Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
Last year FamilyWise programs reached 3,905 individuals statewide. Our programs reached 52 counties and 3 tribal communities. Our direct services, which includes parent education, supervised parenting, etc., reached 1,776 families, 95% of whom were in the 7-county metro. Our prevention programs reached 2,078 participants statewide. In terms of defining impact at a high level, the individuals and families served by FamilyWise are successful when they have halted the damaging cycles of violence and poverty. Their successful experiences with FamilyWise’s system of integrated services lessen the community isolation created by family trauma, and begin to repair trust in social systems and the benefits of community participation. In 2023, FamilyWise achieved the following impact through our programs: 36 children participated in our First Step early childhood readiness program, 72% of Parent Support Outreach Program participants improved Strengths & Needs assessment scores, 80% of In-Home participants successfully exited the program, 40 NEAR Science trainings were offered with 70 new presenters being trained, two cohorts of 21 parent leaders participated in state and local planning processes and working groups, 3,073 supervised parenting visits and 49 safe exchanges were provided, 75% of Wraparound youth had no new legal charges, 81% of Wraparound youth met educational milestones, 67% of Wraparound teams were made up of at least 50% natural supports, 1,744 Circle of Parents support group meetings were held, 79% of Bright Beginnings participants had no additional pregnancies, and 74% of Bright Beginnings children were up to date on immunizations.
Current Goals
FamilyWise’s trauma-informed programs empower parents and families to meet these challenges. To help families change course, our programs focus on natural supports and use a strengths-based lens that lifts up the wisdom of families. We cannot always change risk factors (a family’s past traumas), but we can change protective factors (a family’s ability to ask for help).
As we work toward our vision of a community where every child thrives, we are focused on these organization-wide goals: Reducing or eliminating child abuse or neglect by parent(s) , ensuring parenting skills maintain safety and well-being of children, helping children and youth reach age-appropriate developmental levels, connecting families to community resources to ensure sustained success , increasing the self-efficacy of families , and equipping families to cope with stress, solve problems, and break cycles of trauma .
Community or Constituency Served
The individuals and families' FamilyWise reaches have experienced significant trauma and are often locked in multi-generational cycles of poverty and systems involvement. FamilyWise programs reached 3905 individuals last year, supporting 1192 families and 1310 children. 572 of those children were under the age of six, a population of focus for us given that this age group is at an especially critical development stage. 85% of participants live below the poverty level, and 64% of participants are from communities of color. FamilyWise served 52 counties and 3 tribal communities in Minnesota. 44% of the families we reached were in Greater Minnesota as we continue to expand our work statewide.
Geographic Area Served
We are a statewide agency headquartered in Minneapolis with a second location in St. Paul. We also have staff located in the Duluth area and Albert Lea, Minnesota. Last year services were available in 52 counties and 3 tribal communities. Our direct services served 1,776 participants, 95% of whom were from the 7-county metro. Virtual services are also offered to participants statewide.
