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Adolescents and Mental Health

Families First of Florida values children family and relationships. We recognize and understand the need for mental health interventions. The sooner we provide services the better the outcome. Just as described in the article in the National Institute of Mental Health. So if you or your child is suffering with trauma, bullying, behavior issues please…

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Family Mentor Model

Families First of Florida has been providing Therapeutic Foster Care services for almost twenty years. Understanding the importance of relationships, Families First of Florida has adapted a foster care model that will not only maintain children in foster homes, it provides additional support to our foster families. Creating relationships is how we heal from trauma.…

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The Importance of the Amber Alert

On January 13, 1993, 10 year old Amber Hagerman was abducted from a grocery store parking lot in Arlington, Texas. The only description of her abductor was a male in a blue truck (NBC News). Though her story was widely covered by the national media, Amber would not be found alive. Her body was found…

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20 Ways to Fight Boredom This Summer

Families First of Florida values family connection. We see any activity that engages the family a perfect opportunity for our foster families. Summer is just around the corner, and children will soon have a lot more time on their hands. As the lazy days of summer start to settle in, a common complaint from children…

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National Foster Care Month

With May being National Foster Care Month, Families First of Florida recognizes the importance of every child being raised in a family setting. All children have the right to feeling safe, contributing to and belonging in a family structure. Families First of Florida knows how supporting each other as we raise children from the foster…

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Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is violence that includes “physical violence, sexual violence, stalking and psychological aggression (including coercive tactics) by a current or former intimate partner” (Breiding, Basile, Smith, Black, Mahendra, 2015). It can also include financial manipulation (Goldenberg, Stephenson, Freeland, Finneran, Hadley, 2016). Intimate partner violence is a term that has developed to encompass…

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Child Abuse Prevention Month

What if society was able to stop child abuse before it started? What would the world look like? Would there be no need for the child welfare system or protection for youth. Overall, we would be out of a job. Unfortunately, this is not the case. There is hope. April is National Child Abuse Prevention…

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Caregiver Well-being to Prevent Child Abuse

April is National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. Unfortunately, child abuse happens every day in our community. By addressing it, we can help others become aware and ask questions. It is through real-life conversations that we increase awareness and therefore prevention. Particularly in the field of child abuse prevention, addressing caregiver needs related to…

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The Need for Foster Parents

As I review what’s happening in our state about fostering children, I see many requests from Community Based Care providers mentioning how great this need is. I read many articles of wonderful experiences families experience when they choose to foster and possibly even adopt. I see and hear wonderful stories within our own agency Families…

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The Importance Of Foster Parents

Families First of Florida believes that foster care is about more then a child “doing their time”.  It is about creating life time relationships for these children: people they can trust to give them guidance and safety.  We understand that we heal from the supportive relationships. Even if the home is temporary, the relationship is…

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