CHILD WELFARE
Full case management, adoption services, safety management, residential services, and independent living specialists
The Center for Family and Child Enrichment, Inc. (CFCE) is one of the largest child welfare organizations in Miami-Dade County. Guided by our mission, we strive to give troubled families the tools that they need to help themselves live a better life and build a stronger community. CFCE is licensed by the State of Florida as a substance abuse treatment provider, an outpatient mental health provider, and a child placing agency. We have been a member of the Child Welfare League of America since 2004 and continuously re-accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Child and Family Services since 2006.
Full Case Management Program
CFCE provides full case management (FCM) services for abused, abandoned and/or neglected children (ages 0-17) and their families. The FCM Program includes prevention (safety management), case management, adoption and independent living services. The primary goal of our case management staff is to safely reunify children with their parents. When that is not possible, CFCE pursues other permanency options including permanent guardianship and adoption.
Safety Management Services
Safety Management Services include in-home case management for high-risk families where we seek to prevent them from entering the dependency court system. Among their many duties, case managers monitor in-home safety plans, access and coordinate family services and resources, and ensure the continued safety of children. They do this by maintaining regular contact with service providers, observing the children and family functioning and/or practices during in-home, face-to-face visits.
Case Management Services
Dependency Case Managers (DCM) ensure the safety and well-being of children who have been removed from parents or caregivers and help families overcome obstacles that led to the removal. Case management duties include engaging in efforts to locate potential relative and/or non-relative caregivers, completing monthly home visits, assessing family strengths and needs, providing referrals for services, linking families to those services, as well as other needed resources, and so much more.
Adoption Services
When reunification is no longer an option and a child is available for adoption, our Specialized Adoption Unit is assigned. Upon the filing of a Petition to Terminate Parental Rights, Adoption Specialists meet with the prospective adoptive family to assist with the adoption application and acquire all necessary documents. They actively recruit until an adoptive family is identified for all available children. In addition, Adoption Specialists complete adoption home studies, child studies, and other required reports. They don’t rest until each available child is placed with a forever family.
Independent Living
Our Independent Living Specialists help to prepare dependent teens for adult life. This program is designed to help youth, starting at age 13, obtain life skills and education necessary to become self-sufficient, live independently, and maintain employment. This is accomplished by providing youth with targeted, tailored, and individualized assessments and trainings as mandated by Florida statute.
Residential Services
CFCE provides Residential Services for dependent children (ages 13 -17) who require a short or longer term residential placement in out of home care. CFCE maintains licensed facilities in the north area of Miami-Dade County. Among other things, CFCE provides care and supervision for teens with challenging behaviors and who are often deemed hard to place in traditional foster homes. Residential services also include therapy (individual and/or group) and independent living skills.