Family In-Home Treatment Team
(F.I.T. Team)
Global treatment goals for families are to develop new family patterns that will be more successful. This includes developing new skills for handing old problems, increase problem-solving skills and plan for new actions, and to
develop awareness and acceptance that hard work and persistence will yield important changes.
Through the use of intensive in-home crisis intervention and family therapy, the courts hope to target and improve some of the obvious issues common among the majority of committed youth. This is done in an attempt to decrease at-risk issues and to provide conflict resolution counseling to parents and troubled youth. This program provides intensive in-home services including case management, family support, educational support
and advocacy for the court-involved youth and their families. In addition, the program attempts to prevent family violence and out-of home placement by providing in-home family interventions. The program also attempts to promote positive family interaction and create supportive family relationships. The treatment team provides assistance with school behavior in an attempt to decrease suspensions and referrals to juvenile court.
During the 12 week program the two person in-home treatment team will visit the child’s home and school minimum of three times per week for one on one therapy as well as family group counseling and will provide in home observation and counseling for the parent and juvenile. While in the home and school the team
focuses on teaching communication skills, effective disciplinary methods, anger management, conflict resolution, peer pressure, self-esteem, basic living skills and critical thinking skills. In addition, because the team is employed
by a Mental Health provider they have immediate access to drug and mental health counseling as needed for the parent, child and other family members. The F.I.T. Team provides 24 hour on call crisis services for families. This
provides support services and parent resources for after hour situations. Program service functions include:
Individual and family group counseling by licensed therapist
Crisis Management
Parent/guardian training
Case Management
Medication Monitoring
Mental Health consultation
Basic living skills
Positive Pro-Social mentoring
Assistance with employment searching
Anger management classes
Transportation to medical and counseling appointments
Peer-pressure education
result in a case review before the assigned District Court Judge for further handling such as contempt of court, referral to the Department of Human Resources, additional monetary fines, etc. Madison County Juvenile Court currently contract with the Madison County Mental Health Center who provides a team of two therapists, one in home manager and one Program Manager that are trained in dealing with families and children. The treatment
team is comprised of one master’s level therapist and one Bachelor level Co-Therapist that provides direct 4 to 12 week in-home intervention. A case manager is transitioned into the process during the tenth week of in-home
service completion. The F.I.T. Program is designed to be a short-term intensive intervention for 12 week duration. An additional 4 week extension will be available if warranted. During the tenth week, the case manager is introduced to the family to begin to establish rapport while the intervention team begins to transition itself away. Case management services are continued, as it is required or beneficial to the family. Referrals to the program
received from the Madison County Juvenile Court and are offered as a requirement of formal probation as well as pre-adjudicatory diversion program for juveniles involved in the courts. The F.I.T. program offers an alternative
service to out-of-home placement involving intensive, short term (4 to 12 weeks), in-home crisis intervention and family therapy. At the end of the intervention period, a case manager becomes involved with the child and family
for four additional weeks to continue linking them to community agencies and resources. This ensures continuity of needed services and that support systems are in place for the family. The average length of stay in the program was for the full 12 weeks. Several participants were granted extensions on programming due to resistance in
participation at the onset of program implementation. These additional extensions were expected given the targeted population and the issues surrounding the home environment. Length of program was highly dictated by
family willingness to accept program philosophy. Most families did not accept program until two to three weeks of participation. Research of similar programs suggests that hesitation of program acceptance is a common theme. By utilizing intensive in-home therapy Madison County Juvenile Court has been able to reduce commitments for children who otherwise would have been referred to the Alabama Department of Youth Services or the High Intensive Treatment for Youth Program. Providing high and very-high risk juveniles intensive supervision and
individualized treatment has allowed Madison to address the unique needs of ADYS bound youth. The F.I.T. program has systematically utilized intensive counseling and helped to remove the barriers troubling youth
through improving family communication, addressing peer pressure, anger management, conflict resolution, self-esteem issues, basic living skills, mental health issues, drug abuse issues and critical thinking skills to name a
few. The F.I.T. program has enabled youth to receive the specialized licensed treatment in their home environment often received at to the Alabama Department of Youth Services without the use of a commitment.
The FIT program provides intensive, in-home intervention and family therapy to court-involved families who are experiencing severe family turmoil or conflict. The FIT program is intended to be used as an alternative to out-of-home placement for at risk juveniles. The focus of the FIT program is primarily used for juveniles who are a high risk for re-arrest and whose home environments are highly chaotic or violent. Success of this program is measured in terms of the number of youth who are not re-arrested while in the program, have no VOP’s resulting in lock-up,
and actively participate in the program.
develop awareness and acceptance that hard work and persistence will yield important changes.
