Programs

Pathways to Success is an intensive, youth-driven case management model with the long-term goal of preventing homelessness among youth with foster care experience. The model is built around case managers, called Navigators, who are trained in a case management approach called Engaging Youth in a Coach-Like Way. In this approach, Navigators develop a coaching relationship to support youth. Youth direct the intervention by setting goals related to the outcome areas of housing, education, employment, health and well-being, and permanent connections. Meanwhile, Navigators deploy an individualized services array tailored to each youth’s needs, strengths, and goals. In addition to Engaging Youth in a Coach-like Way, Navigators use a variety of tools and resources to support youth in these domains, such as flex funds and referrals to relevant resources.

Public housing agencies (PHAs) administer FYI in partnership with Public Child Welfare Agencies (PCWAs). The PCWA initially determines if the youth/young adult meets the FYI eligibility requirements, certifies that they are eligible, and refers them to the PHA. Once the PCWA makes the referral, the PHA places the FYI applicant on its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list and determines whether they meet HCV program eligibility requirements, including income eligibility. The PHA conducts all other processes relating to voucher issuance and administration. In addition to rental assistance, supportive services must be provided to FYI participants by the PCWA for the first 18 months that they participate in the program. Examples of the skills targeted by these services include money management skills, job preparation, educational counseling, and proper nutrition and meal preparation.

FYI vouchers used by participant are limited, by statute, to 36 months of housing assistance. Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities (FSHO) provides an FYI participant an extension of the 36-month time limit for up to an additional 24 months if they meet certain requirements.

The Community of Schools and Services (COSS) Model is an innovative early intervention service-delivery and reform-oriented model for addressing and supporting vulnerable young people and their families. It is designed to reduce disengagement from education and early school leaving and to help where family issues are heading towards a crisis and possible homelessness, as well as other adverse outcomes.

The COSS Model takes a place-based systems approach for maximum efficiency and represents a raft of innovations to realize a more effective early intervention system for addressing vulnerable youth.

The COSS Model consists of four foundations:

• Community collaboration
• Early identification
• The practice framework and early intervention support work with families
• A robust, embedded longitudinal monitoring and measurement of outcomes

HOP-C is a critical time intervention that was developed in response to research outlining the psychosocial challenges faced by youth in the transition out of homelessness. HOP-C involves wraparound supports (e.g., intensive case management, specialized mental health support, and peer workers) that youth can engage with flexibly throughout their time in the project. HOP-C workers also coordinate with other professionals/agencies (e.g., existing case workers, housing workers, employment workers, etc.) to provide individualized support to each youth. Furthermore, peer workers organize and facilitate social outings and drop-ins for youth. The desired outcomes of this program relate to maintaining stable housing, pursuing/maintaining school/employment, improving mental health outcomes and promoting greater well-being and quality of life.

Public housing agencies (PHAs) administer FUP in partnership with Public Child Welfare Agencies (PCWAs). The PCWA initially determines if the family or youth meets the FUP eligibility requirements, certifies that the family or youth is eligible, and refers those families and youth to the PHA. Once the PCWA makes the referral, the PHA places the FUP applicant on its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list and determines whether the family meets HCV program eligibility requirements, including income eligibility. The PHA conducts all other processes relating to voucher issuance and administration. The program does not require PCWAs to provide supportive services for families; however, PCWAs may make them available to families as well. Examples of the skills targeted by these supportive services can include money management skills, job preparation, educational counseling, and proper nutrition and meal preparation.

Foyers are secure communal supported housing for young people aged 16-25 who have experienced homelessness. They are both places to learn and safe places to live with transformative opportunities that develop agency and purpose.

Foyers integrate housing, education, employability training and personal development for young people. Foyer residents are offered opportunities that give them access to learning, prepare them to work, improve their health and wellbeing and develop their leadership potential.

This service is available to young people who are already homeless (16-24) or at-risk of becoming homeless (14-24), and the services often continue when they move home or move into community housing. For some young people, moving home is not the goal. However, youth moving to housing in the community are more likely to be successful with supportive family involvement. Other core components of the Family Reconnect Toolkit are referrals, advocacy and accompaniment to community agencies and services, including psychiatric and psychological assessments, housing, case management, mentoring, parenting groups, mental health and addiction supports.

“Family” is defined by the youth and family members involved in the program. This may mean the “typical” family constellation of mother, father, and siblings, but it can also include a grandparent, aunt/uncle, cousin, neighbor, and/or family friend. Family and individual counselling is offered for youth and their families and may focus on any of the following issues as they relate to the root causes of their struggles: family breakdown, youth and parent conflict, communication difficulties, sibling relationships, drug and alcohol use, and life and parenting skills.

