Hibiscus Children’s Center Expanding Services to Assist Families in Indian River County
Indian River County - Hibiscus Children’s Center is pleased to announce that we are expanding services to Indian River County families who are experiencing a crisis. The Supporting Families in Crisis Program (SFC) is Hibiscus’ voluntary prevention program that focuses on helping families overcome difficulties and keep children out of the child welfare system. This program has served St. Lucie County families since 1993 and currently provides support to over 500 children and families annually. The program’s motto is “Asking for help is a sign of strength”!
Supporting Families in Crisis currently has a 100% success rate in keeping children out of the system during services. SFC is a safety net program aimed at stopping child abuse before it starts and helps families resolve crisis situations, remain together and grow stronger as a family. Circumstances such as unemployment, homelessness or eviction, drug or alcohol abuse, critical illness, medical emergencies, or divorce may put children at risk of abuse or neglect. The program’s overriding goal is to reduce the incidence of adverse childhood experiences. The best way to prevent child abuse is to help parents develop skills and provide necessary resources. SFC can assist families by advocating with other agencies and landlords or utility companies to mitigate financial hardships, and teach family life skills such as budgeting, proper nutrition, household maintenance and purchasing.
A former SFC client shares her experience, “When I contacted Hibiscus, I was at my lowest point. I had lost my job, was facing an eviction and lost control of my children. The Hibiscus Family Advocate came in and helped me avoid eviction, create a resume and a behavioral plan for my children. I was able to get a job and now my life is better than ever”.
If you would like to contact Hibiscus Supporting Families in Crisis Program for assistance, please call 772-340-5044, ext. 422. SFC is funded in part by Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County. For more information about Hibiscus Children’s Center or if you would like to support our programs to help children and families, please visit us at HibiscusChildrensCenter.org.
