As of July 1, 2022, Lifeline Youth & Family Services is proud to be a partner of the Indiana Department of Child Services, in providing Adoption and Guardianship Support Services (AGSS) in the state of Indiana.
Adoption and Guardianship Support Services
Services in all 92 Counties of Indiana include:
- Weekly sessions with a Lifeline provider
- Care Coordinator trained in unique needs surrounding adoption/guardianship assigned for each family.
- Assessment and collaboration with family to identify needs and goals.
- TBRI – Trust-Based Relationship Intervention for identified Pre-Adoptive/Guardianship parents
- Processing child’s unique life experiences through Lifebook creation and/or other activities.
- Grief and Loss, Loyalty, Unique Journey, Thoughts and Feelings at current developmental stage
- Adoption/Guardianship, Adoption/Guardianship Education.
- Support and Coordination of Pre-Placement visitations
- Coordination of ongoing Community Mental Health Services for family.
- Ability to fill in service gaps with Lifeline Staff until Community Mental Health Organization begins
- Indiana Adoption Support Facebook Group, Lifeline Resource Page, and Support Groups
Pre-Adoption/Guardianship
Lifeline provides families with support needs distinctive to adoption and guardianship, intending to finalize adoption or guardianship successfully. Lifeline works in collaboration with Child and Family Teams.
Eligibility:
DCS children with adoption or guardianship as a permanency plan where a pre-adoptive/guardianship home is identified.
The referral is made by FCM and filtered through the Regional Adoption Consultant.
The child(ren) is currently in DCS custody and has adoption or guardianship indicated in their permanency plan.
Services are mandatory for all referred children and families.
- Weekly visits by an adoption-competent Care Coordinator to provide services such as:
Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) training for parents and caregivers
Coordination of pre-placement visits between potential adoptive or guardianship families (if needed)
Creating a new or updating a current Lifebook for the child
Offer support and resources to include such topics as:
Explain the meaning of adoption or guardianship and the difference between adoption or guardianship and foster care
Reconstruct and interpret the child’s history
Assist the child in understanding their unique life experience
Address feelings of grief and loss associated with the loss of the child’s biological family or foster family
Discuss loyalty issues the child may be facing
Coordinate mental/behavioral health services for the child and family
Post-Adoption/Guardianship
Lifeline provides families with support needs unique to adoption and guardianship, intending to maintain or achieve stability to increase the preservation of adoption or guardianship family.
Eligibility:
Any Indiana family who has finalized Adoption or Guardianship
The family is interested in these voluntary services
The referral is made through the Regional Adoption Consultant.
- This is a voluntary service.
Weekly visits by an adoption-competent Care Coordinator to provide such services as:
Community resource coordination
Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) training for parents and caregivers and other in-home coaching or training based on the family’s need
Collaborate with the family to help coordinate informal respite resources
Facilitate crisis intervention services to help restore a family’s safety and stability
Referrals are submitted to Lifeline by the DCS Adoption Consultant
Get the support you need
Lifeline provides support groups for you to get the help you need. All Lifeline Youth & Family Services support groups (online and in-person) are for Resource families.
Click the button below to view the upcoming Support Groups.
If you have any questions or would like to get started, fill out the quick form below.
