Family Initiative

Family Initiative has continued to grow and expand significantly in 2022. Our four largest programs are our autism community based programs, applied behavioral analysis program, occupational therapy program, and our child welfare programs in miami-dade, sarasota, and the addition of pasco and pinellas counties. Our autism community based programs include our autism social skills playgroup, autism teen hangout group, autism artplay, and autism parent support group. Our parent support group is a space for parents/caregivers to support and connect with one another, learn about available resources, discuss topics of interest, and receive updates. In 2022, our autism teen hangout group averaged 20 participants per session, there was an average of 28 participants in our autism playgroup, and 8 participants per session in autism artplay. We served a total of 83 unduplicated participants overall in these programs in 2022. Family Initiative also has a position, an autism navigator, dedicated to connecting families with resources and support. This critical position maintains ongoing contact with both the families and agencies throughout our community. In the height of the destruction of hurricane ian, Family Initiative transformed our autism support center into a community resource center where over 1800 families were able to collect food, water, clothing, and general supplies to help navigate the difficulties we were all facing. Having these resources available in nw cape coral saved vital gas for so many families who could not afford to drive to fort myers for resources. We had over 100 volunteers serve alongside us, from all over the state of Florida. Additionally, Family Initiative hosted speakers from across the nation in the last year, including dr. temple grandin, which drew over 500 participants from across the region. Our applied behavioral analysis program teaches skills and behaviors by using principles of reinforcement. Clients served have demonstrated significant improvement in attention, focus, and social skills, all while increasing language and communication skills, and decreasing maladaptive behaviors. Our applied behavior analysis program has increased by a total of 19 new clients (16 for lee county and 3 for sarasota county). Our occupational therapy program is designed to help improve cognitive, physical, social, and motor skills, which lead to more independence and confidence in our clients. More children were onboarded compared to previous years. A total of 22 unique children were added to the program. Our child welfare Family impact program (fip) is based in 3 unique components to assist our caregivers across Florida in building a stronger trauma informed approach for our children with a history of complex developmental trauma. The first component is pre-service training, where prospective foster parents will learn about behavior-based parenting, developmentally appropriate behavior modification tools, and are introduced to trust based relational intervention (tbri). This introduction to tbri leads into the second component of our program. Currently licensed foster parents will receive a 3-week, 9-hour advanced behavior training. Each week a principle of tbri will be explored and techniques and strategies on how to implement the concepts in their home will be provided. The third component of our program is intensive in-home support. Our clinical staff travels to the foster families and coach and model the principles of tbri and behavior management in real time to assist the caregivers gain proficiency independently utilizing tbri. The main purpose of this program is to increase stronger, more stable environments and a place for our youth in out of home care to grow and thrive. In 2022, we served child welfare clients in desoto, sarasota, manatee, miami-dade counties, and added a new contract with pasco and pinellas counties. In order for a Family to be connected to our Family impact program, a referral is provided by the case management organization or the community based care provider within that service area. The children and families served were all active participants in the circuits dependency system (child welfare system). In 2022 we successfully served 213 families (an increase of 87 families from last year), 288 children (an increase of 146 children from last year), and the disruption rate for 2022 was 6% (one percent lower from last year).