Overview
What is FAST?
The FAST program was designed by Clarvida to support families and children that are involved in foster care, adoptive care or kinship care to increase their stability and to ultimately prevent disruption. These children must be enrolled in AHCCCS and Mercy Maricopa Integrated Care (MMIC), and they are or have been involved in the DCS/child welfare system. This program is designed to work directly with the entire family system, highlighting the strengths and needs to provide support over an intensive period of 60 days (on average). This program is intended to assist the primary caregivers in adapting to meet the needs of the children placed, prevent disruptions, and higher levels of care. FAST uses a trauma-informed perspective, as the belief is that every child that has been removed from a caregiver has potential trauma responses. A team is comprised of a Clinical Supervisor, a Family Support Specialist and a Family Resource Aide. Each has their own role to assist the child and the family in the following areas:
- Behavioral health system navigation/collaboration, DCS system navigation/collaboration
- Support and psychoeducation as to behavioral challenges that the child may be facing
- Full functional family assessment
- Collaboration with CFT process, Medical, Behavioral Health, and Psychiatric Services
- Identification and implementation of behavioral modification strategies in the home (Skills training/Development, Home care training/Family support, Personal care)
- Ongoing support and community resource suggestions
- Short respite time
