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DHS, 1515 Arch St.,
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215-683-4DHS
Home >  Community Based Prevention >  Community Family Centers > Community Family Centers Core Services

Community Family Centers Core Services

Each of the 19 Family Centers provide the following six core services:

1. Case Management is provided by a professional social worker who establishes helping relationships, assesses complex problems, selects problem-solving interventions, and helps clients to function effectively. When appropriate the social worker will also arrange, coordinate, monitor, evaluate, and advocate for a package of multiple services to meet the specific client’s complex needs. Each family center has at least one case manager for every 25 clients designated for case management services.

Case managers can:

  • Provide families with information and skills to promote their empowerment,
  • Assist parents to cope better with the challenges, stresses and problems involved in the growth and rearing of their children,
  • Help parents to access and make the best use of available resources (including health and social services) for maintaining family life and carrying out their parental responsibilities,
  • Prevent, correct, modify, or alleviate health, education, or social obstacles to the child’s growth and development, and;
  • Help avert the separation of children from the family, or work closely with others to return their children.


2. Information, Referral and Linkage to key health, behavioral and social services.


3. Parenting Education: Parent education programs enhance parent-child relationships by reinforcing supportive behaviors of parents and altering non-productive or harmful behaviors. These programs help parents improve their parenting skills, understand human development, try alternate approaches to child rearing, and learn techniques to reduce stress that undermines parental functioning. Family Center programs address the needs of enrolled parents/caregivers over a period of time through organized curriculums or models.


4. After School Programs, which are available at least four days per week for at least three hours after school closes. These programs meet the Core Standards for Philadelphia’s Youth Programs and have a minimum staff/child ratio 1: 15. All programs incorporate at least three of the following:
  • Academic Assistance: includes homework help, tutoring, reading and literacy programs, technology (computer programs etc.).
  • Community Service: such as clean up at local parks or schools, canned food collection, gifts of warmth such as mittens and hats to a local shelter, cards to nursing home residents, etc.
  • Enrichment: cultural activities including visual, performing and/or mural arts through trips to museums, dramatic presentations, arts activities etc. Also includes life skills training and conflict resolution skill development.
  • Physical Activity: includes organized games, cooking, indoor and outdoor play, sports and athletic activities.


5. Summer Programs such as camps and other recreational or educational programs, which are open a minimum of four weeks, five days a week, five hours a day. The minimum staff child ration is 1:15. Summer programs include:
  • Developmentally appropriate activities for the targeted age group
  • Free lunch and snacks
Requirements for child admittance to summer programs include:
  • Parental/guardian permission slips
  • Child physical examinations
  • Parents must indicate emergency contacts, authorized persons who can pick up the child
  • Parents must sign a Parental Release Form if child is allowed to walk home alone.


6. Positive Youth Development Activities such as Boys/Girls Clubs, Rites of Passage, anti violence programs, peer tutorial, peer mentoring, life skills/enrichment classes, entrepreneurship development, etc. These programs meet all of the Core Standards for Philadelphia's Youth Programs.


OTHER FEATURES:

Advisory Board: Each family center has an Advisory board of at least 10 members. At least 51 percent of this board consists of community residents including parent and school representatives. The purpose of the board is to increase community involvement in the development of the family centers and support of neighborhood children and their families. The board also serves as a vehicle for advocacy and communication with city agencies and the district.

Family Leadership Institute (FLI), which provides leadership training to allow community residents to enhance their involvement in and support of family centers. The FLI is also assists individual representatives to acquire new skills leading to employment in the family centers or other agency. Every family center is required to:
  • Nominate and have at least one first-year Leadership Institute Representative.
  • Support a year-two representative in their transition into employment.
  • Sign off and support the representatives in the implementation of their practicum.

·Parenting Guide
·Welcome to the Community Based Prevention Home Page
·Who We Are - Prevention
·Youth Programs