Services - Preventive Services

United Families

nited Families achieved a "Very Good" rating in the annual 2004 evaluation from The Administration For Children's Services Preventive Program

United Families is a community-based program that has been empowering families with comprehensive preventive services since 1979. This very unique and innovative program maintains the family unit by focusing on its strengths. Families are guided with dignity as they raise children who will be healthyand productive.

Our approach is highly regarded, widely-emulated and unmatched for its integrity and community collaboration. We do well in meeting our commitment to improve the quality of underserved families. Our proud history is our greatest strength.

This program serves the Fort Green, North Crown Heights, Bedford Stuyvesant, and Williamsburg communities in Brooklyn. It provides comprehensive wrap around preventive services to a minimum of 135 at risk families at any one time. In the previous year, we served over 190 families and 300 children.

It has been an exhilarating year for United Families. We relocated, increased staff and ushered in new leadership. Despite current and future challenges, the staff and families of United Families remain focused, determined and energized. They maintain an unyielding commitment toward program excellence, innovation and creativity.

These goals could not have been accomplished without the tireless commitment of every single staff person and the efforts of our families.

Program Highlights

Individual and Family Case Management Services
Families are provided with solution focused counseling in various areas including substance abuse, alcoholism, domestic violence, career exploration, educational planning, and advocacy to avert the need for foster care placement and to prevent incidences of child abuse and neglect.

Aftercare Services
Children and their birth parents are provided with services which would continue to improve family dynamics and sustain the family unit until their case has been dismissed by court.

Family Support Services
Parenting workshops are held in English, Spanish and Creole to assist parents, grandparents, fathers and other caretakers to take on the role of primary advocate for themselves and their children.

Health Support Services
Medical workshops are offered to assist families recognize their health needs, locate health care resources, and case management to assure continuity of treatment in following health care recommendations. We also offer a "Telephone Nurse", a service in which families may call during normal work hours to talk to a nurse about any health questions or concerns.

Adolescent Services
Life Skills groups help adolescents acquire the tools they will need to live independently as adults. Topics include current themes in the mainstream hip hop generation, self-esteem, peer pressure, anger management, health, conflict resolution, education, job preparation skills, and gang and teen dating violence.

Substance Abuse Prevention Services
Sessions are held to assist adolescents and families recover from the effects of living with a family member who has or has had a history of substance abuse.

Emergency Clothing and Food Assistance
We offer concrete provisions and food in a dignified manner. Families are encouraged to learn effective budgeting, money management and the benefits of proper nutrition. This year we expanded our clothing inventory to include children's school uniforms.

Adventure Based Learning
Participants are exposed to the best Brooklyn has to offer such as The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, The Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Park and The Brooklyn Childrens Museum. Family bonding events include gardening, playing games, movies, and BBQ's.

After-Hour Support
This support line is designed to help caregivers through behavioral and emotional issues that arise for parents during hours when Case Planners normally are not available to lend support.

Community Linkages
We have formed partnerships with other community organizations in order to provide supportive and beneficial services for our families. Our appreciation and gratitude go out to The Heart of Brooklyn, Phoenix House, Break The Cycle Coalition, Brooklyn Administration For Childrens Services, Brooklyn Preventive Directors Coalition, Williamsburg Child Welfare Neighborhood Network, North Brooklyn Coalition Against Family Violence, and the Coalition Against Teen Relationship Abuse.