Family Ties Of West Chester Inc

WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITY. FAMILY TIES PROMOTES THE WELL-BEING OF FAMILIES RAISING CHILDREN WITH SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES THROUGH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND ON-THE-GROUND EXPERTISE. WE PARTNER WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS WESTCHESTER COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE FOUNDATION THEY NEED TO BUILD A HEALTHY, MEANINGFUL LIFE. WITH ACCESS TO THE RIGHT RESOURCES AND SUPPORT, EVERY FAMILY IS ABLE TO THRIVE.

FAMILY 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. ALL FAMILY TIES' SERVICES ARE FREE AND VOLUNTARY, AND THERE IS NEVER A WAITLIST. OUR SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, WITHOUT REGARD TO RESIDENCY STATUS.WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITY. WE ENVISION A WORLD WHERE FAMILIES WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS ARE EMBRACED BY THEIR COMMUNITY, NO LONGER FEEL STIGMATIZED OR ISOLATED BY THEIR CHALLENGES, AND ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED. FAMILY TIES PROMOTES THE WELL-BEING OF FAMILIES RAISING CHILDREN WITH SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES THROUGH A COMBINATION OF LIVED EXPERIENCE AND ON-THE-GROUND EXPERTISE. WE PARTNER WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS WESTCHESTER COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE FOUNDATION THEY NEED TO BUILD A HEALTHY, MEANINGFUL LIFE.OUR APPROACH IS INCLUSIVE, ROOTED IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT, WITH THE RIGHT RESOURCES AND SUPPORT, EVERY FAMILY IS ABLE TO THRIVE.IN 2021, FAMILY TIES:- SERVED 480 FAMILIES.- CONTINUED TO OFFER SERVICES BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON.- HELD 92 SUPPORT GROUPS.- FACILITATED 61 PARENT SKILLS EDUCATION SESSIONS.- PROVIDED 1525 INSTANCES OF INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY.

EVERY KID COUNTSSOMETIMES FAMILIES FACE A PARENTING CRISIS AND DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO, OR WHERE TO TURN FOR HELP. WITHOUT SUPPORT, THINGS CAN BECOME UNMANAGEABLE. AS A RESULT, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES (CPS) MAY GET INVOLVED, RECOGNIZING THAT CAREGIVERS OFTEN NEED GUIDANCE, STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT TO GET BACK ON TRACK. EVERY KID COUNTS (EKC) IS A VOLUNTARY, SHORT-TERM PROGRAM DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND PREVENT FUTURE CPS REPORTS. THE EKC CASE PLANNERS FIRST ASSES THE STRENGTHS AND NEEDS OF A FAMILY, AND THEN CONTINUE TO MEET WITH THEM WEEKLY, IN THE HOME, TO ENGAGE AND SUPPORT EVERYONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD. ADDITIONALLY, EKC CASE PLANNERS ADVOCATE FOR THE FAMILY, EVALUATE THE NEED FOR SERVICES, CONNECT THEM TO RESOURCES, AND CREATE A PLAN THAT IS INDIVIDUALIZED AND SAFETY-FOCUSED. AFTER THREE TO SIX MONTHS, FAMILIES ARE REASSESSED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE CAREGIVERS AND CHILDREN HAVE INTEGRATED THEIR NEWLY LEARNED SKILLS AND ARE IN A SAFE AND SUCCESSFULLY FUNCTIONING FAMILY ENVIRONMENT. ONCE THEY HAVE FINISHED THE PROGRAM, CAREGIVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BECOME A PART OF THEIR LOCAL FAMILY TIES RESOURCE CENTER TO ENSURE CONTINUED SUCCESS.EVERY KID COUNTS IS FUNDED BY THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, THROUGH NEW YORK STATE COMMUNITY OPTIONAL PREVENTIVE SERVICES (COPS) FUNDS, AND SERVED 55 FAMILIES IN 2021.

PARENT-TO-PARENTIN 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. IN 2021 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 OR IMPROVED PARENTING SKILLS.USING THE CHILD SAFETY CONFERENCE MODEL, THE FAMILY AND SERVICE PROVIDERS COME TOGETHER TO DISCUSS A FAMILY'S STRENGTHS, CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY, IDENTIFY RESOURCES TO MEET THE FAMILY'S NEEDS AND ADDRESS ANY BARRIERS TO THEIR SUCCESS. IF EVERYONE AT THE TABLE AGREES ABOUT WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN, THAT'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN. IF THERE'S NO AGREEMENT, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES HAS THE FINAL SAY.A FAMILY TIES FAMILY PEER ADVOCATE 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 PARENT-TO-PARENT MODEL LETS A CAREGIVER KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE AND ENSURES THEIR VOICE IS HEARD IN WHAT A PREVENTIVE SERVICES PLAN WOULD LOOK LIKE AND THAT THE CHOICES IN SERVICES ARE WHAT BEST MEET THE UNIQUE AND INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF THEIR FAMILY. IN 2021, FAMILY TIES PARTICIPATED IN 121 CHILD SAFETY CONFERENCES.