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Family Support Assistant Program

Program Description

Youth Dynamics’ Family Support Assistant (FSA) Program has been helping hundreds of youth in all our locations for over 10 years. This program provides one-on-one time with children and adolescents in the community setting. These trained paraprofessionals assist in the execution of various aspects of the client’s treatment plan, often focusing on helping the youth to build their social and coping skills. The services, which usually range from four to ten hours per week, offer the child an opportunity to spend time with someone who, in addition to being trained, is someone in whom the child can confide and build a trusting relationship.

Program Benefits

Clients who participate in the FSA program routinely talk about how much they have gained in terms of increased self-esteem and confidence, and in their ability to handle situations that had previously been problematic for them. One parent who responded to a recent YDI satisfaction survey said: “This was a wonderful program for both my son, daughter and me. I would highly recommend it to anyone!” That same survey indicated 78 percent of the respondents rated the benefit of having an FSA as either good or excellent.

Having a Family Support Assistant who consistently spends time with a child each week gives them a strong message that they are with someone who is caring and objective — someone who is willing to help them deal with whatever problems they may be experiencing.

Suggested Uses

One-on-one with youth in the community for behavioral/emotional/social skill building.
Behavioral support for a youth in school.
Birth/Kinship/Foster/Adoptive family support and parenting skills education needed to raise youth who have emotional and behavioral problems.
Resource and Referral/Recommendations for Intake workers who determine youth in natural/kinship/adoptive families to be at risk and in need of prevention services, or receive requests for post adoption services.
Family Treatment Unit workers may choose to utilize services for support in natural family reunification/maintenance, or regular foster/kinship care placements.