New Alternatives Inc

New Alternatives Inc, a pioneering organization, is dedicated to offering hope and opportunities to neglected and abused youth. Through a comprehensive range of social, residential, and mental health services, the nonprofit strives to make a positive impact in the lives of children and families in need.

At the heart of New Alternatives' system of care is residential and foster care. The organization accepts referrals from various agencies, including Children and Family Services, Mental Health Services, and Juvenile Probation Department. During 2022, the agency operated multiple residential facilities with nearly 230 residential treatment beds, accommodating hundreds of clients annually, ranging from ages 6 to 18. These facilities provide a safe and stable living environment, offering twenty-four-hour adult supervision and services that encourage maximum child-family contact. Residential youth attend either public or non-public schools, depending on their individual requirements.

Moreover, New Alternatives offers specialized residential services, such as sibling assessment programs, treatment for sexual abuse victims, transitional living for adolescents, and specialized programs for young children. In addition to residential care, the organization provides in-home services, using emergency caretakers, respite care, parenting education, and parent aides to help victims of abuse and neglect. The prevention and intervention services aim to keep children at home, ensuring their safety and well-being. These services are available to a wide range of families, including those at risk of having their children removed from their homes, relatives who assume caregiving roles, and families facing challenges due to family violence and poverty. The goal of all programs is to provide early treatment and preserve the family unit.

New Alternatives' foster finding agency certifies committed foster parents to provide stable homes for difficult-to-place youth. The organization places county court dependents in these families' homes and offers support until a permanent placement is found. Foster parents come from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, bringing a wealth of experiences to their roles as "specialized parents." Foster parents receive comprehensive training, and New Alternatives' support staff is available twenty-four hours a day.

New Alternatives also operates mental health programs that cater to a wide range of youth and families in various settings, including outpatient, day treat, school classrooms, homes, and residential facilities. Mental health services include assessment, case management, individual, group, and family therapy, psychiatric services, and medication monitoring. Program services are client and family-centered, designed to meet the unique needs of each individual, and program staff work within the client's family system.