FAMILIES FIRST OF PALM BEACH COUNTY FOUNDATION INC

FAMILIES FIRST OF PALM BEACH COUNTY FOUNDATION, INC. WAS CREATED SPECIFICALLY TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT THE MISSION, GOALS, AND ACTIVITIES OF THE CHILDREN'S CASE MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION, INC., DBA FAMILIES FIRST OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, SUPPORTING THE CORE PROGRAMS: MATERNAL AND INFANT MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT INCLUDES TARGETED OUTREACH FOR PREGNANT WOMEN (TOPWA), HEALTHY FAMILIES, CHILD FIRST, INFANT MENTAL HEALTH. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTS DEPARTMENT INCLUDES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, KIN SUPPORT PROJECT, BRIDGES TO SUCCESS.

HEALTHY FAMILIES PALM BEACH, PART OF HEALTHY FAMILIES FLORIDA, AND UNDER OUR MATERNAL AND INFANT MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IS A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED FAMILY SUPPORT AND COACHING PROGRAM THAT HELPS PARENTS PROVIDE THE SAFE AND STABLE ENVIRONMENTS CHILDREN NEED FOR HEALTHY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THE PROGRAM IMPROVES CHILDHOOD OUTCOMES AND INCREASES FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY EMPOWERING PARENTS THROUGH EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT. PARENTS VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE IN SERVICES PROVIDED IN THEIR HOMES SO THEY CAN LEARN HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO THEIR BABIES' CHANGING DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS, USE POSITIVE DISCIPLINE TECHNIQUES, COPE WITH THE DAY-TO-DAY STRESS OF PARENTING IN HEALTHY WAYS, AND SET AND ACHIEVE SHORT-AND LONG-TERM GOALS. SPECIALLY TRAINED FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS HELP THEM IMPROVE THEIR PARENTING SKILLS AND ACHIEVE GOALS THAT INCREASE FAMILY STABILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. IN 2025, 396 FAMILIES WERE SERVED THROUGH OUR HEALTHY FAMILIES PROGRAM. DURING THE YEAR, THIS PROGRAM MET OR EXCEEDED ALL ITS GOALS. IN 2025, 92% OF PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED AT LEAST SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF HOME VISITS ACCORDING TO THE PARTICIPANT LEVEL. 98% OF TARGET CHILDREN WERE UP TO DATE WITH WELL-CHILD CHECKS AT 24 MONTHS OF AGE. 100% OF TARGET CHILDREN ENROLLED SIX MONTHS OR LONGER WERE LINKED TO A MEDICAL PROVIDER. 100% OF CHLDREN REMAINED FREE FROM ABUSE AND NEGLECT DURING SERVICE. 100% OF CHILDREN WERE FREE FROM ABUSE AND NEGLECT POST SERVICE ONE-YEAR FOLLOW UP. COST SAVINGS: UP TO $105,131 FOR EVERY CHILD REMAINING WITH THEIR FAMILY AND OUT OF THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. THIS PROGRAM SERVED 1,134 CHILDREN AND ADULTS.CHILD FIRST IS A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED PROGRAM THROUGH THE COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION (COA) FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AS WELL AS NATIONALLY ACCREDITED THROUGH CHILD FIRST. THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO UNDER OUR MATERNAL AND INFANT MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. CHILD FIRST IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED, TWO-GENERATIONAL MODEL THAT WORKS WITH VERY VULNERABLE YOUNG CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, PROVIDING INTENSIVE HOME-BASED SERVICES. WHEN YOUNG CHILDREN GROW UP IN ENVIRONMENTS WITH VIOLENCE, NEGLECT, MENTAL ILLNESS, OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE, THE STRESS CAN BE TOXIC TO THEIR DEVELOPING BRAINS. BUT WE CAN INTERVENE TO PREVENT THIS DAMAGE. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF WE: 1. WORK TO CONNECT FAMILIES TO THE NEEDED CCOMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES NEEDED TO DECREASE STRESS, AND 2. BUILD STRONG, LOVING PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS THAT PROTECT AND HEAL THE BRAIN FROM TRAUMA AND STRESS. OUR GOAL IS A YOUNG BRAIN FOCUSED ON LEARNING RATHER THAN A BRAIN FOCUSED ON SURVIVAL. IN 2025, 67 FAMILIES WERE SERVED THROUGH OUR CHILD FIRST PROGRAM. 100% OF THE SERVICE NEEDS FOR FAMILIES WERE IDENTIFIED AND MET FOR CLIENTS OPENED FOR FOUR OR MORE MONTHS. 100% OF THE EARLY CARE MENTAL HEALTH OBSERVATIONS WERE COMPLETED. 93% OF FAMILIES COMPLETED SERVICES SUCCESSFULLY. OF THE FAMILIES DISCHARGED, 100% OF THOSE FAMILIES IMPROVED IN AT LEAST ONE DOMAIN. COST SAVINGS: FOR EVERY $1.00 SPENT ON EARLY INTERVENTION, $7.00 IS SAVED IN LONG-TERM CARE. THIS PROGRAM SERVED 323 CHILDREN AND ADULTS.BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES (BHS) IS A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED PROGRAM THROUGH THE COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION (COA) FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AS WELL IS UNDER OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTS DEPARTMENT. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES INDIVIDUALIZED CARE, COMPREHENSIVE, FAMILY-DRIVEN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND FLEXIBLE TREATMENT STRATEGIES FOR AT-RISK AND HIGH-RISK CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES ACROSS PALM BEACH COUNTY. