Families Forward

Families Forward is a Wraparound Program in which mental health professionals and paraprofessionals partner with youth and families to find creative solutions to the family's unique challenges. Wraparound is a family-driven process that facilitates team building and decision making using the strengths and resources of the family and community. Together, the team creates goals to promote stabilization in the home and self-sufficiency through community and family partnerships.
 
Families Forward is the largest Children’s Mental Health program in San Diego with the capacity to serve 240 of the highest risk children and youth and their families. Our headquarters is centrally located at 9445 Farnham Street, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92123. We have five regions with three satellite offices that enable us to serve families at any location throughout San Diego County.
The five regions are:
1) Central
2) East County
3) North Central
4) North County
5) South Bay

Our Families Forward Wraparound Program has met with impressive success. In the past year, on average:
- 98.8% of Families Forward clients have avoided placement at a higher level of care on a monthly basis.
- 97% of Families Forward clients avoided psychiatric hospitalization on a monthly basis.
- 99% of Families Forward clients avoided felony arrest on a monthly basis after being in the program for 90 days.
- 94.3% of Families Forward clients who had been in the program for one year or longer attended school (or had excused absences) at least 90% of the time.
- 94.3% reported satisfaction with services as measured by the Family Centered Behavior Scale.
- Of all AB2726 referrals since the start of Families Forward, 82.5% (or 175 of 212) avoided residential placement as a reason for discharge from the program.
- Of all Child Welfare Services referrals since the start of Families Forward, 89.7% (or 227 of 253) avoided residential placement as a reason for discharge from the program.

Eligibility Criteria:
- Children and youth ages 6 - 18 who have a mental health diagnosis.
- Are at-risk for out-of-home placement or in need of support transitioning home from an institutional setting like residential treatment centers and juvenile hall.
- Have Medi-Cal or if not, must be eligible for SB163 funding (must have system involvement, i.e. Child Welfare Services dependents, Probation wards, or AB2726).

How to make a referral:
1) For children with Medi-Cal, a one-page referral form must be completed and faxed or mailed to the program.
2) For children without Medi-Cal, an SB163 referral form must be completed and submitted to their System representative:

• AB2726; Sharon Massoth
Phone: (619) 758-6240
Fax: (619) 758-6250

• Child Welfare Services; Nilanie Ramos
Phone: (619) 767-5457
Fax: (619) 767-5418

• Probation; Judith Goldberg
Phone: (858) 541-5287
Fax: (858) 694-4649
  
Download Brochure: English | Spanish