Family Maintenance is a voluntary program for families who have had one or more Child Protective Services (CPS) referrals, and may have had their children placed in protective custody. The program provides services that are designed to:
- Reduce risk to children, and
- Promote and strengthen the family unit
Parents referred to the Voluntary Family Maintenance program are offered services that will encourage them to make healthy choices and positive changes in their lives and the lives of their children. For the first three months of the program, the family is seen a minimum of every 15 days. The social worker on the case, by law, has the responsibility to continually assess risk to the children for abuse and neglect. If the social worker, upon a thorough investigation, determines the physical or emotional health and safety of the child has been severely jeopardized, the child could be placed in protective custody.
Family Maintenance services are designed to be provided for six months, however, some cases are closed earlier and some cases extend past six months.
The Family Maintenance Program is mandated by law and is a preventative program intended to prevent Juvenile Court Dependency action.
Sienna Vista Family Resource Center is a child safety and family violence prevention center located at the Sienna Vista Apartment complex. The goal of the center is to provide a safe environment for children and to help residents function better as individual, families and community members. The center is staffed by Sheriff's deputies, Human Services Specialists and a Senior Office Assistant.
Author: FM staff
