Founded in 1994... Founded in 1994, Putnam Family Support and Advocacy, Inc. (PFSA) is committed to empowering families with children at risk, in crisis, and/or with special needs. As a grassroots, parent-run, non-profit organization, it helps families address difficult situations in which they find themselves. It believes that children and teens with mental, emotional, psychological, social, legal, and academic problems affecting their well being are at risk. PFSA builds on years of collaborative partnership efforts to bring the needs of families to the attention of Putnam County human services administrators, the county legislature, family court judges, police departments, the schools, and the community in general. PFSA board members, 1/3 of whom are parents of children at risk, and family advocates, have lived the need for help with similar experiences. They willingly share their own experiences, knowledge, and skills to provide hope, encouragement, and viable alternatives to those who are going through what they have successfully overcome. Direct contact with families keeps PFSA apprised of current situations and barriers to service. Family advocates assist families to access services, apply for entitlements, maneuver the special education system, develop discharge plans with hospitals, and prepare for court hearings. What we do... We offer information, referrals, support and guidance by serving as a bridge to comprehensive services in the community. We serve as family partners, maintain a walk-in-policy, offer 24/7 telephone support, and provide hope and encouragement for the families to pursue and attain available options and services in addressing their particular at-risk situations. Our role is to support, refer and empower families as they seek timely mental health, school, and court assistance for their emotionally-disturbed, substance-abusing, oppositional, or mentally ill children. We help families develop crisis plans, role play special education meetings, understand the mandates of the Department of Social Services, and offer possibilities to avoid long waiting lists and high costs of therapy. Family advocates assist in crisis-resource planning and other crisis-intervention measures to reduce destructive family conflict arising from various at-risk situations of either parent or child, such as substance abuse problems, undiagnosed mental illness, and emotional, behavioral, psychological, academic and legal problems. Note: Drawings describing the agency were done by a 9 year old boy of an appreciative PFSA family.