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ACTIVITIES |
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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.
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REPRESENTATION |
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Family Service Ontario represents 41 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
one Family Service agency. There are two Family Service agencies
in Kitchener, Oshawa, Peel, Thunder Bay, and Windsor, and three
in Ottawa and Toronto.
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.
In Ottawa and Toronto there are both Catholic and Jewish Family
Service agencies, in addition to a non-denominational agency.
Additionally, Toronto has a Chinese and a Korean Family Service
agency.
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HISTORY |
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number of Family Service agencies have been in business since
the early 1900's. Most, however,
were established during the 40's.
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NAMES |
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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:
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family life centre |
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counselling |
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family counselling |
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community counselling |
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family service |
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FUNDING |
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Annual agency budgets range from $200,000 to over $16,000,000. |
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Every agency has multiple and diverse funding sources. |
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The largest funders of Family Service agencies have been the
United Way and various government ministries. |
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Agencies may have as little as 20% government funding or as much
as 70%. |
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On average, governments fund 35% of member agencies' budgets.
The rest comes from private sources. |
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Member agencies of Family Service Ontario are part of a National
network of Family Service agencies who provide employee
assistance programs. Services funded by employers and workplaces
have become a substantial part of the revenues for Family
Service agencies. |
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User fees and charitable donations are also funding sources for
Family Service agencies. |
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STRUCTURE |
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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.
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SERVICES |
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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.
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Individual, couple, family counselling |
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Family life education |
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Advocacy |
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Credit Counselling |
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12 of our member agencies also belong to the Ontario
Association of Credit Counselling Services, and have joint
accreditations with both FSO and OACCS. |
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Employee Assistance Programs |
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Separation and Divorce group programs |
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Sexual Assault Programs |
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Family Violence programs |
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Case management services |
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Support services for the developmentally challenged
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Support services for frail, elderly persons |
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Respite services |
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Life Skills programs |
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Marriage Preparation courses |
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Substance Abuse programs |
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Employment preparation programs |
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Support Services for disabled persons |
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Programs for single parents |
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Immigrant Resettlement and Outreach programs |
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Youth Services |
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Palliative Care and hospice programs |
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