Kids & Families Together

STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS AND PROVIDE SAFE SUPPORTIVE HELP AND EDUCATION THAT KEEPS FAMILIES EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER.

EARLY AND PERIODIC SCREENING DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT SERVICES (EPSDT) - THERAPISTS PROVIDE ASSESSMENT, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO MEDI-CAL ELIGIBLE CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE. THERAPISTS USE A TRAUMA-FOCUSED APPROACH TO TREATMENT AND INCORPORATE THE PARENT/CAREGIVER IN SESSIONS IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE ATTACHMENT RELATIONSHIP AND TO HELP CHILDREN HEAL FROM PAST TRAUMA.

FES - FAMILY EVALUATION SERVICES - AS PART OF THE RESOURCE (FOSTER) FAMILY APPROVAL PROCESS, FAMILY EVALUATORS CONDUCT AN IN-DEPTH ASSESSMENT OF THE CAREGIVERS AND FAMILY TO ASSESS THEIR READINESS TO BECOME A RESOURCE FAMILY. THE EVALUATION INCLUDES AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CAREGIVER'S CHILDHOOD, ADULT EXPERIENCES, PARENTING PRACTICES, AND CURRENT RELATIONSHIPS. REFERRALS TO OTHER SERVICES ARE MADE AS NEEDED. ASSESSMENTS ARE SUBMITTED TO VENTURA COUNTY CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, THE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR CERTIFYING RESOURCE FAMILIES. CARE PROVIDER TRAINING PROGRAM - THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO DEVELOP AND PROVIDE SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO CAREGIVERS AND PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. TRAINING IS SPECIFIC TO WORKING WITH OR CARING FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA. CLINICAL COACHING - TO PROMOTE TRANSFER OF LEARNING, IMPROVEMENT IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES AND AWARENESS OF CLINICAL ISSUES TO VENTURA COUNTY CFS CHILD WELFARE SUPERVISORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS.CSEC - COMMERCIALLY SEXUALLY EXPLOITED CHILDREN -THERAPISTS PROVIDE PSYCHOEDUCATION AND SUPPORT TO CAREGIVERS WHO HAVE A CHILD IN THEIR CARE THAT HAS BEEN COMMERCIALLY SEXUALLY EXPLOITED OR IS CONSIDERED AT RISK OF EXPLOITATION. THERAPISTS HELP CAREGIVERS LEARN THE SIGNS THAT SOMEONE IS BEING EXPLOITED AS WELL AS HOW TO SUPPORT AND PARENT A CHILD/YOUTH WHO HAS BEEN EXPLOITED. GSP - GUARDIANSHIP STABILIZATION PROGRAM - THERAPISTS PROVIDE PSYCHOEDUCATION ABOUT TRAUMA, ATTACHMENT, DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER TOPICS RELATED TO CARING FOR A CHILD WHO HAS EXPERIENCED TRAUMA. CAREGIVERS LEARN THERAPEUTIC PARENTING STRATEGIES TO HELP WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS. IN ADDITION, CAREGIVERS CAN EXPLORE THEIR OWN ATTACHMENT HISTORY AND HOW THAT INFLUENCES THEIR CURRENT RELATIONSHIPS AND PARENTING STYLE. BY PROVIDING THIS KIND OF SUPPORT, THE CHILD IS MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE PLACEMENT STABILITY. PAS - PARENT ADVOCATE SERVICES - PEER MENTORS SUPPORT PARENTS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND ARE WORKING TO REUNIFY WITH THEIR CHILDREN. PARENTS LEARN TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM AND IMPROVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR SOCIAL WORKER. PARENTS ARE CONNECTED TO RESOURCES AND RECEIVE GUIDANCE ON OTHER RELEVANT GOALS SUCH AS SOBRIETY. BY RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM A PEER MENTOR WHO HAS "BEEN IN THEIR SHOES," PARENTS FEEL HOPEFUL AND INSPIRED THAT THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOALS AS WELL. PES - PARENT EDUCATION AND SUPPORT - PARENT EDUCATORS PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION TO PARENTS INVOLVED WITH THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM WHO ARE WORKING TOWARDS REUNIFICATION. PARENT EDUCATORS DISCUSS ATTACHMENT, TRAUMA, DEVELOPMENT, THERAPEUTIC PARENTING, AMONG OTHER