• Closing the Gap - Full Service Schools
  Together with Buffalo Public Schools and United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, Joan A. Male Family Support Center is working to provide supportive social services for children and their parents directly through the school system. Children’s peer groups, home visits to provide parental support, parent advocacy with the school and social services, as well as summer programs for the children are provided. Joan A. Male Family Support Center has one social worker in the following schools: – Hamlin Park (Public School #74); West Hertel Academy (Public School #94); and Harvey Austin (Public School #97); and new in 2008, Community School (Public School #53).
  

Respite Child Care
Respite care is provided to children and families with special needs. We contract with both Erie County Department of Social Services as well as several mental health providers to provide recreational and mentoring services for their youth. Additionally, we have a special respite program for children in foster care who are at risk of being moved to another home or to an institution.


Urgent Access
Urgent Access is a program for keeping children with mental health problems in their own homes or in their foster homes. Based on a national model called Wraparound Services, it focuses on the family deciding what they need. Our role is to guide the family, and others they identify as supports, through this process and then insure their needs are met through use of Wrap funds. Linkages are made to specialized programs for mental health treatment or education. Other times the needs are changes in behavior and responses that the family takes responsibility for. This is a short term program and much effort is placed on helping the family learn to advocate for themselves.

back to top