Family Service of Waukesha

Family Service of Waukesha provides individual, family, educational, supportive, group, and in-home services.

PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Mental Health Services	Cooperative Parenting
Center for the Prevention of Family Violence	Children’s Place	Family Assessments
The C.A.R.E. Center	Family Teaming	Consumer Credit Counseling

Family Teaming

History
Although the American Child Welfare System has responded to and investigated millions of child abuse and neglect reports annually and the estimated annual cost in Wisconsin alone is $789 million dollars, there is broad acknowledgement that many, many children still are not safe. Communities and state agencies are realizing that broader community and family involvement in child well being is critical to creating the type of safety net that really protects children. An important step toward improving the system is to increase collaboration between child welfare agencies, community programs and families. The state, although well intended, makes a poor parent. Bonds between parents and children are stronger and longer lasting than most professional interventions.The system now recognizes that by working with families and listening to their own assessments of their needs, by following the family’s lead and investing in their strong points, more children can live safely in their own homes. The family plans emerging from the Family Team Meeting (FTM) model implemented in Cedar Rapids, Iowa has demonstrated success and has gained the attention of the Wisconsin Association of Family and Children’s Agencies (WAFCA). In 2005, at the request of the Co. Department of Human Services, a staff member from Family Service of Waukesha attended aWAFA sponsored training in this model. Subsequently, Family Service of Waukesha has agreed to assist the Waukesha County Department of Health and Human Services with the development and implementation of the Family Teaming model in their Child and Family Services Division.

Program Goal
Family Team Meetings will identify family strengths, needs and desired outcomes from which a child protection plan will be developed for at risk families.

Services
Family Service of Waukesha will take the lead in coordinating and facilitating at least one Family Team Meeting (FTM) per month with families referred from the Child and Family Services Division. Social workers and/or supervisors will be trained in the Family Teaming model and will serve as co-facilitators along with the Family Service staff member. Family Service will help County workers understand the methods and philosophy of “family engagement” that are crucial to the success of Family Team Meetings toward the County conducting their own FTMs within three years.

Referral Sources
All cases for Family Team Meetings are referred from the Child and Family Services of Division of the Waukesha County Department of Health and Human Services.

Staff
Laura Cherone, LCSW, Executive Director, Family Teaming Program Director