Family Support Services Program

The Family Support Services [FSS] Program is designed to keep families intact while ensuring the safety of the children. The purpose of Family Support Services Program is to increase children and adolescents safety and stability in their own homes. Bridgeway Center staff provide "parent nurturing education" to parents and caregivers. The objective is to increase their ability to care for their children and/or adolescents.  Services are exclusive to families referred by the Department of Children and Families or Family First Network due to allegations of abuse or neglect of the children.

FSS Services

Program services promote the health, safety, well-being, and permanency of children from birth to age 18 and their families and include:

• Providing individualized services
• Reuniting families that have been separated due to child abuse or neglect
• Teaching of parenting skills  
• Using role modeling and specifically designed educational materials for abusive or neglectful parents
• Teaching conflict resolution
• Support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Helping parents with the development of resources
• Teaching homemaker skills and household management
• Aiding parents in budget planning
• Assisting families in obtaining services, supports and resources in their communities

FSS Staff

The Family Support Services Program is staffed by Team Leaders, Master’s Level Counselors, Bachelor’s Level Counselors, and Specialists in Homemaking and Household Management.  All staff have received training in psychology and social services arenas and have from 4 to 20 years of experience in the field.

Some Statistics

The length of time spent in the program depends on what is needed to keep the children safe and the progress of the family.  In 2007, the Family Support Services Program served 544 families to include 1316 children with a 91% success rate.  The average family is a young single parent with 3 children