What is the Family Support Program?

The Family Support Program helps families that have a child or adult child who has been diagnosed with a developmental disability and who is residing in the family home. Services are geared toward maintaining the child/adult child in the family home and helping them to function well at home, school and the community. The Family Support Program provides the following services: Individual, Group, and Family Therapy, Case Coordination, Access to Psychiatric and Medication Services, Respite Services, Life Skills and Parent Skills Training, Family Support Subsidy

How do Family Support Services help an individual or family?

In most cases, the healthiest option for families who have children with developmental disabilities is to keep them living in the family home. The family may be headed by a natural parent, adoptive parent, or legal guardian. Services are based on each family’s specific needs. Services may include:

Family Support Subsidy – Can help you successfully maintain your child in your home by financially subsidizing some of the additional expenses required in caring for your child. Children must be certified by the school district as severely mentally impaired (SMI), severely multiply impaired (SXI), or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and be under the age of 18. The student with Autism Spectrum Disorder must also be in a school program designated as a ASD program.

Family Skills Development: Education and counseling for families who are caring for and/or are living with a family member who has a developmental disability.

Respite Care Services: Provides families with temporary relief from caring for their developmentally disabled child or family member.