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Program History:
Our YMCA is committed to helping children grow socially and emotionally, and to strengthening families. Since the 1970’s our YMCA has held a variety of state contracts designed to provide a host of services to children and families with specialized needs.
As children’s services have evolved, so have our programs. In 1996, we began the first respite and mentoring program in Connecticut specifically designed to serve clients of the Department of Children and Families. From a modest beginning, our program has grown and diversified to include a client base of children throughout much of the state, including children who reside in their family home, in foster care, group homes, and in residential treatment centers.
Program Goals:
- To help children feel valued, and to build self esteem through the development of a positive relationship with an adult mentor
- To assist in social skills development and problem solving
- To help stabilize behaviors that will encourage maintenance of existing placement
- To help develop positive social and recreational pastimes and interests
- To support families with respite from the rigors of parenting special needs children
- To build upon the strengths and needs of the family and thereby avert out of home placement through provisions of in home supports.
Program Eligibility:
- Children between the ages of 4-21 (will accept older than 21 on case to case basis), for whom traditional in-home supports are insufficient to maintain them in home/school or the community
- Children with serious behavioral health issues
- Children in residential treatment who lack family or other visiting resources.
Services Provided: Therapeutic Support and Support Services, Respite, Supervised Visitations/Transportation
- Screening and assessment to determine scope and appropriateness of services.
- Home-based pre-service meeting with client, parent/primary caregiver, TSS/SS staff, case manager.
- Matching of staff and client based on culture, interests, and schedule compatibility.
- Recreational opportunities based upon individual interests and needs.
- Development of a service plan to include schedule, activities, and behavioral goals.
- Case coordination and participation in Administrative Case Reviews.
- Referrals and recommendations
- Evaluation of service components
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