The Family Support Organization (FSO) of Union County provides direct support to family members and caregivers of children with special emotional and behavioral needs. Our Family Support Partners lead groups that have first-hand knowledge of the system and can help families navigate the system because they have done it for their own children. Our Youth Partnership program helps teens dealing with these challenges to discover that their contributions can help to make a difference in the world.

Strengthening Families Program
The Strengthening Families Program is a training program that focuses on parenting skills and family life skills. Strengthening Families offers skill-building, learning and games in seven weekly sessions for families with children ages ten through fourteen.

Peer-to-Peer Support
Families receiving care management services through FACT are eligible for peer support. Parents and caregivers are matched with specially trained Family Support Partners who understand what these families are experiencing and encourage their progress.

Our Family Support Partners have first-hand knowledge of the system. They can help families navigate the system because they have done it for their own children. Family Support Partners are there to make sure that the family voice is heard and the family vision is achieved.

Family Support Partners walk side-by-side with parents and caregivers to help them through difficult times with their children. Family Support Partners attend Child/Family Team meetings to ease families through the process and help develop an Individualized Service Plan that meets the needs and goals of the family. This ensures that families are full partners in the process.

Youth Partnership of Union County
This program is for Union County youth, ages 13 to 21, with behavioral and emotional challenges.  We meet on Thursday evenings at the FSO office in Plainfield from 6:00 - 8:00pm. As the schedule is subject to change, please call the FSO for meeting updates.

Participation in the Union County Youth Partnership gives teens the opportunity to be with others who know and understand these unique challenges, through personal first-hand experience. It provides them with a place to go where they feel comfortable, safe and accepted.

Through positive and supportive peer and adult relationships, teens have come to discover not only that they can make a difference in the world but also that they can make a contribution to it. too.

The Youth Partnership has three main aims: to support and encourage one another, to learn more about their unique challenges, and to increase community awareness about teen mental health issues... and to have fun along the way!

Union County Family Resources
The Family Support Organization of Union County can provide families with a variety of useful national, state, and local resources. To access the complete list of resources, contact the FSO office, by phone or by email

Call us on the Warmline
The FSO of Union County offers telephone support to family members, and caregivers. We listen and offer advice, information, support, and referrals. Call Monday through Friday from 8:30am - 4:30pm. If you need to call after hours, please leave a message and we will contact you on the next business day.

Educational Presentations
In order to best assist and support families, the Family Support Organization of Union County hosts educational presentations on a variety of topics. For upcoming learning opportunities on a spectrum of topics via guest speakers, video presentations, and more, kindly visit our calendar.

Support & Discussion
The FSO offers support groups at our Westfield office as well as other locations throughout Union County. Families will meet others who understand exactly what they are going through. Every effort is made to keep the setting of these meetings warm and open, so that the discussions taking place are meaningful to all participants. Current programs & groups include:

• Ladies' “Can We Talk” Support Group

• Grandparents’ Support Group

• Family Support Scrapbook Meetup

• Youth Partnership of Union County

Advocacy
We provide advocacy in many forums. On an individual basis, we advocate for our families needs. We also offer coaching in techniques of self-advocacy. In addition, we advocate for families as a whole with the various systems which include: Juvenile Justice, DYFS, Child Behavioral Health Services, Education, and Medicaid.

All families who are dealing with a behaviorally or emotionally challenged child are invited to partake in our annual letter drive to our local government representatives. Visits to these representatives and appearances before Senators and Congressman, are made by interested parents with guidance from the FSO. This ensures that the family voice is heard at all levels.

Age Groups	Children Adolescents Adults
Community Services	Family & Support Services Referral Services
Health Services	Intellectual and Developmental Needs Advocacy
Language Spoken	French Spanish

Last Updated: 09/08/23