LSG Receives Human Services Grant to Support Family Intervention Services

Lutheran Services of Georgia recently received funding from the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, under the guidance of the Housing and Human Services Department Grant Program, to support LSG's Family Intervention Services program. The Human Services Grant program bridges the gap in direct government services by supporting etablished community-based non-profit organizations throughout Fulton County that provide programs in the areas of: Aging, Disability, Employment, HIV/AIDS, Homelessness & Housing, and Youth & Families.

LSG’s Family Intervention Services (FIS) program has three main goals: 1) That children are protected from abuse and neglect and safety maintained in their homes whenever possible; 2) That children have permanency and stability in their living situations; and 3) That families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children’s needs.

Most FIS clients are families who have been impacted by issues that put children at a higher risk of abuse or neglect or have experienced impaired family functioning. FIS clients may have children with medically fragile conditions, developmental disabilities, or behavioral and psychiatric disabilities. They may be experiencing factors that put the child at risk, including poverty, unemployment, unstable housing, domestic violence, lack of education, low literacy, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, dependence on relative caregivers, young/inexperienced parents, language barriers, and more.

FIS protects children and strengthens families through two key components: A+ Parents and Supervised Family Visitation. A+ Parents works to prevent family issues from escalating to the point of requiring Child Protective Services (CPS) intervention and/or out-of-home placements. Supervised Family Visitation serves children who have already entered foster care by providing structured opportunities for children to visit with birth parents, siblings, or other relatives in a safe, home-like setting. Both A+ Parents and Supervised Family Visitation offer parenting classes, assessments, case management, therapy, community linkages, and transportation assistance. In fiscal year 2014, FIS served 189 children and 143 adults in 100 families in Fulton County alone.

Lutheran Services of Georgia thanks the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and the Housing and Human Services Department for providing funding for Family Intervention Services.