All About AFS

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The Grow and Flourish program at The Gathering Place is an essential part of parents’ growth to become healthier people and to parent in a healthy manner. AFS staff believes education and understanding are necessary for our clients to grow and evolve. They need to understand what trauma is, how their actions traumatize their children, teach them how to reflect and what appropriate responses are. The Grow and Flourish program helps clients heal physically, psychologically, and emotionally. Healthy People, The Gathering, Kids Parenting, Toddler Toys, Nurturing, Flourish, Programming, Something To Do, Challenges
The Gathering Place's Grow and Flourish Program – Alternative Family Services
The Grow and Flourish program at The Gathering Place is an essential part of parents’ growth to become healthier people and to parent in a healthy manner. AFS staff believes education and understanding are necessary for our clients to grow and evolve. They need to understand what trauma is, how their actions traumatize their children, teach them how to reflect and what appropriate responses are. The Grow and Flourish program helps clients heal physically, psychologically, and emotionally.
Michael’s commitment to ensuring his client received the critical care necessary to ultimately reunite with her daughter is one of many examples of how AFS staff will always go above and beyond to provide hope and healing to families. Critical Care, Foster Care, Above And Beyond, Commitment, The Fosters, Meant To Be, Impact, Daughter
Impact Story: Marisol – Alternative Family Services
Michael’s commitment to ensuring his client received the critical care necessary to ultimately reunite with her daughter is one of many examples of how AFS staff will always go above and beyond to provide hope and healing to families.
Here at Alternative Family Services, we use a community-based services model as one option to support the varying needs of the youth and families we work with throughout northern California. Let’s explore the meaning of community-based services and why we utilize this approach as one of our therapeutic models. Behavioral Interview Questions, Interview Questions And Answers, Admissions Interview, Job Interview, I Feel You, How Are You Feeling, Salary Requirements, Debt Relief Programs, Credit Counseling
Understanding AFS’s Community-Based Services Model for Supporting Youth and Families – Alternative Family Services
Here at Alternative Family Services, we use a community-based services model as one option to support the varying needs of the youth and families we work with throughout northern California. Let’s explore the meaning of community-based services and why we utilize this approach as one of our therapeutic models.
Here at AFS, we have been increasingly focused on providing intensive family presentation services in addition to and alongside the other foster care and child welfare-related services and supports offered. In this blog post, we will dive into what this entails. Parenting Teenagers, Parenting Videos, Parenting Quotes, Positive Parenting, Cardio, Parents Quotes Funny, Muscle, Blended Family, Family Issues
Understanding AFS’s Intensive Family Preservation Services – Alternative Family Services
Here at AFS, we have been increasingly focused on providing intensive family presentation services in addition to and alongside the other foster care and child welfare-related services and supports offered. In this blog post, we will dive into what this entails.
Patty Cala, MSW is one of the amazing staff members here at AFS. Patty serves as the Director of Transition Age Youth Services for AFS’s Marin ILP/THP+ program. What are your main responsibilities at AFS? I am the Director of TAY services. I run the Independent Living Program, and two transitional housing programs. Youth Services, Independent Living, Msw, Staffing, Patties, Marines, Director, Members, Amazing
Staff in Action: Patty Cala – Alternative Family Services
Patty Cala, MSW is one of the amazing staff members here at AFS. Patty serves as the Director of Transition Age Youth Services for AFS’s Marin ILP/THP+ program. What are your main responsibilities at AFS? I am the Director of TAY services. I run the Independent Living Program, and two transitional housing programs.
Sarah* was five years old when she started individual therapy with Alternative Family Services (AFS). Sarah had one failed adoption attempt already and was struggling in her new prospective adoptive placement. Sarah was experiencing difficulties with another child in the home, safety issues, and residual effects from the pandemic. The one Golden Thread through Sarah‘s many ups and downs was her AFS mental health clinician, Beth*. Difficult Children, Individual Therapy, Ups And Downs, Difficulties, Pandemic, Beth, Mental Health, Placement, Adoption
Impact Story: Sarah – Alternative Family Services
Sarah* was five years old when she started individual therapy with Alternative Family Services (AFS). Sarah had one failed adoption attempt already and was struggling in her new prospective adoptive placement. Sarah was experiencing difficulties with another child in the home, safety issues, and residual effects from the pandemic. The one Golden Thread through Sarah‘s many ups and downs was her AFS mental health clinician, Beth*.
Karina Mateos is one of the amazing staff members here at AFS. She recently joined the agency as the Office Manager for the AFS Sonoma County office in Santa Rosa. What are your main responsibilities at AFS? As Office Manager, my main responsibility at AFS is to ensure that my whole office is up to date with all things happening in our community, with our clients and families. Sonoma County, The Agency, The Office, Karina, Families, Clients, Community
Staff in Action: Karina Mateos – Alternative Family Services
Karina Mateos is one of the amazing staff members here at AFS. She recently joined the agency as the Office Manager for the AFS Sonoma County office in Santa Rosa. What are your main responsibilities at AFS? As Office Manager, my main responsibility at AFS is to ensure that my whole office is up to date with all things happening in our community, with our clients and families.
