Together with Families

Emergency Support

Rapid support that helps prevent foster care caused by poverty.

Parents and relatives experiencing a crisis of poverty that could lead to child welfare involvement or foster care

From together-families.org/emergency-support ↗

About this program

Emergency Support to Prevent Foster Care helps families through a poverty crisis so children can stay safely with family.

Together with Families serves parents and relatives experiencing a crisis of poverty that could lead to child welfare involvement or foster care.

Most families start with a call to our Warm Line. The Warm Line is a phone line where a real person listens, asks questions, and helps figure out what is standing in the way. Families can call directly. Schools, churches, agencies and other community partners can also connect families to us.

Every crisis is different, so Emergency Support has three pathways. The level of help matches the level of need. Families do not move through the pathways in order. Our team works with each family to find the right level of support from the start.

Pathway 1 offers practical help for an immediate crisis. Pathway 2 adds targeted financial help, including the possibility of up to $500 in one-time financial assistance, once every 12 months. Pathway 3 is Intensive Care Coordination, ongoing support for families facing more than one challenge at once.

We are not a rent or utility assistance program. We do not provide ongoing monthly financial support.

Questions

How do families start with Emergency Support?

Most families start with a call to our Warm Line. The Warm Line is a phone line where a real person listens, asks questions, and helps figure out what is standing in the way. Families can call directly. Schools, churches, agencies and other community partners can also connect families to us.

Can a family be considered for Prevention Funds just for being behind on rent or a utility bill?

Prevention Funds are not general financial assistance. Being behind on rent or a utility bill does not qualify a family on its own.

How much does Prevention Funds assistance provide?

Pathway 2 includes everything in Pathway 1, plus the possibility of up to $500 in one-time financial assistance, once every 12 months.

Can families self-refer for reunification support?

Families cannot self-refer for reunification support, and strict eligibility requirements apply. Limited space available.

Does Together with Families decide whether a child returns home?

Together with Families does not decide whether or when a child returns home. Those decisions belong to the court and child welfare authorities.

Details

Who
Parents and relatives experiencing a crisis of poverty that could lead to child welfare involvement or foster care

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