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The international spotlight turned to Minneapolis after George Floyd’s death, followed by a community rising up to demand justice and police reforms. News media coverage highlighted the “Minnesota Paradox” – that our state is top ranked for both “livability”, and for racial disparities.

Today, The Family Partnership’s mission is more relevant than ever – advocating for systemic change while building a path forward for individuals and families living in poverty and experiencing trauma.

In fact, our services are intentionally located in communities disproportionately affected by racially motivated housing policies that led to intergenerational cycles of poverty and inequality – North Minneapolis and the South Minneapolis Powderhorn and Phillips neighborhoods.

Our approach is to partner with individuals and families and build upon their inherent strengths. Using a whole family, multi-generational approach, we work to eliminate barriers and build tools for people to move forward.

Here are a few ways that The Family Partnership’s services make a difference for racial equity:

Advocacy

We worked to rid the Powderhorn Neighborhood of slumlords and with the third precinct police to change the way the officers interact with victims of sex trafficking. Our PRIDE program hosts expungement clinics with legal partners so survivors of sex trafficking can remove criminal charges – vital to gaining housing, employment or educational opportunities.

Early Education and Care

Our multicultural North Minneapolis preschool and South Minneapolis Four Directions Family Center offer highly rated education based on the latest scientific evidence. We also offer developmental screenings and on-site therapies to identify and address any barriers to learning.

Mental Health Therapies

Our School Linked Mental Health and Multi-Systemic Therapies work to break the school to prison pipeline. These programs keep teenagers out of the criminal justice system, which disproportionately affects people of color.

Our advanced standing master’s degree students in our Diversity Social Work Advancement Program (DSWAP) offer underrepresented communities (BIPOC, new immigrants, refugees and LGBTQ+) access to outpatient therapy at low or no cost.

Family Home Visiting

Our Family Home Visiting programs educate and empower caregivers to gain skills and strengthen the health and well-being of their family.  In part, we help new parents establish healthy bonds for child development, connect caregivers to community resources, and even partner to assist parents in the requirements to resolve an open child protection case and keep their family together.

For more than 142 years, The Family Partnership has advocated for and provided services to families facing the greatest disparities in our community.

To invest in our work, make a donation here.

National pilot sites will begin testing a brain science-informed curriculum developed by The Family Partnership this fall.

The two-generation (2Gen) Executive Functioning Across Generations© program model is designed to boost children’s and their caregivers’ executive functioning and self-regulation skills for greater success in school and life.

Frontiers of Innovation (FOI), the R&D platform of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, is supporting the national pilots in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Delaware with funding from the Hemera Foundation. The goal of FOI is to accelerate the development and adoption of science-based innovations that achieve breakthrough impact at scale for young children and families facing adversity.

The Family Partnership developed and successfully piloted the Executive Functioning Across Generations© curriculum with its preschoolers and caregivers from 2017-2019, leading to national interest in further trials. Last year, The Family Partnership and three Children’s Home Society of America organizations were awarded a planning grant by FOI. Together the organizations attended a workshop on the IDEAS Impact FrameworkTM, a science-based innovation approach to program development, testing, and evaluation, and used that experience to develop precise evaluation measurement strategies for the original curriculum and the home visiting and parent education adaptations.

Virtual Pilots Begin October – December

Now TFP, Children’s Wisconsin and Nebraska Children’s Home Society will begin testing virtual delivery of the curriculum with 10 families each in their respective home visiting programs. In 2021, Children and Families First of Delaware will pilot a virtual parenting group adaptation with 10 families.

“Families may feel more isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are innovating to make sure children learn the essential skills needed for healthy development, while parents are safe and supported in their role as their child’s primary caregiver,” said John Everett Till, VP of Strategy and Innovation at TFP. “By working with children and parents together, home visiting and parent education staff can reinforce the ‘serve and return’ interaction skills that help build executive functioning – the core capabilities that ’stick’ with children and families for life.”

The upcoming pilots of Executive Functioning Across Generations© sets the stage for eventual use of the program model in preschools, home visiting programs, and parenting groups locally and nationally to reach high-risk families and promote healthy development for more children.

Why Executive Functioning?  

Research shows that adversity experienced in early childhood can have a cumulative negative impact on a child’s brain development if these experiences are not buffered by a supportive relationship with an adult. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) within the family include child abuse, neglect or household dysfunction (such as seeing a caregiver struggle with mental illness, addiction, or incarceration). In addition, toxic stress can occur from external factors such as community poverty, neighborhood violence, racism and discrimination, and/or a lack of family services and resources

The Family Partnership curriculum intervenes to build executive functioning – the essential skills that everyone needs to stay on track with goals, imagine consequences of actions and inhibit impulsive behavior.

