Community Family Centers-Centros Familiares De La Comunidad

TO EQUIP FAMILIES WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM SERVES AS THE AGENCY'S STRATEGIC POINT OF ENTRY FOR ALL CLIENTS IN NEED OF SERVICES. THE PROGRAM'S INTAKE PROCESS ALLOWS PROGRAM STAFF TO IMMEDIATELY ENGAGE IN CONDUCTING ASSESSMENTS OF CLIENT'S NEEDS. A MAJORITY OF THE CLIENTS HAVE NEEDS THAT USUALLY REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. THEREAFTER, THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON MEETING THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES BY PROVIDING A WIDE RANGE OF COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES WITHIN THE AGENCY'S CONTINUUM OF CARE. THIS APPROACH IS DESIGNED AROUND CFCS VISION AND CORE BELIEF OF IMPACTING THROUGH SERVICES TO PROMOTE STRONGER FAMILIES FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES IS DEDICATED TO FINDING SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS OF TODAY'S FAMILIES THROUGH THE VARIOUS PROGRAM SERVICE COMPONENTS WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:- EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN CRISIS- INTAKE AND REFERRAL SERVICES TO A CFC PROGRAM OR ANOTHER UNITED WAY, GOVERNMENT OR COMMUNITY-BASED SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY - CLIENT ASSISTANCE WITH TRANSLATION SERVICES AND COMPLETION OF FORMS- HEALTH SCREENINGS & IMMUNIZATIONS BY COMMUNITY PARTNERS OFFERED AT CFC- WELL CHILD CARE & IMMUNIZATIONS FOR CHILDREN PROVIDED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICTS TROUBLE SHOOTER MOBILE UNIT.

THE YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED BY CFC IS A PREVENTION EDUCATION & INTERVENTION PROGRAM THAT TARGETS THREE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS IMPACTING TODAYS YOUTH POPULATION: SUBSTANCE USE/ABUSE, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND TEEN PREGNANCY. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON REDUCING MAJOR RISK BEHAVIORS SUCH AS USE OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, DRUGS, AND ACTIVE SEXUAL ACTIVITY THROUGH CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE/SOCIAL SKILL LEARNING ACTIVITIES DIRECTED TO YOUTH, AT RISK YOUTH & FAMILIES THAT PROMOTE AND FOSTER RESILIENCY SKILLS (EX. PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, DECISION MAKING & GOAL SETTING). COMMON RISK FACTORS TYPICALLY SERVE AS THE TRIGGERS LEADING TO SUBSTANCE USE/ABUSE, JUVENILE DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR OR TEEN PREGNANCY/ HIV/STDS. THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED DURING THE REGULAR ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR TO STUDENTS AGES 5-17 AT 18 HISD SCHOOLS IN HOUSTONS GREATER EAST END. YOUTH EDUCATORS ARE ASSIGNED TO THE VARIOUS CAMPUSES WHICH INCLUDE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. THE EDUCATORS MEET WITH YOUTH PARTICIPANTS ON A DAILY BASIS AND WORK WITH THE YOUTH FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR. THE PROGRAM FOLLOWS THE EVIDENCE-BASED POSITIVE ACTION CURRICULUM THAT EMPHASIZES BUILDING HEALTHY CHILDREN, STRONG FAMILIES AND STRONG COMMUNITIES. OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE:- POSITIVE ACTION PARENTING PROGRAM (RESEARCH BASED CURRICULUM, YEAR ROUND PROGRAM)- COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE (NINE WEEK PROGRAM)- CAMP FRESH (10 WEEK SUMMER DAY CAMP)- YOUTH PROGRAM AGE 13-17 (YEAR ROUND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM)- YOUTH PROGRAM AGE 6-17 (YEAR ROUND DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAM).

THE ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDES ADULT EDUCATION LITERACY COURSE OFFERINGS AT TWO LOCATIONS IN HOUSTON, INCLUDING THE MAIN LOCATION IN HOUSTON'S EAST END AND IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. COURSE SELECTIONS INCLUDE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) AND HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY (HSE), FORMERLY REFERRED TO AS ABE/GED. THE PROGRAM SERVES INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER AND PROVIDES A LEARNING FORMAT THAT DELIVERS EDUCATIONAL INSTRUCTION PROMOTING ACADEMIC GOAL ATTAINMENT/ADVANCEMENT, CAREER AWARENESS, CAREER PLANNING, AND CAREER/OCCUPATIONAL EXPLORATION. THE PROGRAM UTILIZES THE TEXAS CURRICULUM, WHICH WAS DESIGNED BY THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY AND PROMOTED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY. CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IS ADAPTED TO INCORPORATE CONTEXTUALIZED INSTRUCTION THAT ENHANCES LEARNING BY PROVIDING A FUNCTIONAL CONNECTION TO THE WORKFORCE LITERACY COMPONENTS. THE PROGRAM STRIVES TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO IMPROVE THEIR INDIVIDUAL ACADEMIC OUTCOMES, BRIDGE THE GAP TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, OCCUPATIONAL TRAININGS AND SUPPORT CLIENTS WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. THE TRANSITION TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS WILL EXPONENTIALLY ENHANCE AN INDIVIDUALS MARKETABILITY AND EARNING POTENTIAL TO ULTIMATELY ATTAIN SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND A HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING. THE PROGRAM CURRENTLY OPERATES YEAR-ROUND WITH AN AVERAGE OF 3.5 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION PER DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK. SUPPLEMENTAL COURSE INSTRUCTION INCLUDES: COMPUTER LITERACY, SPANISH LITERACY, AND DISTANCE LEARNING.

LOS NINOS EARLY CHILDHOOD MONTESSORI PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE SEVERAL PROGRAMS WHICH SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS PART OF COMMUNITY FAMILY. IT SUPPORTS HARD-WORKING FAMILIES BY MAKING HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE AT A LOW COST TO HOUSTON'S INNER-CITY EAST END CHILDREN AGES THREE TO SIX YEARS. OUR PROGRAM DEDICATES ITS MISSION TO THE PHILOSOPHIES AND TEACHINGS OF MONTESSORI PEDAGOGY WHICH ACCELERATES LEARNING IN A SELF-PACED CURRICULUM BASED ON INDIVIDUAL MASTERY OF SKILLS WHILE SUPPORTING CHILDREN'S ABILITY TO ABSORB KNOWLEDGE FROM THEIR SURROUNDINGS. WE HAVE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE EDUCATION OF THE YOUNG CHILDREN ENROLLED IN OUR PROGRAM, MAINTAINING HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO BENEFIT THE WHOLE CHILD. LOS NINOS MONTESSORI HOLDS FULL ACCREDITATION FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN (NAEYC) AND IS CERTIFIED BY THE TEXAS RISING STAR PROGRAM (TRS) AS A 4-STAR-LEVEL CENTER. THE PROGRAM IS ALSO AN AFFILIATE OF THE UNITED WAY BRIGHT BEGINNINGS INITIATIVE, THE YOUNG LEARNERS SCHOOL, AND THE CHILD CARE COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON. FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF OUR FAMILIES, FULL-DAY AND PART-DAY SCHEDULE OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ALL ENROLLED STUDENTS. OUR LEAD TEACHERS HOLD CURRENT AMERICAN TEACHERS MONTESSORI SOCIETY (AMS) TEACHING CREDENTIALS, WITH OVER TWENTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE COMBINED.