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Division:
Child and Family Services
Location:
218 Liberty Street
Oneida, NY 13421 |
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Program Description |
Placement Diversion Services were designed to provide comprehensive home-based intervention services to families who have children at-risk of out-of-home placement in a detention facility or an institutional level of care. The primary purpose of the program is to identify patterns of behavior that have required PINS and Family Court involvement, remove the risks to placement, and provide the necessary services that will support families in maintaining long-term stability.
The Madison County Department of Probation, the Madison County Department of Social Services and the Madison County School Services Program refer families to the program. The Placement Diversion Services Intake Committee, with representatives from Liberty Resources, the Probation Department, DSS and the School Services Program, review referrals. Families are then contacted for a pre-admission assessment with a Liberty Resources’ Family Therapist to determine whether this type of service can meet the family’s needs. Because this is a voluntary program, parents/guardians can decide if they want to continue with the admissions process. Prior to admission into the program, the child’s Probation Officer, DSS Caseworker, school teacher/principal and previous service providers are also contacted to provide relevant history and a current status report. The Intake Committee makes a formal determination for admission. Once a family is admitted into the program, a preventive service case is opened with DSS (if one is not already open).
Eligibility for services is based on whether: 1) the child is a Madison County resident; 2) the child has not yet reached their 19th birthday; 3) the child has been determined to be at imminent risk of out-of-home placement because the child is/is at risk for being the subject of a PINS petition or subject of JD charges or the child has needs for supervision that cannot be met by child’s caretaker without the aid of intensive services, or the child has previously been in foster care and risks re-placement due to the recurrence of problem behavior; and 4) the family demonstrates an ability to benefit from intensive home-based services.
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Program History |
During April 1999, Liberty Resources began a collaborative effort with the Madison County Department of Social Services and the Madison County Probation Department to develop a program that was aimed at preventing placement for children who were considered to be at serious risk for high level of out-of-home care (i.e. residential levels of care).
Placement Diversion Services began accepting cases in June 1999.
Placement Diversion Services is staffed with five full time Family Therapists and a Program Supervisor. Opportunities for graduate level internships are available.
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Scope of Services |
Referrals are screened to determine eligibility for services in collaboration with the Placement Diversion Services Intake Committee. After an interview with the family by the Family Social Worker, information is shared with the committee to determine admission into the program. Each family, once admitted, works with the Social Worker to determine family strengths and current support system and to develop goals for prevention of placement Family therapy is provided to families based on their identified goals. The program uses solution-focused and structural family therapy approaches in providing treatment. In addition, individual counseling can be provided to a child within whatever setting is identified that requires increased problem-solving skills. Individual counseling can also be provided to a parent as needed. Case management services are also offered to provide coordination with other service providers and support to deal with larger systems with which the family may be engaged. After-hours crisis services are also available 5 pm to 8:30 am weekdays and 24 hours on weekends. It is our belief within Placement Diversion Services that home is the best place for change within the entire family system to occur. We are interested in helping families remove the risks to placement rather than removing their child from the home. This program seeks to provide opportunities for families to experiment in how to do things differently. Completion of this process will not be when a family has solved every problem, but rather when they have sufficient practice and support to help them feel confident about taking on the day-to-day challenges in their home.
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Contact Information |
Tracy McGraw, Program Supervisor
Liberty Resources
218 Liberty Street
Oneida, NY 13421
(315) 363-0048, ext. 124
tmcgraw@liberty-resources.org
Betty Ann Liddell, NCC, LMHC
Director, Child & Family Services
Liberty Resources
218 Liberty Street
Oneida, NY 13421
(315) 363-0048, ext. 159
eliddell@liberty-resources.org
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