The Family Intervention Counsellors work with families to navigate the system and access needed services. The Counsellors not only provide referrals for the youth, but for other family members as well. For example, if a family member has severe depression that is influencing their relationship with the youth, the counsellor may refer them to appropriate services.

Logic model: family.reconnect.toolkit.logic.model.pdf

Critical Time Intervention (CTI) is a time-limited practice that is designed to mobilize support for society’s most vulnerable individuals during periods of transition. It facilitates community integration and continuity of care by ensuring that a person has enduring ties to their community and support systems during these critical periods. CTI has been applied with veterans, people with mental illness, people who have been homeless or in prison, and many other groups.

Core Components:

• Addresses a period of transition
• Time-limited
• Phased approach
• Focused
• Decreasing intensity over time
• Community-based
• No early discharge
• Small caseloads
• Harm reduction approach
• Weekly team supervision
• Regular full caseload review

Phases of CTI:

• • Pre-CTI
    • Develop a trusting relationship with client.
  • Phase 1: Transition
    • Provide support & begin to connect client to people and agencies that will assume the primary role of support:
      • Make home visits
      • Engage in collaborative assessments
      • Meet with existing supports
      • Introduce client to new supports
      • Give support and advice to client and caregivers
  • Phase 2: Try-Out
    • Monitor and strengthen support network and client’s skills.
      • Observe operation of support network
      • Mediate conflicts between client and caregivers
      • Help modify network as necessary
      • Encourage client to take more responsibility
  • Phase 3: Transfer of Care
    • Terminate CTI services with support network safely in place.
      • Step back to ensure that supports can function independently
      • Develop and begin to set in motion plan for long-term goals
      • Hold meeting with client and supports to mark final transfer of care
      • Meet with client for last time to review progress made

PreVenture^® is a prevention and early intervention program for youth aged 12 to 18 years. The program offers brief, workshops that teach personality-specific cognitive-behavioral skills to youth to promote mental health and reduce the risk of substance use.

PreVenture^® aims to promote self-efficacy and cognitive-behavioral skills among youth to help them cope with the numerous developmental challenges that many young people face, such as academic stress, peer pressure, interpersonal conflict, and identity development. This personalized approach aims to empower young people to build resilience and develop effective coping strategies to help them better manage their personality style. The program is delivered in two 90-minute personality-focused workshops (either online or in-person) either in a school or community setting and involves group and individual exercises, is manual-based, but guided by a trained facilitator.

The Be Strong Families’ (BSF) Parent Café Program is designed to provide a space for parents and caregivers to engage in facilitated, peer-driven discussions that foster self-reflection and strengthen protective factors for families. The program is built around the Strengthening Families Protective/Promotive Factors Framework and focuses on building connections between parents, promoting resilience, and developing strategies for addressing the challenges parents face. The Parent Café model is flexible and can be implemented in various settings, including schools, community organizations, and child welfare systems. Facilitators lead discussions, offer resources, and guide parents through topics that enhance parenting skills, create safer home environments, and support positive child outcomes.

Adlerian Play Therapy (AdPT) is a therapeutic approach designed for children ages 3-10, drawing from the principles of Alfred Adler’s Individual Psychology. This approach helps children explore their emotions, beliefs, and social dynamics through play, a natural medium for self-expression. The therapy unfolds in four phases: establishing a trusting relationship, understanding the child’s lifestyle, gaining insight into their perceptions of self and others, and guiding them toward positive goals and constructive behaviors. Through these phases, AdPT is designed to support children in developing self-esteem, social interest, and problem-solving abilities. By providing a supportive and safe environment, the approach encourages children to navigate and make sense of their feelings, fostering personal growth, and helping them develop skills to interact in socially appropriate ways. The therapy aims to empower children with a sense of belonging and significance as they learn to understand and manage their relationships and emotions more effectively.

Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up – Early Childhood (ABC-EC), developed for children ages 2 through 4, targets several key issues that have been identified as problematic among children who have experienced adversity and/or demonstrate socioemotional or behavioral concerns. These young children often behave in ways that push caregivers away. The first intervention component is designed to help caregivers reinterpret children’s behavioral signals so that they provide nurturance even when it is not elicited. Nurturance does not come naturally to many caregivers, but children who have experienced adversity especially need nurturing care. Thus, the intervention aims to help caregivers provide nurturing care even if it does not come naturally. Second, many children who have experienced adversity are dysregulated behaviorally and biologically. The second intervention component is designed to help caregivers provide a responsive, predictable, warm environment that enhances young children’s behavioral and regulatory capabilities. The intervention aims to help caregivers follow their children’s lead with delight. The third intervention component is designed to help caregivers implement calming strategies and be present psychologically and physically when their child is dysregulated.

Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up – Infant (ABC-I) is rated separately on this website.