Free In-Home Therapy Now Available for New Jersey Kinship and Adoptive Families
“AKLG Clinical Services” offered by community-based nonprofit, Children’s Aid and Family Services
Children’s Aid and Family Services, a Paramus-based nonprofit human services agency, recently introduced the availability of convenient, no-cost, in-home therapy for pre-and post-adoptive and kinship families.
Supported by the State of New Jersey Department of Children and Families, this unique service is available for pre-and post-adoptive and kinship families with children 20 years old and younger who live in New Jersey and were placed through New Jersey’s Child Protection and Permanency agency.
“Some of these children have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment in their young lives, causing them to suffer from the effects of significant trauma,” says Jo Ponticello, LCSW, Vice President of Children’s Services at Children’s Aid. “Our therapists are trained in Dyadic Development Psychotherapy, an attachment-focused treatment for families with kinship, foster, or adopted children.”
Ponticello says the program is designed to be a collaboration between families and therapists and to provide support for adoptive parents or caregivers that may struggle or need guidance to manage their children’s behaviors and emotionally connect with them.
“The therapy’s goals are for children to gain relationship experience, to grow and heal emotionally, and for families to build stronger relationships with increased feelings of attachment, trust, and safety,” Ponticello explains.
“Our agency has extensive experience supporting pre- and post-kinship and adoptive families on their unique journeys,” says Shavonda E. Sumter, President and CEO. “This is our 125th year of serving families, and we are excited about the addition of this new service as we support families in their growth together.”
For more information, contact the AKLG program coordinator at 551-224-2711 or email aklgsupport@cafsnj.org.