Family Support Centers
Family Support Centers are community-based programs designed to support families by strengthening parent/child relationships, provide supports parents need to be good nurturers and providers, and to gain or maintain self-sufficiency.
These programs serve as welcoming hubs of community services and opportunities. They are designed to strengthen families, reflect and be responsive to the specific needs, cultures, and interests of the communities and populations served. Families will improve their well-being and meet their children’s needs. Family Support Centers assist participants in becoming self-sufficient and develop opportunities for them. Family Support Centers offer community-based services aimed at reducing the risk of child abuse, child neglect, and juvenile delinquency by promoting nurturing families and preventing at risk families from having children removed from the home.
Applicants must use the following program model as a guide:
FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER PROGRAM MODEL
The goal of this community-based program is to support family strengths,
promote community investment and ownership, and provide the needed resources
to families to improve family well-being and reduce the risk of child abuse, child
neglect, and juvenile delinquency.
This prevention-focused, voluntary program offers comprehensive, culturally
sensitive services, which are universally accessible to all families (with an emphasis
on families with children ages 18 and under) in a central location. The design is
based on a local needs assessment, building on an existing planning process with
interdisciplinary participation, including parents, health departments, Family
Resource Networks, social services, local governments, schools, local agencies,
religious institutions, early care and education programs, and community residents.
The model is strengths based:
• Treats parents as partners.
• Addresses basic needs.
• Looks at capabilities.
• Is resource-based.
• Supports family strengths to meet needs.
• Emphasizes informal support and mutual help among families.
• Offers a range of flexible services and programs where the family determines the level of involvement.
Core Services:
• Parenting skills training and support services.
• Outreach services, to ensure that families are aware of and able to
participate in programs offered on site, including families with
disabilities. Activity information must be widely distributed through
various sources (brochures, monthly calendar, flyers, newsletters, local
newspapers, door-to-door, etc.).
• Community referral services.
• Linkage to health programs to promote access to primary
care including developmental screenings, West Virginia Children’s
Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) promotion, and information on
healthcare services for parents.
• Linkage to respite/crisis care services and transportation
where needed/feasible.
• Referral and linkage to services that provide a safety net to help low income
families connect with childcare, education and job training, and
transportation.
• Trainings for participants in healthy relationships, partner violence, and
budgeting.
• Work with low-income families to address and remove barriers to
employment, identify employment pathways, connect with training
providers and ultimately be placed in employment.
Please find the contact information below of the location nearest you to learn more about the services the Family Support Centers provide in your area.
• Huntington Office: Diana Lucas – [email protected] or 681.378.2530
• Martinsburg Office: Megan Hovis – [email protected] or 304.264.4658
• Parkersburg Office: Lisa Weaver – [email protected] or 304.485.0650