Family Based In-Home Mental Health Services
The Family Foundations program is licensed in the State of Pennsylvania by the PA Department of Human Services. This In-Home Family Based Program offers a very special type of comprehensive structural family therapy, focused on helping parents and caregivers be the best parents they can be, identifying supports for caregivers, creating greater coping and resiliency as well as promoting positive relationships among all family members. We take great pride in offering the very best treatment possible to maintain a healthy family unit.
The Family Foundations Program utilizes a non-traditional approach that focuses on the strengths and resources of the family. It follows the essential principles of structural family therapy, provided by a team of two therapists who receive three years of training and certification through the Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center. This counseling model emphasizes total family participation in an effort to establish appropriate family roles and parenting techniques. This approach reflects techniques that help to improve such factors as relationships and communication patterns within the family rather than traits or symptoms in individual members.
The treatment goal is to prevent out-of-home placements and maintain the family unit or to reunify families where placement has already occurred. Our treatment model focuses on involving families as partners in the therapy process. Focusing on family strengths and building on existing family resources to promote change and ensure safety. Results may vary, but in good circumstances, they include increased agreement between individual family members, improved communication within the family, and a decrease of previously symptomatic behavior patterns that led the family to seek treatment.
The Family Foundations Program provides services in the home and community, as necessary and is a time-limited therapy that typically provides thirty-two (32) weeks of service. However, the length of treatment can be personalized to meet the needs of each family. During the first month of service the family can expect to participate in assessments of family strengths and resources, family history, and a time-line of critical events. Sessions then focus on the development of treatment goals, family history, determination of current support systems, and the need for additional resources.
The program provides family, individual, sibling, and couple therapy. Typically, the family can expect at least two or three sessions weekly occurring in the home or at the child’s school. The program also provides 24-hour crisis intervention. This allows staff to respond to emergencies promptly.
Eligibility Requirements Include:
- A child or adolescent age 0-21 that has a diagnosed mental illness or emotional disturbance.
- A child or adolescent that is at imminent risk of an out-of-home placement or psychiatric hospitalization.
- A psychiatrist or licensed psychologist/psychiatrist recommends Family Based therapy as medically necessary.
- At least one adult member of the family consents to services.
The Family Foundation Program offers the following services:
- Intensive family therapy by a team of two therapists: promoting executive functioning, co-caregiver alliance, attachment and self-regulation
- Case management
- Therapy and services in the family home and community
- 24-hour on-call crisis intervention and support
- Family support services
- Linking to community services, systems and support
- Education and skill building in the areas of: child management, communication, conflict resolution, assertiveness, budgeting, nutrition, anger and stress management, and more
- Emergency financial aid in support of therapeutic goals
Coverage for Services
The Family Foundations Program is a contracted provider with Carelon Behavioral Health (CBH) for the Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Managed Care Program. We are contracted to serve the residents of Venango, Crawford, Mercer, and Clarion Counties.
Before services can be initiated, the service must receive prior authorization by CBH. Services will be approved if the consumer/family meet the medical necessity criteria guidelines established by PA Medical Assistance and by CBH.
Referrals may be made by the family, schools, social service agencies, physicians, psychologists or psychiatrists. To obtain additional information or to make a referral, please contact one of the following:
- Family Service & Children’s Aid Society, Family Foundations Program at 814-676-9940
- Venango County Mental Health Base Service Unit at 814-432-9100
- Carelon Behavioral Health at 866-404-4561