Families Stronger Together (FST)

Families Stronger Together (FST)

Cunningham’s Families Stronger Together (FST) provides voluntary trauma-informed, culturally responsive, therapeutic services for the entire family—caregivers and their youth—who have entered, or are at risk of entering the juvenile justice system.

Intended to promote resiliency in the family, FST’s therapeutic services are provided according to the Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC) treatment framework and include:

  • Individual therapy services for the youth;
  • Family therapy services for the youth and their family;
  • Psychoeducation services for the youth;
  • Psychoeducation services for the caregivers;
  • Care coordination services for the youth;
  • Intensive family engagement services; and
  • Coordination with similar or related service providers for aftercare services.

FST will help youth and their families understand the impact past experiences of trauma have had on their current level of functioning and/or behaviors that have brought them to the attention of the juvenile justice system. The program will also strengthen the trauma-informed caregiving skills of caregivers.

Scope of Services

The needs of each family will be triaged upon referral and the youth may be found to be eligible for:
 

Full Service Case (4-10 months, Treatment Plan Clients)

  • Offered to families who, upon referral, have made a clear commitment to engaging in services
  • Includes an assessment and either a treatment planning process or intervention planning process

 

Who is eligible?

Individuals who:
  • Reside in Champaign County
  • Aged 10 through 17
  • Have become involved, or are at risk of becoming involved, in the juvenile justice system
  • May be experiencing: Emotional/Behavioral concerns, Truancy, Domestic Violence, Probation,Pattern of chronic offenses or Felony charge

The needs of each youth and their family referred to FST will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if needs can best be met by this program. Cunningham’s program supervisor and Intake and Admissions Specialist will determine eligibility for each referred youth and their family.

Primary Funder 

Champaign County Mental Health Board

Contact for Referral

Penne Biggers, BS; Intake and Admissions Assistant
1301 N Cunningham Ave, Urbana, IL  61802
217-367-3728 (office); 217-367-5910 (fax)
pbiggers@cunninghamhome.org

FST_Program.pdf