The Intensive Family Reunification and Prevention Services (IFRPS) are a collaborative effort between Luzerne County Children and Youth Services (LCCYS) and FSA NEPA.

The primary goal of the program is to implement brief, intensive, family-focused prevention and reunification service for families who have children placed in foster or kinship care or who are at risk of placement in Luzerne County. The program is designed to prevent out of home placement and reduce the amount of time children spend in out-of-home placement by strengthening families, building resources, addressing parenting concerns, and creating a plan for stability, reunification and permanency. The team builds a child-focused partnership between the family, the community and human service agencies in order to support the family and facilitate planning for prevention of out of home placement and/or the safe reunification of children with their parents/caregivers.

Who is Eligible?
This program is appropriate for families who have children placed in foster or kinship care or who are at risk of placement.

IFRPS Program:
The family is assigned an IFRPS Case Manager who will work closely with the family to identify community supports and service providers appropriate for and specific to that family. The Case Manager will address the primary concerns or reasons for out-of-home placement/risks of out of home placement, with the goal of reducing the risk factors and building protective factors. This will reduce the amount of time children are in out-of-home placements and / or prevent out of home placement.

Effective intervention will address the family’s basic needs (i.e. transportation, housing, food) before an impact can be made on the emotional and behavioral changes necessary to facilitate reunification. Intervention will include but is not limited to: Triple P program, parenting education, anger/stress management, family enrichment, and resource coordination. There are many service providers and community supports to which IFRPS can link the family to such as parenting support groups, mental health or substance abuse counseling, income assistance, housing assistance, and employment guidance.

Contact the IFRPS Team today for more information:

  • Jessica Ives, MSW, LSW – Director of Case Management and Community Programs
  • Rebecca Ciliberto, BS – IFRS Case Manager
  • Marisue Sack, B.A. – IFRS Case Manager
  • Paul Dorang, BS, M.B.A – IFRS Case Manager
  • Bernie Castle, IFRS Case Manager