HEART Program

Helping Enhance Attachments and Remain Together

Hope For Youth’s Intensive Preventive Services Program, funded by Nassau County Department of Social Services, is a home-based, time-limited, family-oriented, supportive and rehabilitative child welfare service, provided to children and family. The focus of HEART is to avert a disruption of a family that will or could result in the imminent placement of a child in foster care, enabling a child who has been placed in foster care to return to his/her family at an earlier time that would otherwise be impossible, and to reduce the likelihood that a child who has been discharged from foster care would return to such care.

Preventive services include the provision of case planning services, coordinating case work, counseling and support services. A unique component to the prevention program is the incorporation of Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) and Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), both provided by Licensed Master Social Workers. MDFT is an evidence-based program designed to meet the needs of youth struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. CPP is the evidence-based practice that is proposed to be implemented as the primary treatment modality addressing the parent-child relationship for families with young children (0-5) referred to the program.

The HEART Program provides families with Case Planners who will meet with them at a minimum, twice per month. The Case Planners will work collaboratively with families, children and outside service providers to create service plans to address identified needs. Every case is reviewed at 30 day and 60 day intervals thereafter.

To learn more about HEART, call 516-221-5435.