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The Center for Children is proud to announce a new program as part of its mental health clinic in La Plata, Maryland. Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is an empirically grounded, well-documented and highly successful family intervention for at-risk and juvenile justice involved youth. The FFT model is appealing because of its clear identification of specific phases that organize family change in a coherent manner. Each phase in the FFT change process includes specific goals, assessment foci, specific techniques of intervention, and clinical skills necessary for success.

There are many benefits to participating in the FFT program. Here are a few:

  • Have better relationships with your family
  • Learn to control anger and fix problems without fighting
  • Improve positive communication skills
  • Build trust and respect within your family
  • Prevent involvement in the juvenile and legal system

Who Can We Help and How:

  • Youth ages 10-18 years and their families, with problems ranging from acting out to conduct disorder to alcohol/substance abuse benefit from FFT
  • FFT is designed for children and adolescents who are getting into trouble and either involved with the court system or headed in that direction
  • The goal is not to blame any family member, but work with the family as a unit to teach them how to help make things better

How to get started:

  • First, call the Center for Children and request services
  • Next, schedule an intake meeting, during the meeting a therapist will gather information and facts
  • Then, the family and therapist meet weekly to work on the goals the family has developed. The average length of time a family is involved with Functional Family Therapy is 12 – 20 weeks

Click here to read a brochure!

Currently there are over 150 certified FFT sites in the USA. The Center for Children was the second site in the State of Maryland to receive the FFT training. The Center for Children has a team of clinicians trained in the use of FFT and available to the families served by the center. For more information about the FFT program at the Center for Children contact Ryan Banks at 301-609-9887 x 124 or banks@center-for-children.org.