Family Support Services has 40 years of aiding community

Editor’s note: The following is another in a series of article featuring the partner agencies of the Putnam County United Way.

“Thankful for the service. I’ve been here only three weeks, as a last option because nothing else helped. No family, homeless, complete isolation and feelings of hopelessness. I’ve already gained optimism and hope. Now setting boundaries with my abuser and still continuing a long road of self-esteem healing. But now I am optimistic and starting to feel alive again. Many thanks!” -- Domestic Violence Program participant.

Putnam County Family Support Services has more than 40 years of history leading the community in responding to victims of domestic violence and families at risk of child abuse, working to break the cycle of abuse via prevention, intervention and community education.

Its model is grounded in self-determination, and operates with a strength-based and empowerment philosophy while incorporating best practices and evidenced-based strategies. As best practices have emerged in the field, Family Support Services has moved toward a model of a trauma informed-comprehensive approach, providing leadership to create responsive systems, offering an array of services and programs, while addressing the need for primary prevention with youth and the community at large. The agency is dedicated to healthy relationships and provides a continuum of services for persons of all ages who have been victims of, or are at risk of being victims of, domestic violence, child abuse or other family or relationship violence. It is the only organization in Putnam County devoted solely to the issue of domestic violence and the prevention of child abuse. The agency provides direct service to more than 1,000 unduplicated Putnam County men, women, youth and families annually.

Family Support Services holistically addresses the needs of some our most vulnerable Putnam County residents by providing voluntary, support services to at –risk families and their children and those inflicted by domestic violence or sexual assault. We are dedicated to improving the quality of life for all people that we come in contact with through various methods of help and community education. Families served by the organization are often faced with challenges that impair their ability to have healthy family functioning. These challenges/problems include: poverty, isolation, lack of education and support, history of trauma, lack of transportation, history of abuse or neglect or domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues, under employed, lack of parenting skills and financial resources as well as limited life skills which prohibit achievement of healthy outcomes. Our all-inclusive approach provides families with the resources and skills needed to alleviate some of these barriers resulting in positive outcomes for themselves and/or their families and children.

Putnam County Family Support Services sponsors and facilitates four primary programs within the agency which include: The Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Prevention Program, the Healthy Families Program, Tot’s Time and Primary Prevention Programming. Each of the programs are in place to offer ongoing support, education, guidance, and intervention to prevent the occurrence of family and community violence.

Putnam County Family Support Services’ Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Program reaches out to men, women and children who have been victims of family violence. The program is designed to offer victims support, education, and advocacy to help enable them to move beyond abuse. Program participants develop with the assistance of their advocate a needs assessment and individualized goals that guide the delivery of the service.

The program offers crisis intervention, case management, individual peer counseling and education sessions, court advocacy, transportation to essential resources and safe shelter, safety planning, protective order assistance, and linkage to community resources. Program advocates interface with law enforcement and judicial officials during the initial crisis and as needed during case management services. Our men and women’s support groups offer domestic violence/sexual assault education to victims providing them an opportunity to share their feelings, fears, and experiences with other survivors who are going through the same physical and emotional trauma. In conjunction with the women’s support group, a children’s group is offered. The groups focus on self-esteem, conflict resolution, healthy relationships, safety planning, life skills and social skills. The program provides community education presentations and workshops for professionals and community members as well as provides training opportunities for law enforcement, judicial officials and professionals within the community. The program provides crisis intervention and case management services to an average of 500 primary victims of violence yearly.

The Healthy Families Program is an assessment service and intensive home visitation program. The program utilizes an assessment tool to determine a family’s risk factors and stressors. Families are then linked with necessary resources to meet their parenting and family needs. Eligible families are offered the preventative home visitation program, which focuses on parent-child interaction, bonding and healthy outcomes for children. The initial needs assessment and the families individualized family support plan guides the delivery of service. Families are visited on a weekly basis and as risk factors diminish and goals are achieved the number of visits required each month diminish over the three-year eligibility period. Families are linked to local community resources, assisted in meeting their daily needs, provided with life skills education, parenting information, child development materials, crisis intervention, transportation and parenting groups.

Clientele of the program are also offered an opportunity to participate in the Bound by a Book Program and Family Ties Storeroom, which are both “earn while you learn”/incentive programs. The program provides community education presentations and workshops for interested community members and professionals. The program completes approximately 40 assessments and serves an average of 55 families monthly in home visitation.

The Tot’s Time Program is a free childcare service for parents of children six and under and is offered one morning per week. Children participating in Tot’s Time are provided opportunities to interact with other children and adult mentors. Tot’s Time activities include free play, craft, snack and story time. Families utilizing Tot’s Time are provided with parenting educational materials and community referrals. The service is provided to approximately 35 children yearly.

The Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault prevention program, with the assistance of community stakeholders, completed a Dating/Sexual Violence Needs Assessment in December 2015. The Needs Assessment included key informant interviews, community forums, and surveys of youth and school faculty/administration. The Needs Assessment and stakeholder input has assisted the program in developing a Primary Prevention Plan for Putnam County. The overall goal of the Primary Prevention Plan is to increase emotional health and connectedness in order to prevent violence. The CDC has identified connectedness as a protective factor against the perpetration of violence, including child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and youth violence.

The Primary Prevention Plan is currently being implemented county-wide and consists of four parts:

-- 1. PCFSS will provide Safe Dates, Coaching Boys Into Men, and Bystander Intervention trainings at the high schools. These activities will increase individual knowledge about dating violence, sexual violence, youth violence, and bullying. They will also build skills so that students can prevent and respond to these types of violence.

-- 2. PCFSS will use the 40 Developmental Assets approach within the community, with high school faculty, staff, and administrators to promote positive youth development.

-- 3. PCFSS will form a countywide youth council to increase youth leadership and engagement in the community.

-- 4. PCFSS will form a countywide coalition to prevent violence in children, youth and families. Youth programming impacts approximately 450 students with a minimum of eight hours of evidence based programming that targets social norms and attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding dating and sexual violence.

Family Support Services is grateful to the Putnam County community and the United Way of Putnam County for its support of the mission and programs. For more information about services, how you can help or volunteer opportunities, call 653-4820.