Family Preservation Services (FPS) are family-focused, community-based, and designed to help families with children from 0-18 years old cope with significant stressors or problems that interfere with their ability to nurture their children. Families must be involved with Children and Youth Services to qualify for services.

Family Preservation Services at Family Services of NW PA help strengthen the families of children at risk of placement by improving family functioning and preventing unnecessary placement of children.

Goals of Family Preservation Services:

  • To enhance the parents' ability to create a safe, stable, and nurturing home environment that promotes healthy child development.
  • To maintain children with their families, or reunify them, whenever it can be done safely.
  • To provide, refer to, and coordinate services needed to achieve or maintain family safety, stability, independence, and unity.

Services May Include:

  • Family Counseling sessions for individuals, couples, entire families or any combination of family members.
  • Parent Training:
    • Behavior Management
    • Child Development
    • Health and Nutrition
  • Assessment and Recommendations using the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale (NCFAS)
  • Skill Development, such as Budgeting, Stress Management, Conflict Resolution, Daily Living, Anger Management, and Communication
  • Visitation in Reunification Cases
  • Assistance in locating adequate housing or improving home conditions necessary to a child's safety
  • Development of support systems and linkage
  • On-call Crisis Intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • Crisis stabilization

Referrals:

Family Preservation Services are available to families with children from 0-18 years old who are involved with Children and Youth Services.

Referrals to Family Preservation Services at Family Services of NW PA can be made by:

  • Crawford County Children and Youth Services (CYS)
  • Crawford County Juvenile Probation Office (JPO)
  • Erie County Office of Children and Youth (OCY)
  • Mercer County Children and Youth Services (CYS)

Family Preservation Services