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The Family Support Center

The Family Support Center provides specialized parent education and support to assist parents in developing the skills, resources, and natural supports to safely remain together or safely reunify as they work toward goals of family preservation and reunification.

Our Approach

The Family Support Center (FSC) utilizes a hands-on, strengths based approach to at risk DCYF involved families with Developmental Disabilities and/or a Mental Health diagnosis. We focus on:

  • Parent education and child development

  • Forming healthy relationships and establishing a support system

  • Bonding between parents and children

  • Behavior management

Coaching

Individual coaching takes place in the home and the community targeting:

  • Basic parenting

  • Child development

  • Behavior management

  • Safety

My worker really cared about me and my family. She fought for my family and stood up for my best interest and my kids' best interest. She showed compassion and was open with me about what I need to to. She helped me with becoming organized, donations, and reminded me that I am a good mom.

Melissa M. - a spurwink parent

In the Home, FSC Provides

  • Supervised visitation and transportation for children.

  • A healthy and safe environment for bonding and interactions.

  • Help with family transitions.

  • Case management. We assist clients in applying for services such as housing, employment, SSI/SSDI, ORS, SNAP, WIC, and more depending upon each individual's or family's needs.

Follow Up

  • Letters are provided for court which report observations, assessments, strengths, needs, progress, and recommendations.

  • Communication with DCYF service providers for collaboration of care.

  • We monitor and support families after reunification to promote success so that family can safely exit DCYF care and function independently.

Parent and Child Evaluations

  • Clinical team comprised of credentialed, insurance reimbursable staff.

  • Comprehensive assessment of parent values and abilities over a period of six sessions.

  • Includes a minimum of one parent/child interaction.

It was a very helpful program when I lost my son. They were very helpful and I feel other people should take advantage of the services. It's a wonderful agency.

Matthew D. - a spurwink parent

Why choose spurwink|ri?
  • Staff possess a minimum level of a Bachelor's degree.

  • Staff receive clinical supervision by an LICSW.

  • Council on Accreditation (COA) accredited.

  • Services eligible for Medicaid reimbursement.

  • Hands-on education provides more successful outcomes versus the classroom.

  • Implementation of treatment plans individualized or specific to family preservation and reunification.

  • Client transportation available.

  • Services are home and community based.

  • Assist parents to learn to achieve goal of keeping children in the home and safely reunifying children from foster or residential care.

  • Collaborate with DCYF and community providers.

  • Provide assessments, observations, progress reports, and recommendations to DCYF and Family Court.

  • Monitoring and support to families after reunification to promote successful reunification and prevent reentry into the foster care system.

History

The Family Support Center will be be entering its twenty-third year of service. It began in 1995 as a service for parents with developmental delays at risk of losing their children. This program evolved into the Family Support Center. The effectiveness of the Family Support Center can be attributed to the collaboration of the expertise of our multi-disciplinary spectrum of professionals. This program is the only one in the state of Rhode Island that treats the continuum of the dually diagnosed population.

For more information about the Family Support Center, please call or email today.

Caroline Gojcz, LICSW

Clinical Supervisor FSC

Parent Aid Referrals

P: (401) 781-4380 ext.133

cgojcz@spurwinkri.org

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