TOPICS. PARENT EDUCATORS CONNECT PARENTS TO OTHER RESOURCES AND SERVICES AS NEEDED IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THEM THROUGH THE REUNIFICATION PROCESS. PPETC IF - PEER PARTNER EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND COACHING FOR KINSHIP CAREGIVERS NOT IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM -PPES (PEER PARTNER EDUCATORS) WORK WITH INFORMAL KINSHIP CAREGIVERS TO SUPPORT THEM THROUGH THE CHALLENGES THAT ARISE AS A RESULT OF CARING FOR A RELATIVE CHILD. PPES HAVE THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF CARING FOR A RELATIVE CHILD. SUPPORT CAN INCLUDE GUIDANCE ON DEALING WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS, BOUNDARIES WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, AS WELL AS HOW TO ACCESS OTHER NEEDED SERVICES AND RESOURCES. PPETC F - PEER PARTNER EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND COACHING FOR RESOURCE (FOSTER) CAREGIVERS - PPES (PEER PARTNER EDUCATORS) PROVIDE SUPPORT TO RESOURCE (FOSTER) PARENTS. PPES HAVE THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF BEING A RESOURCE PARENT AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PARENT A CHILD WITH A TRAUMA HISTORY, HOW TO WORK WITH THE BIRTH FAMILY, AS WELL AS HOW TO ACCESS OTHER NEEDED RESOURCES AND SERVICES. SAFE - STRENGTHENING ADOPTIVE FAMILIES THROUGH EDUCATION - THERAPISTS PROVIDE PSYCHOEDUCATION ABOUT TRAUMA, ATTACHMENT, DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER TOPICS RELATED TO CARING FOR A CHILD WHO HAS EXPERIENCED TRAUMA. CAREGIVERS LEARN THERAPEUTIC PARENTING STRATEGIES TO HELP WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS. IN ADDITION, CAREGIVERS CAN EXPLORE THEIR OWN ATTACHMENT HISTORY AND HOW THAT INFLUENCES THEIR CURRENT RELATIONSHIPS AND PARENTING STYLE. CAREGIVERS LEARN ABOUT COMMON ADOPTION-RELATED CHALLENGES THAT MAY ARISE IN THE FUTURE AND HOW TO MAINTAIN CONNECTIONS WITH/HONOR THE CHILD'S BIRTH FAMILY. SOCIAL WORKER SUPERVISION - PROVIDE CLINICAL SUPERVISION THROUGH GROUPS AND INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS FOR CFS SOCIAL WORKERS.SET - SUPPORT EDUCATION AND TRAINING - THERAPISTS PROVIDE PSYCHOEDUCATION ABOUT TRAUMA, ATTACHMENT, DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER TOPICS RELATED TO CARING FOR A CHILD WHO HAS EXPERIENCED TRAUMA. RESOURCE (FOSTER) PARENTS LEARN THERAPEUTIC PARENTING STRATEGIES TO HELP WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS. IN ADDITION, CAREGIVERS CAN EXPLORE THEIR OWN ATTACHMENT HISTORY AND HOW THAT INFLUENCES THEIR CURRENT RELATIONSHIPS AND PARENTING STYLE. CAREGIVERS ARE CONNECTED TO RESOURCES AND SERVICES AS NEEDED WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING THE CHILD WITH A SAFE AND STABLE PLACEMENT SO AS TO LIMIT FURTHER DISRUPTIONS. COMMUNITY COUNSELING - THIS PROGRAM OFFERS COUNSELING SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ON A SLIDING SCALE. THERAPISTS SPECIALIZE IN ATTACHMENT, TRAUMA, AND THERAPEUTIC PARENTING AND CAN CONDUCT INDIVIDUAL, COUPLES, OR FAMILY SESSIONS. RFS - RESOURCE FAMILY SUPPORT - PROVIDE TANGIBLE GOODS AT 4 ANNUAL EVENTS TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR CAREGIVERS.

RESOURCE FAMILY APPROVAL PRE-SERVICE TRAINING (PST) - TRAIN HIGH QUALITY, TRAUMA INFORMED CAREGIVERS.

THERAPEUTIC FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES (TFSS) - THERAPISTS WORK WITH BIRTH FAMILIES INVOLVED WITH THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM TO IMPROVE FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND PARENT-CHILD INTERACTIONS USING A TRAUMA-INFORMED AND ATTACHMENT-FOCUSED APPROACH. THERAPISTS HOLD FAMILY SESSIONS AND MEET INDIVIDUALLY WITH THE PARENT TO DISCUSS THE PARENT'S TRAUMA HISTORY AND HOW THAT HAS IMPACTED THEIR PARENTING STYLE. THESE SERVICES ARE FUNDED BY BOTH VCBH-MEDI-CAL AND CFS FUNDS.