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TL, Weis team up for ‘Year of Giving’

WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania is the first recipient of a $500 donation from the newly-formed program &#8220;Times Leader &amp; Weis Markets Year of Giving &#8211; Strengthening our Communities&#8221; &#8212; a partnership that will bring awareness to local charities.The mission of Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania, a not-for-profit, non-sectarian organization, provides diverse services to children, individuals, seniors, and families, empowering them to achieve their full potential and resulting in healthier relationships and stronger communities.&#8220;We have been serving the community since 1895,&#8221; said Michael Zimmerman, executive director of FSA. &#8220;We pride ourselves on quality programs driven by quality professionals. It is with great pride that we have been recognized by The Times Leader for our efforts to make our community a better place to live.&#8221;Zimmerman said while he has worked in the human service profession for nearly 40 years, 27 of those years have been with Family Service Association of Northeastern PA.&#8220;The connectedness that I feel with the Board of Directors, the staff, and they with our consumers has demonstrated how a small, niche organization can accomplish great things,&#8221; Zimmerman said. &#8220;We continue to be approached by other planning groups to implement needed programs because of our track record of doing so with accomplishment and success. Help Line, 211, trauma therapy, guardianship, to list just a few, are shining examples.&#8221;Zimmerman provided some statistics:&#8226; Intensive Family Reunification Service 2017-2018170 families referred107 engaged families64 families rolled over into 2017-201829 families reunified (referrals from 2016-2018)51 children reunified (referrals from 2016-2018)&#8226; As assessed by the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale:The average improvement after three months in the program 72 percent6 months in the program 81 percent9 months in the program 82 percent&#8226; Outreach / Prevention Program 2017-201857 new referrals19 cases carried over from 2016-1748 cases openedZimmerman said of the 19 cases carried over from 2016-17 into 2017-18, 11 were closed successfully and seven were closed unsuccessfully (two due to placement). He said two of the cases remain open in the 2018-19 year.&#8220;As of right now for the 2017-18 cases, 15 were closed successfully and five were closed unsuccessfully,&#8221; Zimmerman said. &#8220;Three of these unsuccessful closures were due to placement. The remaining two were due to non compliance; four other clients did not finish the program successfully or unsuccessful due to two moving out of the area; and one is entering foster care out of the area; and one client became deceased.&#8221;Overall combined total: 26 cases closed successfully and 12 closed unsuccessfully in 2017-18, for a 68.4 percent success rate.&#8226; Parent Child Home Program 2017-2018Families seen 21Visits held 726Improvement 20Zimmerman said of the 21 families who completed the program, 20 families demonstrated improvement in positive parent/child interaction, book handling skills and increased social skills by the child.&#8226; Community Education/Outreach in Wyoming County 2017-2018Total of 91 visitsAverage of 32 adults and 37 children served per monthApproximately 328 books distributed to families in the year.Education focused on opioid epidemic, literacy, self-sufficiency, community engagement and access to other resources (services, food pantries, counseling, education, etc.)&#8226; Help Line/211(Fy 2018 fy 2017)Total calls 87,078, a 1.9 percent increase in calls&#8226; RUOK? Calls 910 1,795&#8226; Social Media 15,331&#8226; Local Resources 4,123 3,332 23.7% growth in resource listings&#8226; 211 Calls 20,840 17,401* (calendar year) 19.8% increase in call volume&#8226; 211 Needs Addressed 25,679&#8226; Consumer surveys:360 surveys completedQuestion 1. Did you receive new helpful information? 98.6 percent responded yesQuestion 2. Would you use the service again? 98.8 percent responded yesTop need categories: Utility Assistance Payment 12.0 percentHousing / Shelter 9.4 percentRent/Payment 6.5 percent&#8226; Batterer&#8217;s Intervention Service:Since 2014, 147 individuals completed the program; only 6 re-offended through June 30, 2018. 96 percent non-recidivation rate.&#8226; Family Group Decision Making:&#8220;In the past fiscal year, we provided 35 conferences in the FGDM model,&#8221; Zimmerman said. &#8220;Of the 35, all continue to abide by the family plan established at the conferences.&#8221;&#8226; GuardianshipForty-four cases active in fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, with 12 new cases and three cases closed. Of the 44 active cases, all were established in safe, secure living environments within 90 days of referral and 82 percent had accomplished end of life burial accounts or plans within nine months of referral.&#8226; High Risk Youth:The program served 116 children at risk for delinquency or dependency. Of the 116, 98 remained at home through their participation in the program, for a non-recidivation rate of 84.5 percent. Six youth participated in the Egala Equine Therapy component introduced this past year.&#8226; Children&#8217;s Center:Trauma was reduced for 61 children through the provision of coordinated forensic interviews. Of those, 49 were also provided medical exams.Outreach was provided to 810 people in the community on child abuse awareness/prevention. four children completed the Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy program. Of the four, all showed reduction in trauma symptoms.&#8226; Professional Counseling:1,034 Individuals participated in the Professional Counseling program, an increase of 52 percent over the previous year.&#8226; Family Finding:Served 645 children, located 1,331 kinship connections not previously identified that facilitated 90 kinship placements instead of stranger care.<style>
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<div class="neCaption">Mike Zimmerman of the Family Service Association. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL060215FSA1-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Mike Zimmerman of the Family Service Association. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Bill O&#8217;Boyleboboyle@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</shirttailMeta></div>

Family Service Association first recipient of TL/Weis Markets program