Unique Support For Unique Individuals

 

OFSN provides one-to-one family peer support

We offer a strengths-based, family-driven model of support. By focusing on strengths and values of each individual, our work is guided by the family’s perspective and preferences about what help looks like. OFSN ensures that families have increased opportunities to make decisions for their child, regardless of the systems that they are involved in.

 

 

Our staff members are primarily family members with lived experience

We are caregivers; biological, adoptive and foster parents, grandparents, family members, friends and advocates; who have experience raising youth experiencing mental, behavioral, or other significant health challenges. Having lived through these challenges ourselves, we are well-positioned to help families navigate systems, while being empathetic and understanding to families raising youth with special needs.

 

Families are resilient

Families are most effective when they have access to good information and are supported in identifying and implementing the best strategies for their youth. OFSN offers a wide range of advocacy opportunities to families through participation in local, regional and statewide ‘Systems of Care’ (SOC) or related children’s mental health policy advisory committees. Our voices are stronger together, and we are here for you.

 

Our staff is trained and certified to partner with families, bridging community and behavioral health professionals:

  • Reviewing and/or attending Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and 504 Plan meetings with the caregiver(s) to ensure families feel empowered to advocate on behalf of their child.
  • Working with a family whose youth is transitioning from another level of service, such as, for example, from Wraparound to outpatient, therapeutic psychiatric residential care.
  • Working with a family whose youth is transitioning from community-based wraparound or other service level, and supporting age related changes in placement, for example, schools and/or child services for youth and young adults.
  • Supporting families with information and resource navigation to help inform decision-making about resources and services.