Who We Are

Family & Children’s Services, Inc. is a private, not for profit, 501(c)(3) agency. We are a member of the Alliance for Children & Families and the Family Service Council of Indiana. We provide outpatient counseling services for persons who have behavioral health needs or are at risk of harmful involvement with alcohol or other drugs.

Through a team approach and the active participation of the persons served, the overall goal of our program is to improve the quality of life and the functional abilities of the persons served.

We provide a combination of mental health and alcohol and other drug/addiction services. We provide these services in a seamless system of care for individuals with needs in one or both areas, or for persons identified with dual disorders.

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Who We Assist

We work with adults of any age, in addition to children and adolescents. We provide services that include but are not limited to individual, group, and family counseling and psycho-education. These programs offer comprehensive, coordinated, and defined services that may vary in level of intensity.

In an outpatient setting, we may address a variety of needs, including, but not limited to, situational stressors, family relations, interpersonal relationships, mental health issues, life span issues, psychiatric illnesses, alcohol or other drugs, eating disorders, sexual disorders, and the needs of victims of abuse, domestic violence or other trauma.

We provide these services primarily in our office setting located at 2712 S. Calhoun Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In some special cases, we provide home-based counseling, and we are willing to consider providing services in alternative locations if it will meet the needs of the persons served.

When appropriate and with the consent of the person served, we will coordinate treatment with other services within our agency as well as other services in the community. We use treatment interventions that are recognized in the behavioral health field. All persons served are initially assessed to determine what needs exist that should be addressed. The person served takes an active part in this process.

Our direct service staff consists of master level therapists who facilitate the assessment process. Exceptions may include graduate students who are under the direct supervision of a licensed therapist.

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LICENSURE AND ACCREDITATION

Our Clinical Director and our Program Directors are Licensed Clinical Social Workers or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. All of our direct service providers are Master level therapists who are Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Mental Health Counselors or are in the process of obtaining their licensure. Many of our therapists have drug and alcohol certifications and areas of specialization in treating families, children, and individuals. In addition, we have a consulting psychiatrist and psychologist who consult with our clinical staff to ensure our clients receive the highest quality of services possible.

Our agency and programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction certifies our substance abuse program. We govern ourselves by the ethics and standards of our agency and the standards and ethics of our individual federal laws governing confidentiality and client's rights.

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OUR HISTORY

The roots of Family & Children's Services, Inc., extend to the time of the Civil War. The Fort Wayne Relief Society originated in 1864 and evolved into the Pixley Child Welfare Agency, which was a direct predecessor of Family & Children's Services, Inc.

In 1895, the Fort Wayne Associated Charities was formed and later assumed the title of Family Service Bureau. The Bureau was incorporated on January 29, 1924, under the provision of an act of the Indiana General Assembly, and approved March 9, 1901. Homemaker Service was added to the Bureau's function in 1938 and terminated in June 1969. In 1946, the Family Service Bureau merged with the Pixley Child Welfare Agency.

The new agency, Family and Children's Service of Fort Wayne, Inc., incorporated on March 18, 1947, was the result of a recommendation of a community study urging this consolidation. The purpose of this union was to provide the community with a more effective and efficient program of casework help to families and children. In addition to bringing together two closely-related types of service, the community study felt that "a larger staff would be able to interchange ideas and develop leadership in the community in modern casework practice." The name of the agency was changed to Family & Children's Services, Inc., on January 8, 1974.

There have been two national affiliations. Membership in the Family Service Association of America was taken out in 1923, and the agency became a member of the Child Welfare League of America in 1951. In 1980, the agency terminated its adoption program due to lack of infants to place and inadequate funding for the program. Membership in the Child Welfare League of America was also terminated at this time. In 1994, Family & Children's Services transferred all adoption files and records to Catholic Charities because it is active in the field of adoptive work and has the expertise and staff to provide information to the various individuals who request adoption history information.

Membership in the Alliance for Families & Children (formerly Family Service America) continues to the present time as does national accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Services to Families and Children. Family & Children's Services is a member of the Family Service Council of Indiana.

During the early 1980's, the agency developed special skills and established treatment programs in the areas of child abuse and alcohol and drug abuse. Certification by the Division (now Bureau) of Addiction Services of the Department of Mental Health of the State of Indiana as a provider of alcohol and drug counseling was acquired in 1982.

Family & Children's Services initiated Employee Assistance Program services in 1986 in response to the national contracts secured by Family Service America. FCS presently provides services for national FSA contracts as well as providing EAP services to local business and industry.

Home-based therapy services were initiated in 1993 to provide in-home services to children and families experiencing problems with abuse and neglect who are referred by the Child Protection Services, Allen County Division of Families and Children.

In 1999 First Call For Help, a comprehensive information and referral service, became a program of Family & Children’s Services adding 1/3 more staff and budget. In 2000 First Call For Help became the single point of access for the homeless, taking over the EHOT (Emergency Housing Outreach Team) project. First Call For Help was with Family & Children’s Services, Inc. until August 2001.

Providing the highest possible level of clinical psychotherapy within the social work and family service models continues to be the primary focus of Family & Children's Services.

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