Family Intervention Services
Family Intervention Services provides family-focused interventions and counseling services for students in Richland School District Two experiencing problems impacting academic performance.
Family Intervention Services aims to provide premier counseling services to students and families of Richland School District Two to engage families, inspire hope, and improve the overall functioning of students. Family Intervention Services also provides opportunities for the next generation of counselors and family therapists to receive experiential training in providing effective family therapy services.
Richland Two provides this program as an alternative to other discipline measures, such as a recommendation for expulsion for middle and high school students who have committed category 1 (and some category 2) offenses. Services are also available to students (K-12) and families who are recommended for expulsion, attend an expulsion hearing and are recommended for the district's alternative schools, or are allowed to return to their home school on probation. Referrals for family counseling from school administrators, social workers, school counselors, school nurses, and school psychologists are also accepted.
Services include family therapy, individual counseling, multi-family groups, peer group therapy, parenting groups, and training for schools and other community partners on topics such as Trauma Informed Practices, Parenting, and Mindfulness. It is our hope that the combined efforts of parents, students, administrators, Learning Support Services staff, and the Family Intervention Services (FIS) staff will provide opportunities for strengthening families, supporting parents, and helping students develop strategies that will enable them to successfully complete the school year.
Family Intervention Services offers:
Family Counseling
FIS staff have extensive training and experience in family therapy and mental health counseling. Our FIS therapists (or graduate students under expert supervision) provide intake, assessment, and follow up counseling services to families whose student is involved in the disciplinary process, at risk of expulsion, or experiencing other difficulties affecting school performance. Families may address issues such as divorce, learning effective parenting strategies, changing problem behavior, healing from trauma and past hurt, improving parent-child relationships, practicing effective communication, and resolving conflict.
Individual Counseling
FIS staff and graduate students provide follow-up counseling and support to students who have been referred through the intervention process at the school sites. Individual counseling addresses topics such as depression, anxiety, healthy peer relationships, emotional regulation, and school performance.
Group Counseling
FIS staff or graduate student interns may meet in small groups with students who are experiencing difficulty in academics, peer relations, or who are returning from the alternative school.
Multi-family Groups
The district has developed a seven session multi-family group program that is provided to students and families attending the district’s alternative school. The program focuses on improving school behavior, family communication, and family cohesion.
School Consultation
FIS staff and graduate interns are available to meet with school teams to provide training, insight, and consultation.
Training and Supervision
FIS provides placement and supervision of graduate students from approved counselor training programs. Supervision of interns is provided by experienced, licensed staff members.
Contact
- Coordinator of Family Intervention Services
- Administrative Assistant
- Bilingual Family Intervention Specialists
- Family Intervention Specialists
- EEDA Grant Project Coordinator