By Melissa McWilliams, AGSS Program Manager

Happy New Year! As we start a fresh new year, I thought it would be a great time to share about the services Lifeline Youth & Family has available for those in the adoption and guardianship community. It is our honor, through the Adoption & Guardianship Support Services contract with the Department of Child Services, to be able to provide services for families both before and after adoption or guardianship finalization.

For those who have been identified as a prospective family for a child eligible for adoption or guardianship, we have our Pre-AGSS services. These services have an overall goal of achieving safe and timely permanency for children in the custody of Indiana’s Department of Children Services (DCS). Our adoption-competent Care Coordinators offer families support, education, and knowledge throughout the process of adoption or guardianship finalization, to help remove or overcome obstacles that might have otherwise interfered with the child gaining a forever home. A few examples of services that can be offered (not all inclusive!) are:

• Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) trainings for parents or caregivers
• Lifebook creation to help a child develop and interpret their history and unique life story, as well sharing this story with the pre-adoptive or guardianship parents.
• Helping the child and family address feelings of experienced grief and loss.
• Assistance with the completion of any required adoption/guardianship paperwork

If you are an identified guardianship or adoptive family for a child in the custody of the Department of Children Services (DCS) and are interested in receiving these services, please reach out to your Family Case Manager, who can submit a referral.

For those families who have already finalized guardianship or adoption, Lifeline is able to serve them as well! Though our Post-AGSS services, our adoption-competent Care Coordinators come alongside families to help them gain or maintain a safe and stable home through equipping them with knowledge, resources, and sustainable community supports. A few examples of services that can be offered (not all inclusive!) are:

• Collaboration to identify and build informal respite supports & resources
• Access to short-term family-focused counseling/therapy
• Crisis intervention services to help restore stability & safety
• Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) trainings for parents or caregivers (refresh training if previously completed)

If you are interested in Post-AGSS services, you can get started by visiting www.lifelineyouth.org/agss and click on the orange button that says “Get Post-Permanency Services.” You will then be directed to complete a brief form to self-refer for this service. And as always, if you have any questions please reach out! Our email is: agssinfo@lifelineyouth.org.

Lifeline wishes you and your family a blessed 2026, full of moments and memories.