Children’s Aid supports families affected by domestic violence and the common effects of trauma to help rebuild strong and healthy families, and establish long-term safety for each family member.
The Family Wellness Program is a nonresidential program that provides free comprehensive, trauma-informed services to parents and children who are affected by domestic violence or relationship abuse. Our goal is to help individuals and families that have experienced physical, emotional, or other forms of abuse establish long-term safety and heal from the effects of trauma. Additionally, we want to end the intergenerational transmission of trauma and abuse. These goals are the same whether family members have chosen to separate or remain together. While we have a particular focus on supporting families involved in the child welfare system, we welcome any parent interested in developing healthier relationships and ending the intergenerational transmission of trauma and abuse.
Everything a family needs to heal
The Family Wellness program provides an array of supports and services to family members affected by domestic violence to help families establish safe, stable, and nurturing homes.
Services to family members include:
- assessment to identify and prioritize needs;
- short-term crisis intervention and supportive counseling;
- individual and family trauma-informed therapy;
- trauma-informed and evidence-based group education/counseling;
- therapeutic visitation services;
- economic empowerment education;
- case management;
- access to our Victim Services;
- advocacy within the legal, child welfare, housing, and public benefits systems; and
- referral to other appropriate services.
Family members served include survivors of intimate partner violence, abusive partners, children and teens who have been exposed to violence in their homes, and teens who have experienced abuse in their own dating relationships. Services are available in English and Spanish.
Advocacy and case management services help families in crisis meet immediate needs such as safety planning, shelter, food and clothing. Our staff are trained to assist clients in obtaining court orders of protection and filing claims with the NY State Office of Victim Services.
A Safe Way Forward is a preventive program working with families affected by intimate partner violence (IPV). This joint preventive-clinical service model offers comprehensive trauma-informed services to the whole family, including the survivor, the person causing harm (PCH), and the children exposed to the IPV. Our services include in-home visitation, crisis intervention, advocacy, trauma-informed individual therapy, group counseling/psychoeducation, and referrals to other appropriate services. All families referred must have an active, court-ordered supervision case and must have at least one parent residing in the Bronx.