES. ALL FAMILY TIES' SERVICES ARE FREE AND VOLUNTARY, AND OFFERED WITHOUT REGARD TO INCOME, DIAGNOSIS CRITERIA, INSURANCE COVERAGE, OR RESIDENCY STATUS. OUR SUPPORT IS CONFIDENTIAL AND IS AVAILABLE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THERE IS NEVER A WAITLIST.OUR APPROACH IS INCLUSIVE, ROOTED IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT, WITH THE RIGHT RESOURCES AND SUPPORT, EVERY FAMILY HAS THE ABILITY TO THRIVE.IN 2024, FAMILY TIES' FAMILY PEER SUPPORT/RESOURCE CENTER PROGRAM:- SERVED 546 UNDUPLICATED FAMILIES - BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON.- HELD 74 SUPPORT GROUPS.- FACILITATED 414 PARENT SKILLS EDUCATION SESSIONS.- PROVIDED 6357 INSTANCES OF INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY.

CHILD SAFETY CONFERENCESIN RESPONSE TO THE FEDERAL FAMILY FIRST PREVENTION SERVICES ACT ENACTED FEBRUARY 9, 2018, WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES PARTNERED WITH FAMILY TIES OF WESTCHESTER, INC. TO ESTABLISH NEW PROGRAMING THAT SUPPORTS THE GOAL OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO CAN REMAIN SAFELY AT HOME WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND AVOID THE TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE OF ENTERING THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. IN PASSING THIS LAW, CONGRESS RECOGNIZED THAT TOO MANY CHILDREN ARE UNNECESSARILY SEPARATED FROM PARENTS WHO COULD PROVIDE SAFE AND LOVING CARE IF GIVEN ACCESS TO NEEDED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, SUBSTANCE MISUSE TREATMENT AND/OR IMPROVED PARENTING SKILLS.USING A STRENGTHS-BASED, FAMILY TEAM DECISION-MAKING MODEL, CAREGIVERS AT RISK OF HAVING THEIR CHILDREN REMOVED DUE TO INCIDENTS OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT, COME TOGETHER WITH CHILD WELFARE REPRESENTATIVES AND RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS DURING THE CHILD SAFETY CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS PRESENTING CONCERNS, ADDRESS BARRIERS TO CHILD WELLBEING, AND IDENTIFY RESOURCES OR PROGRAMMING THAT WILL MEET THE FAMILY'S NEEDS AND CONTRIBUTE THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY MAINTAIN THEIR CHILDREN IN THE HOME. IN ADDITION TO MASTER'S LEVEL MEETING FACILITATORS, A FAMILY TIES' FAMILY PEER ADVOCATE (FPA) IS ON THE TEAM AS A SUPPORT TO THE CAREGIVER. THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FEAR, STIGMA, AND CONFUSION OF NEEDING SERVICES IN COMPLEX, JARGON-FILLED SYSTEMS. THEY HAVE NAVIGATED SERVICE SYSTEMS AND ADVOCATED FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILY, AND THEIR COMMUNITY. UTILIZING THE EXPERIENCE AND SKILL OF FAMILY PEER ADVOCATES IN A COLLABORATIVE PARENT-TO-PARENT MODEL LETS CAREGIVERS KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE AND ENSURES THAT THEIR VOICE IS HEARD IN THE CREATION OF SERVICE PLAN THAT BEST MEETS THEIR FAMILY'S UNIQUE NEEDS.IN 2024, THE CHILD SAFETY CONFERENCE PROGRAM SERVED 356 FAMILIES.