Community and Preventive Services
Strong, capable families are at the heart of every community. Our Community and Preventive Services help communities maintain their quality of life by providing assistance while problems are still manageable. All of our Community and Preventive Services are designed to help parents learn how to be more effective, connect the family with the appropriate resources within their community, and help guide, teach, and heal young people who might otherwise be at risk for placement in out-of-home services.
For more than 25 years, New Directions has been a provider of Community and Preventive Services. Our ability to engage families with practical strategies for coping and growth results in achieving self-reliance and long-term success.
Brief Strategic Family Therapy
Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) is an evidence-based family therapy model which utilizes family interventions to reduce behavioral problems and strengthen the family unit. Referrals for services initiate under a youth with a presenting problem, such as substance use, emotional disturbance or behavioral issues.
Families can be of any composition: nuclear, extended, blended, adoptive or foster.
Goals for BSFT include improving parenting practices, reducing negativity in family interactions, improved family collaboration, and improving family communication.
This model focuses on improving the process of how families interact long-term, rather than focusing on the content of what is happening as in traditional family therapy models.
Erie County DSS is the only referral source
Preventive Service agencies can recommend the service to the DSS Case Manager
Families must have an open Preventive Services case
Parenting, Wraparound, and other case management can be involved at the same time as BSFT
Contact Information for Brief Strategic Family Therapy:
Referrals can be sent to Samantha Fay via email at sfay@ndyfs.org or via fax at 1 (716) 671-3180
For additional information or questions about eligibility contact Samantha Fay at sfay@ndyfs.org or 716-346-6571
Family Engagement
Family Engagement Facilitators partner with families in this voluntary process designed to help restore decision making power to parents and guardians when children are at-risk of not being able to reside/are currently not residing with their parents/guardians.
This program has integrated the Family Group Decision Making Model in its practice. Referrals for this program come through Niagara County Department of Social Services.
There are two types of tracts this program has been designed for.
Family Group Conferencing – The purpose is for the facilitator to provide a structured family meeting where family members, supportive friends and family, and service providers come together to create a plan focused on the well-being and safety of the children.
Family Finding – The purpose is for the facilitator to partner with family to identify possible temporary and permanent supports for the family while the children are currently not able to reside with the parent/guardians.
Contact Information for Family Engagement:
Erin Ferrante
Family Engagement Supervisor
Phone: 716-334-3362
Fax: 716-306-4080
Email: eferrante@ndyfs.org
Family Assessment Response
New Directions Niagara County Family Assessment Response (FAR) collaborates with Child Protective Services (CPS) FAR team to provide families with an alternative to traditional CPS investigation. With the FAR approach, families are provided with culturally competent, strength based, and needs driven process. Families are assisted in developing and organizing supports, services, and resources in order to achieve their goals, vision, and self-sufficiency.
Services in New Directions Niagara County FAR Program are delivered through FAR care coordinators, carrying a caseload of a maximum of 12 youth and their families. Families can be enrolled in the FAR process for a maximum of 90 days with New Directions. The family assessment and services response is based upon the principle that families are best equipped to formulate solutions to the challenges they face when provided with the necessary support and access to services is facilitated.
Care coordinators will facilitate this level of empowerment through the core practice principles of Respect, Empathy and Genuineness. Funding is provided by Niagara County DSS to purchase services and emergency/as-needed assistance.
Services that may be purchased for youth and families include: tutoring, mentoring, family advocacy, skill building for the youth, parent skills training, respite, behavior management services, parent aide, translation services, transportation services, home repairs, rental assistance, appliances, furnishings, moving expenses, and extermination.
Care coordinators will work in cooperation with the following key partners: Niagara County Department of Social Services, Family Court, Niagara County Public Schools, Niagara County Department of Mental Health, Niagara County Department of Probation and various community agencies. The service values will be strength based (individual and family), respect for youth and family choices, parent mutual support, and youth mutual support.
Contact Information for Family Assessment Response:
Erin Ferrante
Family Engagement Supervisor
Phone: 716-334-3362
Fax: 716-306-4080
Email: eferrante@ndyfs.org