Child & Family

Family Reunification Program

The Family Reunification Program (FRP) in Kalamazoo County

The joy of reuniting with your children after foster care can be mixed with challenges. Samaritas reunification program is here to help you adjust to living together in a positive family environment once more. Our Family Reunification Program offers IFS therapy, parental training and family support to keep your loved ones strong and healthy. Together, we can help your family grow and change in positive ways. It's designed to support families by reuniting children and parents in order to repeated foster care placements. These goals are accomplished with intensive, home-based family support services. Since 1999, the FRP has helped united families grow strong and healthy in Kalamazoo.

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Family Reunification Program Principles

  • Our first and greatest investment is the care and treatment of children in their own homes and provide parental support in their efforts to care for their children.
  • It is in the best interest of the child for his or her family to remain intact in the absence of compelling evidence to the contrary.
  • Families are diverse and have a right to be respected for the special cultural, racial, ethnic and religious traditions that make families unique.
  • Children can grow up successfully in different kinds of families. One type of family should not be discriminated against over other types.
  • Children have a right to their family. The family is the focal point of child welfare services.

IL Referrals & ETV Grants

Eligible teens are referred to Independent Living programs for youth in Michigan by their Department of Human Services, court or private agency worker. The referring worker completes a referral form for youth Independent Living. The referring worker also provides initial and recently updated service plans, medical information, birth certificate, Social Security card, Medicaid card, and educational records. Brief written assessments are provided by the youth, referring worker and caregiver.

Samaritas guides foster youth through college with federally-funded educational assistance grants. Educational Training Voucher (ETV) grants and case managers support foster youth toward obtaining their educational goals. Would you like to refer a youth? Please fill out the form below.

TEAMWORK: Our team is here to support your family in whatever way we can

You will work with a family support team made up of a Team Leader and a Family Worker. For about four months, your reunification team will meet with you and your family in your home at times convenient for you. During the first two weeks after your children return home, the reunification team will spend about eight hours per week with you, then about four hours per week for the remainder of the four months.

Reunification Program Evaluation

  • The Skillman Foundation evaluated the FRP from 1992 to 1995. Their report emphasized the substantial success of the model:
    • 85% of children who completed the program were reunited with their families.
    • 73% of those children remained safely at home with no further out-of-home placements 12 months after reunification.
    • Children who required a repeat out-of-home placement were returned to their homes more quickly than those who had not received FRP services.

Reunification Program Cost-Effectiveness

The Skillman Foundation report also indicated that the FRP was cost-effective for the State of Michigan. The state saved $5,283 per child during the 18-month period following FRP services.

PROGRAM MODEL

Supporting family, foster care, adoption, community services, and child well-being initiatives at Samaritas.

Family Assessments

Strengths, needs, safety and risk

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Reunification Services

Therapeutic, supportive and concrete, including parenting classes, parenting and family workshops, and family activities

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Reunification Service Plan

Goals, action plans and monthly progress reports

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Two-person Family Reunification Teams

One master's-level team leader and one bachelor's-level family worker

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Family Support Service Duration

Four months, with a possible two-month extension with 24-hour/7-day staff availability and specific assistance to meet concrete family needs

SERVICES

We offer a wide variety of supportive family services to meet the needs of those in the program

IFS Therapy

Family
Individual
Sibling
Couple

Family Skill-Building

Direct teaching
Modeling
Problem-solving relapse prevention

Positive Family Environment

Safety planning
Community support and advocacy
Extended family support
Household and home improvement

Vocational and Educational Parent Training

Advocacy through area schools
Job training
Employability skills and education

Parental Training

Ongoing parenting classes
Quarterly workshops
Education and support
Limited emergency respite care

Family Recreation

Family activities
Social networking

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