Family Service Agency Of Santa Barbara

Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to strengthening and advocating for families and individuals of all ages and diversities. Their mission is geared towards creating and preserving a healthy community.

The agency provides a range of mental health services to families, with a special emphasis on low-income and at-risk children and families. Their child and family counseling programs deliver accessible, affordable, and effective mental health services within a family setting. The mental health professionals at Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara possess the expertise necessary to effect positive, long-term improvement. They specialize in early-childhood issues that hinder social, emotional, and academic success.

The organization also offers clinic-based Medi-Cal counseling, providing therapy services to children and adults with Medi-Cal insurance. They address a wide variety of emotional and behavioral disorders such as anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Clients receive individual and/or family therapy sessions to increase coping skills and resilience.

Moreover, Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara offers intensive in-home therapy, keeping families safe, stable, and together. Their team is specially trained in non-traditional counseling practices specifically effective with families facing difficult issues such as substance abuse, neglect, and gang activity. Their goal is to identify and address problems, stabilize the family, and prevent children and adolescents from being placed into foster care or the juvenile detention system.

The organization also provides therapeutic foster care services through its Pathways to Wellbeing Program. This home-based model of intensive mental health services aims to help a child and their foster family solve problems in the home environment. The program staff develop, support, and empower family units by identifying strengths and needs and teaching problem-solving skills.

Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara's school services include school-based counseling, available on-site at many K-12 schools in Lompoc, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, and Guadalup. Their therapists deliver counseling, case management, and critical incident response services, all proven to decrease the likelihood of high-risk behaviors while improving academic success and overall quality of life. They also connect students and families with other community assistance to meet their mental and physical wellness needs and support school staff in their interactions with students and families.

Additionally, the agency offers the Carpinteria Start Program, available on-site at seven K-12 schools in Carpinteria. The program is composed of therapists who work to improve the academic success and overall quality of life of at-risk children and their families. They provide counseling, crisis intervention, case management, and referrals, and help ensure case collaboration with community-based agencies.

Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara's outreach mentors program offers short-term, school-based support to youth and parents on all K-8 campuses in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. This program provides students with support, education, and advocacy to prevent problems such as antisocial behavior and substance abuse. It links students and parents to basic-needs resources and organizes educational campaigns and classroom presentations to help students with decision-making and conflict resolution. Children learn to create lasting bonds, increase self-confidence, and improve school attendance.