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The Family Empowerment Program works with families who have children under the age of six and have conditions that place their
children at high risk for abuse or neglect. The goal is to provide intensive, comprehensive and flexible services that will
meet the families needs.
Caseworkers assist the family members in identifying their strengths and weaknesses, problem solve with the family, and offer
community resources and services to meet their needs. By intervening with at-risk families early on and more intensively,
more serious problems can be prevented. The Family Empowerment program provides an array of services including crisis intervention,
drug and alcohol evaluations and treatment, short-term therapy, child-care assistance, parenting education, medical assessments,
and limited financial assistance.
Community resources are recommended to families for emergency food, clothing and furnishings, additional financial assistance,
medical assistance, transportation, counseling services, stress management, and respite care. The caseworkers and case-aides
involved work with these families for approximately three to 12 months on a volunteer basis.
The Family Empowerment Program also investigates allegations of abuse and neglect for children under the age of six. If the
allegations of abuse or neglect are proven to be true, and it is deemed necessary to remove the children from the home, the
case is then transferred to the Home Based or Expedited Permanency Planning Unit for ongoing child protection services. If
the child is not removed from the home, services are offered and community resources are provided. These cases may remain
in the Family Empowerment Program for 30 days to three months for monitoring.
The Family Empowerment Program also has a Kinship Care Support Program, providing assistance to relatives able and willing to provide care for children removed from their homes.
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| Children Youth and Family Services |
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