Youth Homes Family Pathways Program
The Family Pathways program provides specialty mental health services that help children remain supported and integrated in their current family placement, whether they are in foster care or not. The purpose of Family Pathways is to help make sure that everyone in the young person’s life is talking to one another and has the same information – at heart, the program is the connective tissue to help children and families avoid “falling through the cracks.”
Led by Clinical Director Nikki Heeren, this program includes Intensive Care Coordination (ICC), Intensive Home-Based Services (IHBS), and individual and family therapy for foster youth, youth at risk of entering foster care, and their families.
Family Pathways acts as the connector for absolutely everyone supporting the child’s well-being: doctors, psychiatrists, social workers, educators, community advocates, family members, and/or appointed caregivers. The emphasis on coordination and facilitating communication helps ensure that the child’s needs are well-understood in their current setting, everyone understands their role, and the whole family unit has the resources and support to stay together.
It takes a village to raise children, and Family Pathways measures success in the following ways:
Improving mental health symptoms and decreasing risk behaviors
Building life skills and independence
Supporting socialization and opportunities for positive relationships
Helping young people succeed in school, and
Connecting caregivers with support and additional resources.
With the help of our passionate staff, dedicated volunteer professionals, and devoted community members, Family Pathways has had a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of foster children, adolescents, and their families.
The Process
The Family Pathways Program receives direct referrals from Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services (CCBHS) for clients 0-21 years of age. Many (though not all) referrals are current or former foster children. Each client is paired with one of our Intensive Care Coordinator/Clinicians, who then conducts thorough assessment with each family. Together, they build a deep understanding about why the child and family are in the child welfare system and what types of support have worked best in the child’s past.
Compassionate and Thorough Care
An Intensive Care Coordinator/Clinician then uses this information to develop an actionable plan for the youth and their family members. Our consistent mission is to provide those we serve with empathetic mental health services so that these young clients and their families achieve safety, consistency, and mental wellness.
Family Pathways works closely with Youth Homes Transition Age Youth (TAY) program to help clients aged 17-21 shift successfully into independent living, with essential support for these resilient youth to successfully move into adulthood and out of the foster care system.
The Family Pathways team is made up of a wide variety of professionals dedicated to the well-being of the youth we serve. Every day this team get to be a part of positive change. We see the way every small step helps our clients feel confident and proud of themselves, which makes every day meaningful.
Backed by Experienced Professionals in the Community
Youth Homes has been fortunate enough to connect with community experts to bring our Youth Homes clients the mental wellness services they need and deserve. Therapist Natascha Thompson, LMFT was kind enough to reach out to Family Pathways and offer pro-bono mental health services to Youth Homes clients in order support and lift up our community.
Natascha says, “Everyone wants to be seen and witnessed. Processing their story is what everyone needs – normalizing [emotion] is powerful, because people often need to know they’re not crazy.” Dedicated to normalizing the act of seeking and receiving mental health services, Natascha’s compassion for others has been much appreciated and has positively contributed to our Family Pathways Program mission.
Join Our Team!
Are you a mental health professional seeking an opportunity to make a difference? We would like to thank the professionals that have dedicated their time and expertise to helping the youth of our community! We invite you to Contact Us at any time for more information.
We would also like to thank the many partners, donors, and community members that have donated their time, money, and/or resources to our Youth Homes programs. Find out more about the many ways you can join our forces to support our community’s youth!