A program that keeps children at risk of neglect in their homes safely has delivered services such as food assistance, Medicaid, housing assistance and gas cards to more than 500 families in 12 counties in less than two months, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced Tuesday.
Director Elizabeth Hertel visited the MDHHS office for St. Clair County in Port Huron to discuss the success of the Family Impact Teams project, also known as FIT, which is part of the department’s Keep Kids Safe Action Agenda.
FIT embeds MDHHS family resource specialists with the department’s child protection and foster care staff so they can support families in applying for benefits and Medicaid and connect them to other economic supports. The first phase of the project began in August.
“This initiative is a great fit with MDHHS’s prevention-based approach to child neglect,” Hertel said. “If we can provide families with economic support, it’s more likely that children can remain safely with their parents instead of being placed in foster care. And if foster care placement is needed, providing these economic supports can make it safe for the children to be reunified with their parents.”
Family resource specialists who are part of FIT engage with families face-to-face, determine their eligibility for assistance programs offered by MDHHS, and refer them to other local agencies that can provide them with resources to meet the families’ needs.
The first phase of the project is in the following counties: Allegan, Barry, Chippewa, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Luce, Mackinac, Oakland, Sanilac, St. Clair and Wayne.
Statewide, there are 17 Family Impact Teams family resource specialists, with three specialists serving St. Clair and Sanilac counties. The second phase of the project with expansion into additional counties will begin in early 2024.
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://legalnews.com/subscriptions
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
