The Family Treatment
and Rehabilitation Program (FT/R)

The FT/R Program is a phase-based approach designed to address the safety and well-being of children in high risk families when the caretaker or child’s substance use and/or mental health disorder places the child at risk for foster placement or replacement. The FT/R model calls for culturally sensitive, family-focused, strengths-based treatment to be guided by screening and comprehensive assessment. FT/R requires a multi-disciplinary approach, usually involving simultaneous interventions by different service sectors. Coordinated cross-systems planning and service delivery is essential to best meet the needs of the families in FT/R programs. Individual caseloads of 10 are recommended because of the intensity of the services. The expected case duration is an average of 12 months.

Goals of the Program
The goal of the FT/R is to provide services to high-risk families when a caretaker or child’s substance use or mental health disorder places the child at risk of foster care placement or replacement. Additionally, this goal includes:

1. Strengthening families by appropriately assessing clients’ substance use and mental health
   disorders, and providing or linking them with ongoing treatment and support;
2. Preventing child abuse and maltreatment, promoting the safety of children, and reducing the number and percentage of children receiving services who are the subject of subsequent
   abuse and neglect reports;
3. Reducing the number of placements into foster care for children receiving FT/R services;
4. Maintaining the stability of families who have recently been reunited from foster care and are
   effected by substance use or mental health disorders;
5. Serving children and their families in their neighborhood of origin; and
6. Promoting optimal child health, well-being, and development.
   The combination of poverty, mental health problems, substance use, previous placement in care, and domestic violence creates significant risk for children being placed in out-of-home care.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
An initial assessment of eligibility is conducted through discussion with the referent. Child safety concerns are a primary concern.

If the family appears to be appropriate for FTR services by the following criteria, the referral will be accepted:

• The family or child is at risk for substance abuse and/or mental health issues.
• The family has a minor child (age 0-18) in their legal and physical full-time custody. 
• The family lives within the catchment area of the agency or within a reasonable travelling distance to the agency.  (Note:  The catchment area for the FT/R program is Community District (CD) 6 and 7 in the Bronx. However, ACS reserves the right to request out of catchment services and the program will accommodated families from other CD’s, especially 4,5 and 8.)
• The family is willing to work with the agency. (Note: The FT/R program is a voluntary service and requires the client’s willingness to work with the program.)