To link families to community, county and state partners for needed supports and services; and to promote systems change that will enable families to live in a safe, stable and respectful environment.

This mission will be accomplished by empowering families through:

• Information Dissemination
• Information and Referral Services
• Mentoring
• Advocacy Training
• Educating Legislators

We believe that adhering to our mission would result in a system which:

• Includes families and professionals who are willing to dream and take risks to improve the quality of available service and support options.
• Provides increased flexibility in policies and practices of the different systems that serve individuals and their families.
• Acknowledges that most families are "Multi-Stressed"-not dysfunctional...
• The focus of all services and supports should be on the family and childs strengths, not the flaws...planning of services should be a joint effort of family and professionals...parents know their children best
• Acknowledges that families are experiencing normal reactions to their situations instead of being perceived as dysfunctional. when in reality they are experiencing a serious lack of appropriate, accessible, and affordable services.
• Provides entitlement to a range of support services that enable families to keep their children at home rather than place them in out of home programs.
• Recognizes families as knowledgeable about and resources for their children.
• Maintains the integrity of the family with family reunification the goal for most children placed outside the home.
• Provides services or supports to families based on need rather than on the families ability to pay for them.
  

This website is made possible by funding from the Federal Center for Mental Health Services and individual support from families and others across the state of Iowa.