for parents with cognitive delay
and/or mental health problems

The Specialized Parent Support Program provides parent support and education to parents who have cognitive delays and/or mental health problems. Families referred to these services are at risk of losing their children due to abuse and/or neglect or are in the process of reunifying with their children. Services focus on teaching the designated parent best parenting practices, which include behavior management, anger management, communication, and daily living skills. The program serves those parents that the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) has identified as developmentally delayed, cognitively impaired or have a mental diagnosis and are considered to be at-risk for child abuse/ neglect and/or family breakdown. All families must be referred to the program by DCYF.

The Specialized Parent Support Program incorporates the following service components:

1. In-home: FES's provide intensive direct-care service to the family in the family's home in order to best assist the families in the environment where the skills will be occurring naturally. The FES's also provide parent training and modeling of appropriate behaviors, as dictated by the family's goals and objectives. Treatment addresses the development of behavioral, communication, social and functional skills and can focus on but is not limited to, appropriate parenting skills (i.e. bathing child, diapering child, behavior management, etc.) appropriate communication skills, and developing independent life skills (i.e. developing and maintaining a budget).

2. Community based: In addition to in-home services, the FES's also provide services within the family's local community. The focus is to generalize skills learned first in the home, as well as to provide teaching and modeling of skills needed for integrating oneself into the community.

3. Treatment Coordination: The FES's maintain on-going, consistent contact with the collateral agencies involved with the families served.

4. Transportation: As a new feature, included in the blended rate.

5. After-care: As another new feature, the FES will be available for telephone support for each family served for up to one year after intensive services have been discontinued. In addition, the FES will make monthly, two-hour visits to the family's home in order to provide ongoing assessment of the family's ability to successfully maintain the progress made during the intensive service period. Finally, the FES will assist the family with obtaining any additional services or resources

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The mission of Spurwink|RI is to assist children, adults with disabilities,
and their families in pursuing social, educational, vocational
and other life enhancing opportunities.