When children and youth are abruptly removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or acute family crises, their immediate need is safety and stabilization. Emergency Shelter Care provides this essential intervention by offering short-term, structured placements in a safe, therapeutic environment while long-term permanency plans are developed.
Family Care Network (FCNI) has delivered Emergency Shelter Care services for decades, utilizing a trauma-informed and family-centered approach. Our specially trained Resource Parents are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, ensuring that children can be placed immediately at any time, day or night. This rapid response capacity prevents prolonged exposure to unsafe environments and reduces the destabilizing effects of delayed placement.
Once placed, youth receive intensive crisis stabilization services, including individualized care coordination, therapeutic supports, and 24/7 on-call clinical response. These interventions are designed to mitigate the acute impact of trauma, regulate emotional and behavioral responses, and provide youth with stability during an otherwise disruptive transition. Evidence demonstrates that immediate access to stabilization services significantly decreases acute behavioral escalations, reduces the likelihood of psychiatric hospitalization, and lowers the rate of placement disruption.
Unfortunately, the need for Emergency Shelter Care exceeds the current bed capacity. Without expansion, children will continue to face heightened risk of emotional and behavioral deterioration. FCNI remains committed to recruiting, training, and supporting Resource Parents, but the shortage of caregivers is a critical barrier. An increased pool of prepared families is urgently needed to ensure that every child in crisis has immediate access to safe, therapeutic, and stabilizing care.
