The role of family preservation therapists in facilitating use of aftercare services

OBJECTIVE: The aims were to: (1) examine the process that family preservation therapists use when developing and implementing aftercare plans, and (2) examine how family preservation therapists perceive the availability and accessibility of community services that families need after short-term family preservation services. METHOD: Focus groups were conducted with therapists (n = 26) from five agencies that provide family preservation services in a large Midwest city. One agency was the local public child welfare agency, and the other four were nonprofit agencies with state contracts to provide family preservation services. RESULTS: Therapists viewed aftercare services as important and necessary, yet perceived barriers to families' use of aftercare services. Therapists undertook a number of activities to help families access and use services, though some therapists took a less active role than others did in helping families link to services. It was perceived that more follow-up was needed to ensure service use. Participants viewed certain services as especially difficult to access or unavailable, including services for men and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: More explicit and focused attention to facilitating service use is needed. This can be accomplished by therapists focusing on service use during assessment and treatment planning. Regular follow-ups after short-term family preservation services for the purpose of helping families to productively use services may be needed. However, systemic changes are also needed to ensure that needed services are available and accessible.