Services Offered

CHS is best known for its adoptive services. Although the Intercoastal Division no longer conducts private or state adoptions, the division provides private home studies, as well as supportive post-placement services for international, domestic and special needs adoptions.

Designed to assist parents under pressure related to unemployment, illness, relationship and financial troubles. The program consists of three components: Nurturing Parent, Crisis Intervention and System Facilitation. Nurturing Parent teaches nurturing parenting skills and shows families how to relieve stress, resolve conflicts and have positive interactions. Crisis Intervention uses a solution-focused model to stabilize families in crisis and teaches conflict resolution and communication, skills enhancements, stress management, budgeting and supportive counseling. System Facilitation focuses on systemic issues identified as barriers to child safety. Services include linkage to community resources, advocacy, conflict resolution and communication through system facilitation meetings, and community resources. Referrals are accepted from BSO, ChildNet, parents, schools and other local agencies and community organizations. Families appropriate for referrals are experiencing difficulties parenting children with behavior problems, recently reunified, and/or have children at risk for abuse or neglect.

We offer temporary foster care services to abused, neglected and abandoned children. Prospective CHS foster parents are thoroughly screened, and their homes are licensed on a yearly basis, with the license specifying how many foster children may be placed in each home. The program offers a 10-week training session for those interested in becoming a foster parent.

Provides a temporary safe haven for children ages birth to 14. The Emergency Home has a 20-bed capacity and is run and operated by trained staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The goal of the Emergency Home is to provide supportive services and crisis stabilization to children who are removed from their homes by the Broward County Sheriff or ChildNet as the direct result of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or abandonment. Devoted staff promotes trust through a safe, nurturing and child-centered environment, and teaches coping and socialization skills to children. The home is named for I. Lorraine Thomas, generous benefactor and wife of the late Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's International, Inc.

Program services are designed to meet the individual needs of each parent/caregiver who has recently had at least one child removed from the home and has become involved with the child welfare system. Services include system facilitation, individual and family solution-focused brief therapy, domestic violence intervention, substance abuse intervention, parenting education, and case management. Referrals come directly from ChildNet’s Behavioral Health Assessment and Referral Coordinator.

Provides mental health and substance abuse services for adolescents who excessively or inappropriately use mood-altering chemicals including alcohol, or who are in/have been in families where this behavior may have affected their functioning. The program's goal is to promote and improve the behavioral health of Broward County’s children and adolescents by offering mental health, substance abuse and support services.

Focuses on behavioral health and skill-building to maximize client/family potential. Services address needs, strengths and abilities of the client/families in addition to developing effective negotiation skills. Individual and Family Counseling is available to children ages 6 through 17 (or 21 if enrolled in an accredited educational program leading to a high school diploma or its equivalency) who are diagnosed with a mental health disorder and are demonstrating a variety of behavior problems and DO NOT qualify for Medicaid and/or are not involved in the dependency system.

Designed to give supportive therapeutic services to children/adolescents who are at pre-adoptive status, families that have recently adopted and families at risk of adoption disruption. Post-placement visits take place with the adoptive family from the time a child is placed in the home until the adoption is finalized. Clinical services are provided by Master's-level Therapists to reduce family stressors, stabilize the adoptive situation and/or prepare the child for the adoption.
E-mail contact: Ilene.Cohen@chsfl.org

A program designed to provide free services to children under age 18 who DO NOT qualify for Medicaid and/or are not involved in the dependency system. The program serves children residing in Broward County who are experiencing severe emotional/behavioral problems at home and/or school. In-home family counseling sessions focus on behavioral modification, play therapy and behavioral management. Families also receive referrals to community resources.

An intensive behavioral therapeutic program designed to provide services to children experiencing severe emotional/behavioral problems at home and/or school and are at risk for a higher level of care. This program serves children in Broward County who qualify for Medicaid and/or are involved in the dependency system. Clinical services utilize solution-focused and play therapy to reduce mental health symptomology, and to increase coping skills and level of functioning.
E-mail contact: Yasmin.Mendoza@chsfl.org