How the Curriculum Works

The Family Partnership curriculum, developed by Dr. Chris Wing, focuses on language to build executive functioning in both parents/caregivers and children. The curriculum first establishes “Internal State Words” for thoughts, feelings, sensory perceptions, physical sensations and moral concepts. As children learn, they can use these words to identify and express themselves and develop personal narratives about their experiences. As parents’ skills related to executive function and self-regulation increase, they are able to model use of these language skills with their children. The parents also increase their ability to recognize and respond to their children and provide supportive relationships.

For more information contact: 
Stephanie Goodwin
Email: sgoodwin@thefamilypartnership.org 

UPDATE 9/17/20: Hedi’s story was featured on Kare11 and you can see it here.

A year ago, Hedi Moussavi was near death. Now, he is running his 50th marathon in Minneapolis on August 28 in honor of the memory of George Floyd.

Prior to mid-May, Hedi had never run more than 7 miles. But, on the anniversary of a spinal infection that nearly took his life in 2019, he looked for meaning for his existence, and set a goal to complete 50 marathons in 3-4 months. The idea came from a “feeling of helplessness” during this challenging year.

“I am trying to run an 8:46 per mile pace in honor of George Floyd, Minneapolis, the BLM movement and every group that’s been oppressed and continually beaten down by the system,” said Hedi.

This (run) is proof that no matter how hard someone might be beaten down in life,…nothing is more powerful than the human heart, and the infinite energy of love, compassion and dedication to a higher purpose.

Hedi Moussavi

Raising Money for TFP

Hedi has asked on his social media feed for donations of any amount that he will match up to $1,310 (50th marathon X 26.2 miles) for The Family Partnership. You can donate online here and please note in the “In honor/memory of: 50 marathon Hedi”.  

“I was so fortunate to have access to a good health care plan, to have amazing parents that took care of me, and a great support system that boosted my spirits when I was emotionally down,” said Hedi. “I realize that many don’t have these necessities. This is why it is important for me to support and raise awareness for an organization like The Family Partnership.”

As a volunteer on The Family Partnership’s strategic planning committee, Hedi knows our programs provide services to families in the hardest hit areas of Minneapolis – the Lake Street neighborhoods and North Minneapolis.

“We must continue to push for equality and justice whenever we can, because everyone deserves a chance at this life,” said Hedi. “Children are the future of this planet, and we need to provide them (regardless of background) with the tools to live a balanced, healthy, and beautiful life.”

We will provide an update on his 50th run!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Hedi on completing his 50th marathon on Friday, August 28th, with a time of 8:58 minutes/mile!

Photos courtesy of Hedi Moussavi

The Family Partnership is re-opening our Children’s First Early Learning Center (as of May 20) and our Four Directions Family Center (as of May 26) with adherence to strict safety protocols.

Our preschool staff are using a phased approach as they invite enrolled families to return their children to The Family Partnership centers.

A detailed TFP COVID-19 Safe and Healthy Workplace Plan has been implemented to provide maximum safety for children and staff. The Family Partnership’s plan is science-based and follows the guidelines published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Minnesota Department of Human Services, and federal OSHA standards related to COVID-19 and includes, in part:

Unified Therapy Services

Our Unified Therapy staff will resume services to children at our preschools following all safety precautions. Our therapists are continuing working with children and families virtually until we resume services for other children at our facilities, or in facilities operated by community partners (such as PICA Head Start). More information on all services during COVID-19 here.

During this stay at home time, our music therapist Jessica Nagel is producing videos so our families can continue therapy sessions at home.

These sessions are fun, interactive times. However, music therapy is also an important developmental activity. Children develop language skills by singing repetitive, familiar songs. And, they gain motor skills by moving and dancing to the music.

Music also helps the brain to develop new neural pathways as rhythm and melody activate both hemispheres of the brain simultaneously. In addition to other kids, our music classes involve parents/caregivers and their children, reinforcing prosocial behaviors. Music therapy helps develop children’s brain “executive functioning” (the ability to self-regulate behavior) skills.

Jessica is a board certified music therapist who interned at The Family Partnership and returned to work with us because of the families we serve.

Watch Virtual Music Therapy with Jess:

Feeling isolated or anxious? We can help.

