Foster Care, Adoption and Help Me Grow Service Provider
Options for Families and Youth (“OFY”) is a private, non-profit, social service agency licensed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) since 1989.
Foster Care Services
Although we began with a small, core group of foster homes, OFY has gradually grown to have approximately 70 to 80 foster homes that have served over 175 children annually in foster care. In a much more downsized human services system, OFY now provides emergency and specialized foster care to approximately 65-70 children/teens from Cuyahoga County, although we can service children and families from other counties as well. OFY takes great pride in the fact that we are considered a Tier I (preferred provider of foster care services) by the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services administration and has been rated between 90 and 100% for the past four years by their Contract Monitoring Unit.
Adoption Services
OFY has also provided adoption services to the children/teens of Cuyahoga County since our certification by ODJFS in 1997. During the past 15 years, OFY has finalized the adoptions of nearly 300 children with special needs from Cuyahoga County.
Help Me Grow Services
OFY was also one of the original providers of Help Me Grow services in Cuyahoga County in 1995. After a 2009 cutback of contracts to agencies that provide Help Me Grow services in Cuyahoga County, OFY was one of only eight remaining organizations to receive a contract. We continue to offer assessment, planning, goal-setting and accountability through home visitation services and Service Coordination to the needy children and families of Cuyahoga County. In 2009, OFY served over 1,700 children and their families in our Help Me Grow programs. Help Me Grow has consistently rated us among their top providers of services.
Behavioral Health Services
OFY has also begun to build our Behavioral Health Services department, located in our Westside office in the city of Brook Park. We employ therapists who have been practicing in the field of mental health for an average of 10 years each.
Although Options for Families and Youth has not been around as long as some other organizations in the Greater Cleveland area, and we may not be as large as some, our commitment to offering quality services exclusively to the children and families of Cuyahoga County remains strong.
Options for Families and Youth is certified by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for participation of the placement of children in foster and adoptive homes and for recommending foster homes for certification.
Options for Families and Youth meets all the required standards set by the Ohio and Cuyahoga County Help Me Grow systems and the Ohio Department of Health in Service Coordination with both the "Home Visitation" and "Part C" populations.
Options for Families and Youth has been accredited by the Commission On The Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities to provide Outpatient Treatment: Mental Health.
Options for Families and Youth is certified by the Ohio Department Of Mental Health in the areas of Behavioral Health Counseling and Therapy and Mental Health Assessment.
Options for Families and Youth is a Medicaid only provider of the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County.
