A member of the Family Intervention Team counsels a teen.
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If you know a youth headed toward trouble with the law, we can provide services and support to help get them back on track. This is a service that is free to all city residents.
The Family Intervention Team is a group of specialists with a background in social work and education that provides counseling and referral to at-risk youths and their families. The eight-member unit has specialists Precincts One, Two, Three and Four, and at the Roger Williams public housing development. An office is expected to be established at Precinct Five once a permanent facility is built.
FIT specialists receive referrals, most often from the schools, but also from family members, beat officers and local agencies. Anyone may call a FIT specialist to arrange for a case review and walk-in services are provided by all specialists.
The FIT team is trained to network with local human services agencies and provides a tailored intervention program to turn around the lives of young people before it is too late. In the past, police could do little for individuals and families in turmoil and on the brink of trouble with the law. The FIT specialists know the resources that are available in the community and will track the case until goals are met. Their intervention often makes the difference between a lockup and a last chance.
Anyone interested in talking to a Family Intervention Specialist should call 470-7701.
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