In carrying out our mission support for families and communities in providing love and care for our children. The Board and staff at Family Support Services envision a future where all families will provide a safe and nurturing home for their children, that all families will ensure that by the time their child is five years of age they will be healthy and ready for formal education, that all children and youth will have the capacity to succeed in school and demonstrate positive social behavior, and that all youth will transition to adulthood as capable and caring individuals.

We have taken an outcomes based approach to our Strategic Plan, working backward by determining: (1) the outcomes we wish to achieves (2) The indicators by which we will determine our success. (3)The measurements to evaluate our progress. (4) The strategies which will get us where we want to be by 2003.

Indicators: Our indicators for this outcome will be that families served will utilize effective parenting techniques, be able to provide for the basic needs of their children, that all parents will be positively engaged in the lives of their children, and that children will live in a non-violent and substance-abuse-free home.

Strategies: To accomplish this, we will provide a full range of parenting skill building assistance through home visiting and classes. We will develop core parenting abilities, which we will teach in all programs (including our youth outreach programs). We will assist families with information and referral, parenting consultation, linkages to community resources for concrete assistance, job training, child support enforcement and administer special funds which help targeted individuals. We will reach out to fathers to encourage their positive engagement in the lives of their children. We will enhance our programming by being more gender, age and culturally sensitive and modify and target specific programs as such. We will encourage healthy lifestyles for families served. We will increase our prevention initiatives and staff knowledge in the areas of domestic violence and substance abuse and establish strong partnerships with treatment providers.

Indicators: Our indicators for this outcome will be that children with an identified physical or emotional delay, or at risk of delay, will receive developmental services and family support as early as possible, that families will have access to developmentally appropriate and affordable out of home child care. Parents will be able to develop cooperative partnerships with the providers of their children’s care and that families served will provide for the health, intellectual and emotional development of their children.

Strategies: Our strategies for accomplishment of this outcome will be that we will build the capacity of our programs to screen and assess, to incorporate infant mental health principles, and to ensure that all parents have access to child development information, services and family support. We will incorporate the child care provider in service planning and increase our relationships with medical providers by creation of a health services advisory committee. In order to best serve the consistently underserved 0-3 population, we will complete a feasibility study for a child development center, with a behavioral health component.

Indicators: Our indicators for this outcome will be that youth will establish a safe and nurturing relationship with an adult(s), that they participate in positive peer relationships, that they participate in their particular areas of interest, that they avoid high risk behavior, that they hold a positive self concept, that they meet or exceed minimum academic and attendance standards, and that their parents demonstrate meaningful involvement in their child’s education.

Strategies: Our strategies for the accomplishment of this outcome will be to create a strong mentoring program and focus on home based activities which foster better understanding between parents and youth. We will promote the development of core abilities in all youth activities. We will provide youth with multiple opportunities to explore their abilities, interests, skills, talents, to assist youth to access recreational activities and provide youth a better way to understand themselves through a cultural and wellness framework. We will develop working partnerships with schools in order to enhance parental involvement, identify youth at risk of failure and provide tutoring. We will help parents identify risk factors in their children and provide parents with support and guidance in addressing those factors. We will provide education to youth to help them better understand their role as future parents.

Indicators: Our indicators for this outcome will be that youth will be able to demonstrate their capacity to meet their own health and safety needs, that they continue with their education and develop vocational skills, that they will not be involved in at-risk and self-destructive behavior, or with the criminal justice system. That they maintain healthy family relationships, that they make planned decisions about parenthood and contribute to their community.

As a community-based organization, community development initiatives are important to our work with individual children, youth and their families. Family issues and concerns are always part of the socio-economic system in which we live. We cannot hope to help families or create a brighter future for our youth without also working on improving the overall quality of life in our community. Our strategies for making West Hawaii a better place for children and families are:

• To be a resource of information for public policy which will enhance the lives of families and youth.
• To assist in the creation and support of neighborhood groups and initiatives.
• To participate in formal and informal alliances and networks which work toward positive changes for families.
• To advocate for universal heath services.
• To continue to support the state’s efforts to reform the child welfare system.
• To increase our link with national and state service initiatives, such as Americorps.
• To identify gaps in services and advocate for needed services within our community.

Our staff and management team has the responsibility to implement this plan. Each indicator has specific measurements. Program Directors will incorporate these strategies into their annual work plans. The Board of Directors will evaluate the implementation of the plan on an ongoing basis.