Family Initiative expands training for caregivers of foster children in Miami-Dade,

CAPE CORAL, Fla. - June 20, 2022 - PRLog -- Family Initiative, Inc. is expanding its child welfare contracts to provide training and clinical support to more out-of-home caregivers and foster families in the Sarasota and Miami areas.

The Florida-based nonprofit was founded on the belief that every child and family should have the chance to thrive regardless of the challenges they may face. Family Initiative serves children in the child welfare system through a unique blend of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and other clinical approaches to build trust, provide compassionate understanding and establish positive discipline between caregivers and foster children.

"With the growth of our child welfare contracts and positions, we hope to expand our reach by serving an additional 100 families," says Anjali Van Drie, MA, MSW, BCBA, vice president of Family Initiative. "These  programs will impact the placement stability of hundreds of children in the Miami-Dade, Sarasota and Manatee areas."

"A lot of these children have been exposed to unstable environments, immense hardship and/or trauma," says David Brown, MSW, co-founder of Family Initiative. "It is important that we continue to train caregivers and prepare them for parenting a child that has lived through traumatic experiences."

Family Initiative will be amplifying the efforts of its "Family Impact Program" in Miami through a new program aiding families transitioning children from out-of-home care to reunification with their biological family. By supporting biological families through education, mentorship and professional assistance, Family Initiative aims to decrease recidivism of children coming back into the foster care system and set the biological families up for success.

In Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Family Initiative is launching the "Enhanced Foster Care" program for those within the child welfare system. This new support program is designed to provide caregivers and children with comprehensive services to meet the  needs of children who have experienced significant trauma. These services will promote the healing of the child and assist the foster parent in developing a safe and stable environment where the child can feel secure and form a healthy attachment.

With almost 25,000 children in the Florida foster care system, Family Initiative is committed to continuing to educate and support out-of-home caregivers in order to build stronger communities where all children and families can thrive.

To learn more about the support programs and services Family Initiative, Inc. offers, visit www.fi-florida.org/services/child-welfare-services/.

About Family Initiative

Family Initiative, Inc. is a Florida-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children with autism and strengthening their families. The organization provides child welfare caregiver training and support through its Family Impact Program. Visit fi-florida.org (https://www.fi-florida.org/) or find Family Initiative on Facebook and Instagram at @FamilyInitiative and on Twitter at @FI_Inc.