Family Service Ontario exists to build capacity and add value to family service agencies across Ontario.
About us
VISION
Strong Families: Strong Ontario
MISSION STATEMENT
Family Service Ontario exists to build capacity and add value to family service agencies across Ontario.
REPRESENTATION
Family Service Ontario represents 42 not-for-profit member agencies located throughout Ontario who serve over 250,000 individuals and families each year, of every age group and socio-economic level. In 27 cities throughout Ontario there is at least one Family Service agency.
A number of member agencies have denominational and ethnic connections, reflecting the composition and values of our pluralistic society. However, all agencies serve the whole community. No one is turned away.
Family Service agencies employ highly trained and experienced staff who offer specialized individual, couple, and family counselling. They offer programs to help families cope with stress, unemployment, and financial difficulties. Family Service agencies provide services such as marriage preparation, retirement planning, parent-teen education, and a variety of seniors' programs. Family Service agencies provide intensive therapy for survivors of sexual abuse and family violence. Special programs for developmentally delayed children and adults are offered by some. Family Service agencies in Ontario also provide Employee Assistance Programs to many for-profit companies and some not-for-profit organizations.
The agencies address a wide range of emotional, psychological, social, physical, and financial problems. Family Service agencies have an enormous impact on the social environment of their communities.
History
A number of Family Service agencies have been in business since the early 1900's. Most, however, were established during the 40's.
Names
Member agencies of Family Service Ontario are known by a variety of names - reflecting the autonomy and local planning of our agencies. The names of our agencies include words such as:
family life centre
counselling
family counselling
community counselling
family service
Funding
Annual agency budgets range from $200,000 to over $16,000,000.
Every agency has multiple and diverse funding sources.
The largest funders of Family Service agencies have been the United Way and various government ministries.
Agencies may have as little as 20% government funding or as much as 70%.
On average, governments fund 35% of member agencies' budgets. The rest comes from private sources. Services funded by employers and workplaces through EAP contracts have become a substantial part of the revenues for Family Service agencies.
User fees and charitable donations are also funding sources for Family Service agencies.
Structure
Each Family Service agency is separately incorporated and has a voluntary Board of Directors who represent a cross section of community stakeholders. Typically, Board members of Family Service agencies are local community leaders.
There are over 1,500 paid staff members in Family Service agencies. As well, there are over 3,000 volunteers.
Professional staff in Family Service agencies are highly trained. Most have minimum qualifications at the Masters level. Accreditation standards of FSO are rigorous in reinforcing the expectation of professionally trained staff with access to continuous education and development.
There is an increasing emphasis on cultural diversity among agency staff members.
Services
Family Service agencies are deeply rooted in the fundamental concepts of helping individuals, couples, families and communities to achieve their maximum potential and well-being. All agencies have "sliding scales" wherein fees are based on a person's ability to pay. No one is turned away because of their inability to pay. Hence, programs in Family Service agencies emphasize clinical treatment, support services, education, advocacy, social planning, social action, and community development.
To provide a sense of the breadth and depth of programs in Family Service agencies, the following specific programs are identified. The list is intended as examples, and does not include all programs.
Individual, couple, family counselling
Family life education
Advocacy
Credit Counselling
12 of our member agencies also belong to the Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services, and have joint accreditations with both FSO and OACCS.
Employee Assistance Programs
Separation and Divorce group programs
Sexual Assault Programs
Family Violence programs
Case management services
Support services for the developmentally challenged
Support services for frail, elderly persons
Respite services
Life Skills programs
Marriage Preparation courses
Substance Abuse programs
Employment preparation programs
Support Services for disabled persons
Programs for single parents
Immigrant Resettlement and Outreach programs
Youth Services
Palliative Care and hospice programs
Family Service Ontario exists to build capacity and add value to family service agencies across Ontario.
