Regional Family Support

Program Overview

Regional Family Support is a comprehensive program offered exclusively to foster, adoptive, and guardianship families residing in the Metro East, Jefferson, Franklin, Warren, and Lincoln counties. With a compassionate and evidence-informed approach, we provide a wide range of resources and tools to guide families through the complexities of the foster care system. Our trauma-informed behavioral and mental health services, educational advocacy, licensing assistance, kinship support, and tailored resources are designed to meet the unique needs of our families.

We collaborate closely with foster, adoptive, and guardianship parents, ensuring that youth and children in these counties experience the stability essential for their overall well-being. We foster a sense of belonging and security for every family member, offering unwavering emotional and material support during transitions to new placements. Additionally, we act as a liaison, relieving some of the workload for child welfare workers and keeping families well-informed.

Eligibility

Must be a foster/adoptive/guardianship parent residing in the Metro East, including the counties of: Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair, or Jefferson, Franklin, Warren, or Lincoln counties.
Child in the family is either in foster care, adopted from foster care, or in guardianship with a relative/kin.
Child is between ages 0-21.

What to Expect

Through the Regional Family Support program, foster/adoptive/guardianship parents in the region will have access to all necessary resources and services required to obtain or maintain their licenses. We recognize the unique challenges involved in navigating the child welfare system and aim to equip our families with the knowledge and tools to manage these complexities successfully. This includes accompanying caregivers to court proceedings and hearings, advocating for the child’s educational success in IEP meetings, and participating in Family Support Team Meetings (FSTs). We provide coaching sessions that strengthen family bonds and help promote placement stability.

The process begins with a call from an assigned specialist who provides an overview of expectations and schedules their initial session with the family, marking the beginning of the support process. During this stage, we assess needs and identify potential factors to best support the family. Within the first 30 days, our specialists locate and allocate resources to families in crisis, such as empathetic real-time support, and providing furniture, food, and clothing. For families requiring a long-term strategy, an individualized service plan is developed, and families meet 1-2 times per week with their assigned specialist to collaboratively establish goals and foster a relationship built on trust and understanding. These meetings may continue for several months or until desired outcomes are achieved. Our specialists remain available and encourage families to reach out as needed, even after goals have been met.

Program Goals

Our primary goal is to ensure placement stability by empowering families with therapeutic skills, introducing new strategies, and connecting them with research-driven resources that create a healthy and nurturing home environment for their children. We encourage families to persevere through obstacles, working together as a team to identify viable solutions. We are committed to meeting every child’s educational needs through consistent advocacy. We seize teachable moments to educate families on their rights as parents and guardians.

Through the collective efforts of our team, we strive to achieve our overarching goal of stabilizing placements while supporting case managers in providing the best possible care for youth and families in their respective regions.

Contact

Tonya Campbell – Director of Regional Family Support
1750 South Brentwood Boulevard, Suite 210, Saint Louis, MO 63144
o 314.367.8373
e tonyacampbell@foster-adopt.org