Family Counseling
Family Counseling Program
Our Family Counseling program provides support and access to resources that improve familial relationships and promote healthy development and stability. We serve approximately 530 families each year and we provide comprehensive services in English, Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Our multifaceted approach serves multiple levels of service needs.
ALL SERVICES ARE FREE OF CHARGE FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS.
Impact Statement
Families Connected to Direct Rent Assistance During the Pandemic
Families Received Counseling
Children Received Counseling
Participants in Parent/Support Groups
Through home, office and virtual visits, group activities, advocacy, resource navigation, service referrals, and collaboration with other Center for Family Life programs, our caseworkers help families to develop individualized plans that address their unique situations and deepen their sense of connection to the neighborhood.
Family Support Program
Through a contract with the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, the Center for Family Life provides preventive services to families with children under the age of eighteen. Families served include both voluntary participants and those mandated by the NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). Our bilingual Spanish, Mandarin and Cantonese intake coordinators accept referrals from our community partners, local schools and other service providers, and families seeking services on their own. Using CFL’s own unique Integrated Intake Form, our intake coordinators are able to assess a family’s safety, screen for over 30 public benefits including SNAP, health insurance and cash assistance, and assess their need for housing, economic stability supports including job placement, literacy including ESOL, and youth development supports. After intake, families are matched with a bilingual and bicultural caseworker who will offer a holistic assessment, provide strong advocacy, counseling and collaborative goal setting through coaching and case management services.
In addition to this family work, our Family Support Program also provides Spanish and Chinese-language parenting groups that focus on the challenges faced by immigrant families. Groups are hosted internally and also are based in partner schools and community organizations.
Our Family Counseling Program uses the Mobility Mentoring (MM) case practice framework as it is aligned with our existing holistic, integrated services practice perspective. MM provides a structured approach to case assessment and planning that incorporates a focus on family stability, well-being, financial management, education and training and employment and career. MM emphasizes a partnership between the caseworker and the family to develop achievable goals to increase self-sufficiency.
Through our ACS Beacon program we provide comprehensive services in the school site at P.S. 503/506 in Sunset Park. This collaboration allows us to provide our family counseling services to families in both of these co-located schools while also integrating with other CFL services, such as afterschool programming. Parenting groups and other workshops and collaborations are also a part of this program.
Immigrant Families Trauma-Informed Counseling Program
A new grant award from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation will allow us to provide mental health counseling services to the Sunset Park Community. Sessions will be held primarily via videoconference at this time, and services offered will include individual, family, and group therapy. Counseling services are free of charge and are an excellent option for community members who do not currently have insurance. Services are provided in English, Spanish and Mandarin.
Sanctuary Families Program
Sanctuary Families Booklet: CFL’s Sanctuary Families Project assists families at risk of immigration detention or deportation. In partnership with the Center for Urban Pedagogy and artist Lizania Cruz, this booklet serves as a conversation guide to help parents facing deportation find a caregiver for their children and plan for the next steps.
Know Your Rights Workshops: Through a grant provided by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs with the goal of protecting immigrant New Yorkers by providing tools to assist and inform workshop participants of their rights and also to educate immigrant New Yorkers of available City services. Workshops are hosted by Center for Family Life and also a wide range of community partners, such as schools, ESOL classes, and religious institutions.