Family Mental Health Services

Keeping Families Strong Program

The Keeping Families Strong Program plays the key role of intervening with families with risk factors for having their children removed from the home due to histories of trauma, behavioral, and/or mental health concerns. This program uses the Integrative Family and Systems Treatment (I-FAST) and the Family Systems Trauma (FST) models to effectively treat trauma while involving the entire family and their natural support systems.

The I-FAST model is an evidence-based supported family treatment model and follows Treatment focuses on specific symptoms and problems that parents identify as their main concerns. This model utilizes both the agency and clients' strengths and resources and is effective in bringing positive outcomes in families that have children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral problems. -I-FAST

The FST technique is a component of the evidence-based model, Parenting Love & Limits® (PLL) System of Care. According to the PLL logic model, the goal of the FST technique is to use structural and strategic family therapy directives to address the family or individual’s unhealed wounds in the here-and-now from a family systems perspective. Through these techniques, benefits include a reduction in risk factors and increase in protective factors.-FST

The Keeping Families Strong program is funded in part by Ashland County United Way.

Risk Factors

Families with a history of mental illness
Children from low-income households
Low education
Highly stressed or isolated families
Single parent families
Families where there is considerable occupational and/or marital discord
Maternal depression
Substance use disorder
Ineffective communication
Aggressive or hostile behavior
Children whose parents discipline approaches are inconsistent/unpredictable, physically abusive, or critical
Families with one or more children who are at-risk of out-of-home placement

Benefits

Youth are less likely to be removed from the home
The family has an increased positive behavior and mental health
Increased parent involvement
Decreased trauma levels
Increased family functioning
Decrease in criminal recidivism or return to foster care
Fewer days of residential or foster car
Fewer psychiatric and behavioral diagnoses

Recent Updates

Stalking Awareness Month & Healthy Relationships

Being stalked is a frightening and traumatic experience. SPARC reports that stalking victims suffer much higher rates of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and relationship issues than people in the general population.

January is Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month.

According to HumanTraffickingHotline.org, human trafficking can happen to anyone, but we also know that some people may be more vulnerable than others.

Smarter Phones, Struggling Minds

A recent research study has found that over the past two years, as we try to cope with all of the disruptions and changes related to COVID-19, cell phone and social media use has skyrocketed. Social media is a way to stay in touch with friends and family. Owning and using a mobile phone is almost necessary in our culture with many occupations requiring smartphone accessibility. Sixty-nine percent of adults and 81% of teens use social media–so what does that mean for our brains?

Hello! I am a licensed therapist and an adjunct counseling professor at Ashland Theological Seminary. My class was blessed this summer to have Jeremy Smith share on trauma informed care. It was such a well done presentation and the students walked away with a new lense in which to be present with their clients. Thank you Appleseed and thank you Jeremy for the continued work you do for our community!