If you or someone you know is feeling isolated, anxious or depressed – our licensed mental health therapists are here to help during COVID-19.

Contact our Central Intake lines.

While COVID-19  has changed our world, The Family Partnership’s mental health services are still here for children, adults, couples and families.

Our licensed therapists are available for confidential telemedicine for anyone seeking help and support. If you are feeling isolated, you do not have to be alone.

To connect with one of our therapists call our Central Intake Lines:
English/ Español: 612-728-2061
Hmoob: 763-569-2625

To learn more about our Mental Health services watch this short video.

Serving Families During COVID-19 

The Family Partnership continues to support families with most of our programs remaining open during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Our remote workers are using confidential technology tools to support those in need of our services.

Contact us through our Central Intake Line:
English/Español: 612-728-2061
9am – 7 pm M-F, with after-hours messages returned the next business day.
Email:  info@thefamilypartnership.org

Programs assisting clients virtually include:

Preschools and Child Care

The Family Partnership re-opened our Children’s First Early Learning Center (as of May 20) and our Four Directions Family Center (as of May 26) with adherence to strict safety protocols. Our preschool staff are using a phased approach as they invite enrolled families to return their children to The Family Partnership centers.

A detailed COVID-19 Safe and Healthy Workplace Plan for The Family Partnership has been implemented to provide maximum safety for children and staff. The Family Partnership’s plan is science-based and follows the guidelines published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Minnesota Department of Human Services, and federal OSHA standards related to COVID-19 and includes, in part:

Unified Therapy Services

Our Unified Therapy staff will resume services to children at our preschools following all safety precautions. Our therapists are continuing working with children and families virtually until we resume services for other children at our facilities, or in facilities operated by community partners (such as PICA Head Start).

We have posted COVID-19 resources suggested by our program staff.

We are sensitive to the disruption our change in services means to those who need us the most. Our dedicated staff is committed to fulfilling The Family Partnership’s mission to building strong families, vital communities, and better futures for children.

Updated 5/26/20

Stay healthy and safe! 

For more information on COVID-19 visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website or the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) website.

The Manhattan Toy Company (MTC) selected The Family Partnership’s North Minneapolis preschool as the recipient of the company’s first-ever “Happy Start” grant. The Minneapolis Company is donating 200 of its educational, high-end wooden and stuffed toys, and a check for $100,000, to boost the preschool children’s learning development.

“We want all kids to have a happy start in life, regardless of if they can afford our toys,” says Nora O’Leary, CEO of MTC.

We chose The Family Partnership’s Children’s First Early Learning Center for our first grant because they are doing great things right in our own community.

Nora O’Leary, CEO of MTC

O’Leary also cited TFP’s record with kids:  94% of the children attending TFP’s multicultural therapeutic preschools graduate “kindergarten-ready” vs. only 30% of all Minnesota children living in poverty.

More than toys – The $100,000 grant will support scholarships, transportation and family events, important services to the preschool’s families, 98 percent of whom live 200 percent below the federal poverty level.

Amanda Molstad, MTC, gives a toy to a preschooler during the 2019 Fall Festival

“The grant helps to provide financial stability so we can get kids to school and families can attend our hosted events and do activities together,” says Cassaundra Davis, Director of Children’s First Early Learning Center.  “Our teachers and kids were thrilled to unpack the toys and begin playing with them!  We plan to integrate them into our lesson plans.”

In addition, each preschooler will be able to select a toy to keep as their own!

For gift ideas from MTC for your family, see the KARE-11 story Toys that teach.

Openings available for families seeking reliable, quality care for children ages six weeks to 15 months! The new infant room recently opened at our North Minneapolis preschool.

”As soon as our current families heard about the room, they signed up their infant, so we have already booked three of our nine infant spots,” reports Cassaundra Davis, The Family Partnership Director – Children’s First Early Learning Center. “We have openings available for new families searching for reliable, quality care.”

First time The Family Partnership is helping infants

The infant room provides earlier intervention for The Family Partnership’s two generation (2Gen) approach to building strong families.

“We know there is massive developmental time in children from birth to 16 months,” says Caroline Hood, The Family Partnership Vice President of Programs. “Brain science tells us that the earlier we can intervene with our wrap-around services for families, the more difference we can make in healthy child development.”

Those services include access to unified therapies, parenting development, and other services identified by a dedicated caseworker.

For enrollment, contact Cassaundra Davis via email at cdavis@thefamilypartnership.org.