Family Based Services is an intensive, nontraditional therapeutic program for children with emotional and behavioral concerns.
Therapists work with families to improve the functioning of the child and to help families better cope with their children’s emotional and behavioral needs.
Utilizing the child and family strengths, a team assists in the development and enhancement of skills necessary for the child’s successful functioning at home, school, and in the community.
Goals
- Assist with crisis stabilization
- Support the co-caregiver relationship
- Empower parents to care for their children at home
- Strengthen and maintain the family
- Improve coping skills
- Provide the family with case management
What Families Have to Say
“We were very pleased with the care received from the team—they were great.”
“Keep doing what you are doing. We are very happy with your help. Thank you for a big part of our chapter in our family.”
“We think it was very beneficial to our family.”
Service Components
- Team delivered service
- Professional and confidential treatment
- Family, individual, sibling, and co-parent therapy sessions
- Strength-based approach
- Case management
- Coordination/collaboration with other service providers
- Parent Education
- Crisis Stabilization
- Aftercare planning and service linkage
- 24 hour crisis hotline
Referral Procedure
- Psychiatric or psychological evaluation specifically recommending a referral to Family Based Services within 60 days of starting the program.
- For more information, call The Guidance Center at (814) 362-6535 or (800) 322-0905.
Eligibility
- Children and adolescents under the age of 21 with a mental health diagnosis.
- Without intervention, the child is at-risk for out-of-home placement.
- The child’s symptoms result in a significant level of family conflict and family relational problems.
- No cost to families—services are most often paid for by the medical assistance program.
Staff
- Each family enrolled in this program works with a two person team.
- The team provides services directly in the home, community, and school helping the family to identify their strengths, assisting them in meeting their needs.
- All Family Based Services staff complete a three -year training in family therapy with Philadelphia
Child and Family Therapy Training Center.
Frequency of Service
- Typically consists of one family session, one parent session, and one individual session with the child per week.
- If needed, additional sessions can occur with other family members as necessary.