Through the use of intensive in-home crisis intervention and family therapy, the courts hope to target and improve some of the obvious issues common among the majority of committed youth. This is done in an attempt to decrease at-risk issues and to provide conflict resolution counseling to parents and troubled youth. This program provides intensive in-home services including case management, family support, educational support
and advocacy for the court-involved youth and their families. In addition, the program attempts to prevent family violence and out-of home placement by providing in-home family interventions. The program also attempts to promote positive family interaction and create supportive family relationships. The treatment team provides assistance with school behavior in an attempt to decrease suspensions and referrals to juvenile court.
During the 12 week program the two person in-home treatment team will visit the child’s home and school minimum of three times per week for one on one therapy as well as family group counseling and will provide in home observation and counseling for the parent and juvenile. While in the home and school the team
focuses on teaching communication skills, effective disciplinary methods, anger management, conflict resolution, peer pressure, self-esteem, basic living skills and critical thinking skills. In addition, because the team is employed
by a Mental Health provider they have immediate access to drug and mental health counseling as needed for the parent, child and other family members. The F.I.T. Team provides 24 hour on call crisis services for families. This
provides support services and parent resources for after hour situations. Program service functions include:
Individual and family group counseling by licensed therapist
Crisis Management
Parent/guardian training
Case Management
Medication Monitoring
Mental Health consultation
Basic living skills
Positive Pro-Social mentoring
Assistance with employment searching
Anger management classes
Transportation to medical and counseling appointments
Peer-pressure education
- 24 hour In-home crisis support
result in a case review before the assigned District Court Judge for further handling such as contempt of court, referral to the Department of Human Resources, additional monetary fines, etc. Madison County Juvenile Court currently contract with the Madison County Mental Health Center who provides a team of two therapists, one in home manager and one Program Manager that are trained in dealing with families and children. The treatment
team is comprised of one master’s level therapist and one Bachelor level Co-Therapist that provides direct 4 to 12 week in-home intervention. A case manager is transitioned into the process during the tenth week of in-home
service completion. The F.I.T. Program is designed to be a short-term intensive intervention for 12 week duration. An additional 4 week extension will be available if warranted. During the tenth week, the case manager is introduced to the family to begin to establish rapport while the intervention team begins to transition itself away. Case management services are continued, as it is required or beneficial to the family. Referrals to the program
received from the Madison County Juvenile Court and are offered as a requirement of formal probation as well as pre-adjudicatory diversion program for juveniles involved in the courts. The F.I.T. program offers an alternative
service to out-of-home placement involving intensive, short term (4 to 12 weeks), in-home crisis intervention and family therapy. At the end of the intervention period, a case manager becomes involved with the child and family
for four additional weeks to continue linking them to community agencies and resources. This ensures continuity of needed services and that support systems are in place for the family. The average length of stay in the program was for the full 12 weeks. Several participants were granted extensions on programming due to resistance in
participation at the onset of program implementation. These additional extensions were expected given the targeted population and the issues surrounding the home environment. Length of program was highly dictated by
family willingness to accept program philosophy. Most families did not accept program until two to three weeks of participation. Research of similar programs suggests that hesitation of program acceptance is a common theme. By utilizing intensive in-home therapy Madison County Juvenile Court has been able to reduce commitments for children who otherwise would have been referred to the Alabama Department of Youth Services or the High Intensive Treatment for Youth Program. Providing high and very-high risk juveniles intensive supervision and
individualized treatment has allowed Madison to address the unique needs of ADYS bound youth. The F.I.T. program has systematically utilized intensive counseling and helped to remove the barriers troubling youth
through improving family communication, addressing peer pressure, anger management, conflict resolution, self-esteem issues, basic living skills, mental health issues, drug abuse issues and critical thinking skills to name a
few. The F.I.T. program has enabled youth to receive the specialized licensed treatment in their home environment often received at to the Alabama Department of Youth Services without the use of a commitment.
The FIT program provides intensive, in-home intervention and family therapy to court-involved families who are experiencing severe family turmoil or conflict. The FIT program is intended to be used as an alternative to out-of-home placement for at risk juveniles. The focus of the FIT program is primarily used for juveniles who are a high risk for re-arrest and whose home environments are highly chaotic or violent. Success of this program is measured in terms of the number of youth who are not re-arrested while in the program, have no VOP’s resulting in lock-up,
and actively participate in the program.