Helping Hands for Families

This intensive prevention program helps families whose children have mental health and/or substance abuse issues. Families can easily lose custody of these children, and the City will place them in foster care if their issues are not properly addressed. To prevent this from happening, JCCA staff monitors the addicted family member at home, provides training in parenting skills to other family members, and provides mental health treatment. JCCA also links family members to community-based self-help groups and services.

Highlights of the Helping Hands program:

• Primarily in-home services

• Aggressive outreach and advocacy

• Social service referrals

• Crisis intervention

• Workshops and groups for parents and children

Families are referred primarily by the NYC Administration for Children’s Services.