Blog from Alternative Family Services: California Closets Helps Resource Families Make Their Homes More Inviting for Foster Youth Closet Help, Foster Care System, California Closets, Community Organizing, Home & More, Outcomes, Organizations, Storage Solutions, Inviting
California Closets Helps Resource Families Make Their Homes More Inviting for Foster Youth – Alternative Family Services
Here at AFS, we are honored and humbled to collaborate with a variety of businesses and community organizations who ensure that we can provide the best services, supports, and outcomes to local youth and families navigating the foster care system. One partner that has been especially generous is California Closets. In working with AFS, California Closets is committed to providing custom storage solutions for resource families to support them in their care of children.
Blog from Alternative Family Services: Understanding AFS’s Intensive Family Preservation Services
Understanding AFS’s Intensive Family Preservation Services – Alternative Family Services
Here at AFS, we have been increasingly focused on providing intensive family presentation services in addition to and alongside the other foster care and child welfare-related services and supports offered. In this blog post, we will dive into what this entails.
Blog: Overview of AFS’s Telepsychiatry Services It Service Management, Change Management, The Doctor, Telemedicine, Telehealth, Medical Billing, Medical Jobs, Medical Records, Medical Assistant
Overview of AFS’s Telepsychiatry Services – Alternative Family Services
Alternative Family Services provides telepsychiatry services to youth and families within the child welfare system. Let’s dive into what this entails, and why it can be advantageous.
Here at Alternative Family Services, we use a community-based services model as one option to support the varying needs of the youth and families we work with throughout northern California. Let’s explore the meaning of community-based services and why we utilize this approach as one of our therapeutic models.
Understanding AFS’s Community-Based Services Model for Supporting Youth and Families – Alternative Family Services
Here at Alternative Family Services, we use a community-based services model as one option to support the varying needs of the youth and families we work with throughout northern California. Let’s explore the meaning of community-based services and why we utilize this approach as one of our therapeutic models.
Brittany Ratiani, LMFT, is one of the amazing staff members here at AFS. Brittany was recently promoted to the role of Clinical Supervisor for our Sonoma County Mental Health Program, and she previously was a Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist and a Mental Health Clinician here at AFS. Mental Health Rehabilitation, Mental Health Programs, Life 2016, Writing Life, Writing Ideas, Holiday Gift Guide, Brittany, Olds, Friends
Staff in Action: Brittany Ratiani – Alternative Family Services
Brittany Ratiani, LMFT, is one of the amazing staff members here at AFS. Brittany was recently promoted to the role of Clinical Supervisor for our Sonoma County Mental Health Program, and she previously was a Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist and a Mental Health Clinician here at AFS.
A cornerstone of all AFS programs is support. Families and individuals who choose to foster or adopt a child or teen through AFS is guaranteed a compassionate and supportive team that guides them every step of the way. Play Horse, Fracture, Cornerstone, Three Days, Ocd, Physical Therapy, Driveway, Severe
Impact Story: Jack – Alternative Family Services
Jack* is a twelve-year-old youth in foster care with severe autism and OCD, and he has been living with the Claxton* Family for three years. This past Spring, Jack was playing basketball in the driveway when he fell and hurt his hip. After three days and four nights in the hospital, Jack was released. Mr. and Mrs. Claxton continue to take Jack to physical therapy. The Claxtons are encouraged as Jack continues his journey through recovery. He’s even started playing “horse” again in the driveway.
At AFS, our staff acknowledges that families are diverse and human. We support clients through every step of their foster, adoption, and behavioral health journey. Here's a story about one particularly unique family situation. Co Parenting, Single Parenting, Parental Rights, Adoption Stories, Behavioral Health, Neglect, Move Forward, Melanie, Divorce
Impact Story: Benji’s Adoption Story – Alternative Family Services
Benji* was placed in Louis* and Melanie* Merino’s home when he was five months old due to neglect. As Louis and Melanie waited to hear if Benji’s mother was going to terminate parental rights, the couple made the personal decision to proceed with a divorce. The County determined that Melanie should move forward with a single-parent adoption. Louis would be able to stay in Benji’s and Melanie’s lives as an informal “co-parent.”
Quick Overview of the SF Emergency Shelter Program: EPP resource parents receive additional training because they are often the first point of contact for foster youth who are enduring the trauma of being removed from their biological home. The support given by the resource parents in an emergency home provides youth in care with a stable and caring environment that sometimes leads to the kids staying with the emergency family for a longer duration until a permanent solution can be found. Emergency Care, Foster Home, Golden Gate Bridge, Reyes, Identify, Temporary, Younger
What Makes the AFS San Francisco Emergency Placement Program Unique? – Alternative Family Services
AFS partners with the City and County of San Francisco to run their Emergency Placement Program (EPP) that provides 24/7 on-call emergency care to San Francisco County children and teens 18 years old and younger. The EPP provides a temporary home with specially trained resource parents while San Francisco County tries to identify relatives or a longer-term foster home for youth in care. To learn more about the program, we recently spoke with Tamara Reyes, SF Program Director at AFS.