PARENT YOUTH/FACILITATION

 

Overview

Parent/Youth Facilitation (P/YF) is one strategy of Kansas Strong for Children and Families, an initiative that aims to support Kansas child welfare as a collaborative, data-driven system that achieves positive outcomes for children’s well-being, safety and permanency. Collaborators include the Kansas Department for Children and Families, Supreme Court Task Force on Permanency Planning and Office of Judicial Administration, Cornerstones of Care, DCCCA, KVC Kansas, Saint Francis Ministries, TFI Family Services, and the University Of Kansas School Of Social Welfare.

 
Download P/YF Fact Sheet

Goals:

  • Decrease the number of older youth entering foster care

  • Keep kids with their families whenever possible and appropriate

  • Decrease the number of youth aging out of foster care

 

Eligibility

Who will be served?

  • Youth 14-17 years old
  • Youth at risk for removal
  • Families who reside in Wyandotte and Saline counties in Kansas
   

 

Approach

Parent/Youth Facilitation (PYF) is a two-pronged approach to preventing entry into care of older youth by: (1) Using a facilitation process to help families arrive at appropriate decisions that best fit their unique needs, and (2) Connecting families to community services and supports.

 

Process

Referrals will be made to the prosecutor by the Department for Children and Families, a contractor agency, law enforcement or other community organizations. The prosecutor’s office will confirm eligibility and refer to P/YF. The family chooses whether to participate; if so, a meeting is scheduled with a facilitator in the P/YF program. The P/YF process is based on principals of Parent-Adolescent Mediation in which participants work together to resolve issues that are contributing to conflict in the family. Facilitators in P/YF pilot programs are Kansas Approved Parent-Adolescent Mediators. Different from mediation, P/YF is a non-confidential process. Both are short-term, usually consisting of 2-3 meetings. The facilitator works together with family members to devise a Family Agreement that addresses their specific interpersonal issues and identifies services needed to support the family.

Upon completion of the process, P/YF staff ensures that the family has referrals for the service needs identified within the agreement. A Summary Report is written and shared with the prosecutor, referring agency and identified community service providers.

Download P/YF Fact Sheet
 

Wyandotte County Contacts:

  • Central Organization – Cornerstones of Care / Site Coordinator: Laura Walters
  • Assistant District Attorney Allison Williamson | alwilliamson@wycokck.org
ADDITIONAL INFO: