Photo Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
“According to the just-released survey, the great majority of participating families are happy with the community-based services they’re receiving and would even recommend them to a friend or family member,” said ACS Comissioner Dannhauser.
By Forum Staff
The City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) recently released key findings from its annual “ACS Prevention Family Experience Survey.” Approximately 94 percent of survey participants reported being happy with the services their families were receiving through ACS contracted providers. Survey participants also felt that the services were helping them achieve their goals, and that they would recommend the services to a friend or family member.
Prevention services are designed to help families overcome challenges that ultimately help keep their children safely at home and in their communities. Through a network of community-based providers across NYC, over 16,000 families receive prevention services each year.
“When families need a helping hand, ACS will connect them to one of our community-based service providers that can help provide family counseling, mental health counseling, access to child care vouchers, access to food or clothing, and so much more. According to the just-released survey, the great majority of participating families are happy with the community-based services they’re receiving and would even recommend them to a friend or family member. ACS will continue to spread the word about how families can access these free and voluntary prevention services, and we will continue to find new ways to hear from those with lived experiences so that we can further improve our work,” said ACS Commissioner Jess Dannhauser.
In collaboration with provider agencies, the annual “ACS Prevention Family Experience Survey” was offered to families receiving prevention services. Thirty-three percent of families receiving prevention services during the point in time of survey administration chose to participate in the survey. The survey included questions about household demographics, the type and quality of services received, interactions with case planners, and suggestions for improvements. Findings from the survey will continue to inform further program and practice improvements, Dannhauser said.
- An overwhelmingly majority of survey participants were satisfied with the quality of services they received. For example, 93 percent of participants agree services are helping them achieve their goals; 94 percent of survey participants agree that they are happy with the prevention services their families received; 90 percent of survey participants agree that they would recommend services to a friend and/or family member; and 89 percent of survey participants agree that they would go to their prevention provider for help in the future.
- A large majority of survey participants (90 percent) said the referral to prevention services from ACS was helpful for their families. The continuum of prevention services programs aims to meet the varying needs of families. Families can expect services to be free, trauma informed, and culturally responsive while also having flexible hours to accommodate families’ schedules
- Nearly all survey participants were satisfied with the work of their case planners. Case planners are the primary staff members at the ACS-contracted prevention provider agencies with whom service recipients interact. They are crucial to the work, as they deliver services directly to parents/caregivers, children, young people, and families. Most families that participated in the survey reported that their case planner is available (97 percent); that they trust their case planner (96 percent); feel safe telling their case planner about their family (96 percent); feel listened to when setting goals for their family as part of their work with the case planner (97 percent); and feel their case planner respects their cultural practices (96 percent).