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES EVIDENCE-BASED TRAUMA INFORMED THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION SERVICES TO HIGH-RISK CHILDREN AND YOUTH FROM AGE FIVE TO TWENTY-TWO TO INCLUDE YOUNG ADULTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL SETTINGS. SINCE 2022 SERVICES HAVE ALSO BEEN PROVIDED TO YOUTH IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND THOSE AT RISK OF ENTERING THE DJJ SYSTEM. IN 2025, FAMILIES FIRST BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM SERVED 254 FAMILIES. 96% OF CHLDREN/YOUTH HAD A REDUCTION IN MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS BASED ON CFARS. 97% OF CHILDREN/YOUTH MAINTAINED STABLE BEHAVIORS IN THEIR HOME. 95% OF CHILDREN/YOUTH MAINTAINED STABLE BEHAVIORS IN THEIR SCHOOL. COST SAVINGS: $1.00 INVESTED IN PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION YIELDS $7.00 IN SAVINGS IN HEALTH COSTS, CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE JUSTICE COSTS AND LOW PRODUCTIVITY.THIS PROGRAM SERVED $1,078 CHILDREN AND ADULTS.OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: MATERNAL & INFANT MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT:TARGETED OUTREACH FOR PREGNANT WOMEN (TOPWA) IS A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE BY PROVIDING PREGNANCY AND HIV TESTING. THE GOAL OF TOPWA IS TO LOWER THE NUMBER OF BABIES BORN WITH PRENATAL DRUG EXPOSURE AND HIVINFECTION. THE PROGRAM OFFERS SUPPORTIVE, EDUCATIONAL AND CLIENT-CENTERED OUTREACH SERVICES TO LOWER THE RISK FOR HIV INFECTION AND/OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE. IN 2025, 232 PREGNANT, HIGH-RISK WOMEN, RECEIVED A HEALTH ASSESSMENT WHICH CONSISTED OF HIV TESTING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT IF NEEDED, AND ACCESS TO PRENATAL CARE. 100% OF AT-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN WERE LINKED WITH NEEDED MEDICAL CARE AND/OR ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES. 100% OF PREGNANT WOMEN WERE LINKED WITH A MEDICAL PAYER SOURCE TO RECEIVE PRENATAL CARE. 100% SUCCESS RATE WITH BABIES BORN HIV NEGATIVE. SINCE 1999, 100% OF BABIES BORN TO HIV+ MOTHERS HAVE TESTED NEGATIVE FOR HIV. COST SAVINGS: $229,000 IN MEDICAL COSTS BY AVOIDING ONE HIV INFECTION. THIS PROGRAM SERVED 830 CHILDREN AND ADULTS.INFANT MENTAL HEALTH IS THE DEVELOPING CAPACITY OF THE CHILD FROM BIRTH TO FIVE TO EXPERIENCE, REGULATE, AND EXPRESS EMOTIONS; FORM CLOSE AND SECURE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS; EXPLORE AND MASTER THE ENVIRONMENT AND LEARN ALL IN THE CONTEXT OF FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND CULTURALEXPECTATIONS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. BY AGE FIVE, THE CHILD'S BRAIN HAS NEARLY GROWN TO 90% OF THEIR ADULT BRAIN. DECADES OF RIGOROUS RESEARCH SHOW THAT CHILDREN'S EARLIEST EXPERIENCES PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. PERSISTENT "TOXIC STRESS" SUCH AS EXTREME POVERTY, ABUSE,NEGLECT, OR SEVERE MATERNAL DEPRESSION CAN HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON THE DEVELOPING BRAIN, LEADING TO PROBLEMS IN LEARNING, BEHAVIORAL, PHYSICAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH. THE BRAIN IS STRENGTHENED BY POSITIVE EARLY EXPERIENCES, ESPECIALLY STABLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH CARING ANDRESPONSIVE ADULTS, SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENTS, AND APPROPRIATE NUTRITION. EXPERIENCES IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS HAVE A LIFE-LONG EFFECT ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. IN 2025, FAMILIES FIRST IMH PROGRAM SERVED 40 FAMILIES THROUGH OUR COLLABORATOVE WITH EARLY HEAD START AND HEAD START PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT PALM BEACH COUNTY. 100% OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THERAPEUTIC SERVICES COMPLETED TREATMENT GOALS IDENTIFIED AT ONSET OF SERVICES. 100% OF STUDENTS IDENTIFIED DURING CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS AS NEEDING ADDITIONAL THERAPEUTIC OR DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES WERE IDENTIFIED AND STAFFED WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL. 85% OF HEAD START TEACHERS INCREASED AWARENESS OF STUDENT'S SOCIAL EMOTIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS AND CLASSROOMS SHOWED INCREASED CULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL CLIMATE FROM BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR TO END. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, THIS PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDED CLINICAL SERVICES TO 41 STUDENTS, ENGAGED 118 PARENTS THROUGH TARGETED WORKSHOPS, TRAINED 482 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS IN INFANT MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICES, AND CONDUCTED 199 COMPREHENSIVE CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY AND STUDENT WELL-BEING. COST SAVINGS: FOR EVERY $1.00 SPENT ON EARLY INTERVENTION, $7.00 ARE SAVED IN LONG TERM CARE. THIS PROGRAM SERVED 166 CHILDREN AND ADULTS.