Family Focus is a non-profit agency licensed under Rule 4; we provide individualized care plans for youth and families. Family Focus serves youth and families from all over the Minnesota area. We currently have offices located in Austin, the Twin Cities, Duluth, and Rochester. We have built strong collaborative relationships with many communities, their respective school districts, and county agencies including their correctional and mental health divisions.
Our services include:
Foster Care
The professional foster care program is focused on children with special needs including severe emotional and behavioral disturbances, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, and medically fragile youth. Appropriate referrals also include youth whose families are involved in concurrent planning where reunification efforts are possible. This service includes twice monthly contact from a licensed social worker/case worker that will provide supervision, coordination of individualized treatment plans, crisis intervention and specialized training to the foster parents. Our F.P.'s are expected to maintain 25 hours of continuing education per year.
Alternative to Residential Treatment (ART)
ART program offers youth an intensive treatment environment provided by experienced foster parents with specific areas of expertise. This program may be used as an alternative to residential placement or as an after care program. Experienced social workers will provide weekly case management and ongoing therapy to the youth in placement. This program offers increased supervision, a structured living environment and independent living skills training. Appropriate referrals would include ajudicated delinquents, checmically dependent youth and any other youth needing an intensive treatment model.
Therapeutic Support Services (CTSS)
The Professional Home Based Services Program provides family centered home-based therapy, and skill building/mentoring services. The goal is to prevent unnecessary placement of youth outside the home, offer reunification services when placement has been necessary or help prevent disruptions while the youth is in placement by providing:
Family assessments
Crisis safety planning
Intensive therapy
Flexible hours
Coordination with significant others
Referral to appropriate services
All of our therapists are Mental Health Professionals with experience in doing community based work. Our Life Skills workers are Mental Health practitioners who also have atleast two years experience in community based work.
Whole Family Placements
The WFP program is designed to meet the needs of parents and their children who are involved in the child protection system. The purpose of this program is to provide a stabilization period for the family while providing assistance.
Child Respite Care
Providing short-term respite in a Rule 4 licensed foster home in order to provide relief to primary care givers. This program serves youth experiencing severe emotional disturbances.
Adoption
We provide adoption services to children under State Guardianship or Tribal Guardianship. Funding for services is provided through the Public/Private Adoption Initiative (PPAI) grant.
