Camelot’s Family Reunification Services Program supports the reunification of children and birth families after child welfare involvement. Almost half a million children are in foster care or other out-of-home placements in the United States. For 50% of these children, the case goal is reunification (i.e., returning them to their biological parents) as quickly and safely as possible. To assist with the reunification process, Camelot Community Care is currently providing Family Reunification Services in Pinellas and Pasco counties to assist the child and the child's parents with the reunification process.
The Family Reunification Services Program (FRSP) will follow the Functional Family Therapy - Child Welfare (FFT-CW®) model to aid in the processes needed to support reunification. This nationally recognized research-based model has been proven to be significantly better than alternative services on a number of variables, including a) rapidly engaging youth and families into services, b) a significantly shorter treatment duration, c) meeting all treatment goals, and d) preventing recurring allegations, return to services, and youth outplacements. Our goal, through the utilization of the FFT-CW® model, is to get families out of harm’s way faster and achieve changes more rapidly than alternative services, and – more importantly – keep youth and families together by achieving clinically meaningful outcomes for youth and families.
Common services associated with reunification include visitation between parent and child, visitation between siblings (if separated), case management services from the social worker, parent training, anger management, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment for the child and parent(s), and domestic violence services.
Parents/caregivers must agree to participate in the program in order to receive services. The FRSP will include the following outcomes for participants:
- Work to facilitate positive family changes
- Coordinate family participation in therapy
- Meet at a minimum of weekly
- Improve family communication
- Promote empowerment
- Instill self-sufficiency
- Create connections to the community
Referrals for the FRSP must come directly from the case management organization located in Pinellas and/or Pasco counties and submitted through the referral form to Camelot.