Our Programs

The effects of trauma are not always limited to the person who experienced it—they can be passed down to the person’s children. When a whole community has experienced trauma, such as through systemic oppression, these cycles of poverty and violence can persist over generations. But with proper support, they can be halted, too. FamilyWise seeks to support families in interrupting these harmful patterns through our intervention programs which focus on building the natural strengths and resilience of families.

FamilyWise is also deeply committed to preventing abuse before it begins through our work as the home of Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota and the Minnesota Circle of Parents®. We work to build healthy environments where all children thrive. Our prevention model promotes individual and community-led action to end child abuse and to build the resilience of children, parents and community members in neighborhoods, towns and cities throughout Minnesota.

Supervised Parenting

In cases of family separation or family violence, FamilyWise offers supervised parenting visits between non-custodial parents and their children in a safe environment.

Adult Parent Education

Support for families at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect. Adult Parent Education is a voluntary home-based program in which FamilyWise counselors work with parents in their homes to strengthen their parenting and life skills to avoid greater systems involvement.

Circle of Parents

Circle of Parents offers peer-led support groups where parents can share challenges and successes and build their resilience. We partner with communities to host 40 support groups for parents and children throughout the state. Nearly all participants report finding new supportive connections through the program.

NEAR Communities

This initiative shares the latest science on trauma and resilience to support individual and community-driven efforts to foster understanding, hope, and healing. We train community members as ACE interface presenters, so they are empowered to raise awareness about the effects of trauma and the promise of prevention and resilience in their communities. As one NEAR Communities participant put it, “We need to remember that as community members, we have the ability to hold space for one another in our healing work and that it’s not just the role and responsibility of the mental health professional or the field…We all play a part in healing our communities.”

Tribal NEAR Communities broadens understanding of trauma—including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), historical trauma, and the impact of colonization—and its relationship to individual and community health and wellbeing in tribal communities.

Bright Beginnings

A voluntary program for teen parents ages 12-24 who have a history of out-of-home placement or justice system involvement. These adolescents receive life skills training, parent education, and mentoring.

Early Childhood Education

FamilyWise offers parents a highly accredited early childhood program, the First Step Early Childhood Development Center in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Minneapolis. Consistently, 100% of children demonstrate age-appropriate child development.

High-Fidelity Wraparound

FamilyWise is a fully credentialed provider of High-Fidelity Wraparound in the Twin Cities, using the evidence-based elements of family voice and choice and “wrapping” supports around families. Like in our other programs, we help families tap into a network of informal “natural supports,” from neighbors to friends to family members who all contribute to a healthy home environment for parents and their children. Whenever possible, we encourage families to draw support and mentorship from people who share their lived experience.