FAMILY MAINTENANCE

What is Family Maintenance?

Family Maintenance services are provided to families for a limited time period to assist them in correcting critical family or parenting problems that threaten the stability of the family unit.

Where can I receive these services?

These services are provided in the home to prevent separation of children from their family and only when the children can remain in the home safely. Family Maintenance services can include; counseling, parenting, alcohol and other drug treatment, homemaking skills, life skills, transportation or other services necessary to help the family remain together and learn the skills to continue without further assistance from CWS.

Top

When is Family Maintenance used?

Family Maintenance is used any time following outcome of a CWS referral when a formal case plan is created with the parents or guardians. Family Maintenance services can be established in three ways.

• They can be initiated on a voluntary basis with families that are willing to participate, and where the risk factors to the children in the home are low or moderate while appropriate support and services are provided.
  • Family Maintenance also provides services through our Family Care Division which are:
    • Family Support Services, a program which helps to obtain services for “high risk” families to reduce incidence of CWS involvement.
    • Time-Limited Family Reunification Services, designed to improve the success possibilities for reunification in families where substance abuse was an issue.
    • Family Care Interventions, a program designed to provide education and services to families to assist them in removing barriers that keep them out of the work force and on public assistance. The program provides direct case management support for Child Welfare Services extending their capacity to better provide pro-active support to families and save children. This program includes parenting classes, one-on-one counseling, alcohol and other drug education, and case management.
• In Home “dependency” is Family Maintenance with court involvement. This occurs when a petition (allegation of child abuse) is found to be true by the court, making a child a dependant of the court. In these situations, as with Voluntary Family Maintenance, risk to the child is not significant enough for removal of the child from the parent or guardian, but oversight from the court is prudent.
• Finally, Family Maintenance also occurs when a child is returned home after the parent or guardian successfully completes their Family Reunification case plan, and the children are returned home with follow-up services through CWS.

Top

How long does Family Maintenance last?

Family Maintenance services typically last for a six-month period but can be extended up to one year depending on family needs, prior efforts toward completing case plan goals or court direction.