For some birth families, the struggle to care for a child with special needs is too great, and the threat of losing the child to foster care or another institutional setting is very real. NAC’s Special Medical Preventive Services program provides intensive case management and comprehensive family support to ensure that children with complex medical needs can remain safely at home with their family. NAC is only one of three child welfare agencies in New York City that provides preventive services for families caring for children with special medical needs, and the only agency that exclusively serves this population. 

Our multicultural and bilingual Social Workers and Clinicians all have advanced master’s degrees and are experienced in working with children with complex medical needs, trauma, and mental health challenges. As a special medical program, families are assigned a Social Worker and a Nurse who partner with the family to develop an individualized service plan, as well as provide case management; health coordination and support; crisis management; conduct regular home visits to assure all children are safe and well-cared for; and help families  identify, access and coordinate needed services. 

Families are further supported by a specialized team of Complex Care/Developmental Pediatricians, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Therapists, Education Specialists, Housing Advocates, and Recreation and Youth Development Specialists.  The breadth and array of coordinated services offered at NAC ensure that families are able to meet multiple and ongoing challenges while gaining  the skills necessary to safely care for their medically complex children at home.

From the moment a family walks through our doors, they gain a team of support invested in their long term health and success. We take pride in setting the highest standard of care for those with the greatest needs. Our comprehensive team approach and strength-based model is tailored to the unique needs of each child and family with 360 degrees of support for the entire family. Our services help to address a number of issues related to medical management, child behavioral issues, parent-child conflicts, trauma, mental health issues, domestic violence, housing, generational poverty, educational issues and services, and other stressors unique to the family. On-site services include:

• Intensive case management and support
• Licensed medical and mental health clinic
• Educational advocacy and support
• Early Intervention referrals
• Parenting education and parent-child interaction groups
• Mentoring and youth development programs
• Therapeutic counseling and recreational children’s groups
• Art, music & drama therapy
• Home health aide services and/or homemaking and home attendant referrals
• Legal & housing advocacy
• Vocational support & advocacy
• Summer camp placement and support
• Wheelchair-accessible transportation services
• Food, clothing and toy bank
• Financial aid for emergencies or the purchase of special equipment
• 24-hour crisis hotline

Families are eligible to enroll in NAC’s Special Medical Preventive Services when:

• The family is caring for at least one child with special medical needs;
• There is risk of out of home placement of the child(ren) in the home, either to foster care or an institutional setting; 
• The family lives in one of the five boroughs of New York City.

The majority of families served in Preventive Services are referred by the New York City Administration for Children’s Services. 

For families who are not child-welfare involved, but still need support with the care of their children, NAC’s Partners In Parenting (PIP) program offers an array of support services tailored to the needs of the family.  

Providing ongoing, comprehensive support for the entire family remains a priority at NAC. Families enrolled in Preventive Services are also eligible for the following programs:

• Partners in Parenting Aftercare Program
• Champions for Children’s Health – Children’s Healthcare Management Program 
• Children and Family Treatment and Support Services (CFTSS)
• Family Mental Health Clinic
• Building Blocks: Parent-Child Bonding Program
• Peter Haje Center for Autism
• P.E.E.R. (Positive Exposure, Exploration, & Recreation) Project 
• College Bound Program
• Youth Advisory Board
• Safe Haven LGBTQI+ Support