Q: What is NEW FOUNDATIONS?
A: NEW FOUNDATIONS Children and Family Services, Inc. is a private, nonprofit treatment agency specializing in caring for emotionally troubled children, adolescents, and families.

Q: What does NEW FOUNDATIONS do?
A: NEW FOUNDATIONS provides an array of programs to meet the increasing demands for quality children and family services. In addition to providing services to the Upstate, referrals for our residential programs are received from across South Carolina. Children in our care are provided with the opportunity to receive services that are appropriate to their needs while maintaining a sense of stability and security. Many of the agency’s services are preventative in nature (i.e. Big Brothers Big Sisters, Therapeutic Family Services) as they attempt to deal with troubling situations before they become problems.

Q: What and where are your programs?
A: NEW FOUNDATIONS operates seven programs in eight upstate counties. High Management Group Home, Independent Living Services, Clinical Day Program, Family Counseling Center of Anderson; Therapeutic Support Services in Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg Counties; Big Brothers Big Sisters in Anderson and Oconee Counties; Wrap Around Services.

Q: What is the history of the agency?
A: NEW FOUNDATIONS Children and Family Services, Inc. was founded in 1974 as the Youth Treatment Center for Boys by a group of concerned community leaders. Later the agency became Anderson Youth Association, but over several years expanded to include programs encompassing eight counties throughout Upstate South Carolina. In 2001, Anderson Youth Association Board of Directors changed the name to New Foundations Children and Family Services, Inc. to reflect our expanded programs.

Q: What kind of services do you offer?
A: Each program is tailored to the specific needs of the children in which they serve. Overall, services offered by the programs of NEW FOUNDATIONS include, but are not limited to the following: individual and family therapy, recreational therapy, group therapy, couples therapy, life skills development, positive role modeling, supervised visitations, transportation services, play therapy, family forums, educational tutoring, care coordination, employment search assistance, crisis response and intervention services, respite care, group home living.

Q: How large is the agency?
A: NEW FOUNDATIONS serves over 300 children and families annually throughout eight (8) Upstate counties with over 150 full and part-time professional staff members.

Q: What kind of children do you work with?
A: NEW FOUNDATIONS serves emotionally troubled children or families who have experienced traumatic situations in their lives.

Q: Why are children referred to New Foundations?
A: All of the children in our care have problems that most parents are unprepared or unable to face. These children come to us with complex problems and difficult situations. We strive to assist our children with developing life skills to overcome their problems.

Q: Are the kids in your care able to see their families?
A: Children we serve are often in the custody of the Department of Social Services and their visitation is decided by court order. Parents who have visitation rights are able to visit with their children or guardians on a regular basis. Other visits are conducted and supervised by NEW FOUNDATIONS’ staff as directed by the Department of Social Services.

Q: What are the age groups of the children in each program?
A:
• Big Brothers Big Sisters serves children between the ages of 6 and 17 years old.
• Clinical Day Program serves children between the ages of 6 and 21 years old.
• Family Counseling Center serves children of any age.
• High Management Group Home serves children between the ages of 10 to 18 years old.
• Independent Living Program serves children between the ages of 16 to 21 years old.
• Therapeutic Family Services Program serves parents and children of any age.
• Wrap Around Services serves parents and children of any age.

Q: Do children work and go to school?
A: Our children all attend school. Some are able to attend public school, some attend one of our two Clinical Day Programs. Most of the young people in our Independent Living Programs are required to be employed in the community in which they live to teach them responsibility and commitment.

Q: How long do they stay?
A: The average length of stay in our High Management Group Home is seven months, the average length of stay in the Independent Living Program is 26 months, and Therapeutic Family Services work with families for a six month period.

Q: How and from where are referrals made?
A: Referrals for our residential programs are made to the Admissions Office and come from various agencies within the state of South Carolina. Referrals for Big Brothers Big Sisters, Family Counseling Center, and Therapeutic Family Services are all made directly to the program through various sources.

Q: Are you effective with the clients you serve?
A: NEW FOUNDATIONS has a history of empowering children and families to overcome the difficulties they face. Our Quality Improvement Department conducts surveys to provide valuable feedback on the quality and effectiveness of our services on a monthly basis.

Q: Are you a private agency or a state-funded agency?
A: NEW FOUNDATIONS is a private, nonprofit agency directed by a local Board of Directors. We receive state and federal money and work with children who are served by many state agencies; but, NEW FOUNDATIONS remains a private agency.

Q: How are you funded?
A: NEW FOUNDATIONS is funded through grants and individual service contracts with the South Carolina Departments of Social Services, Juvenile Justice, Mental Health, Disabilities and Special Needs, Health and Human Services Finance Commission, the Continuum of Care, Managed Treatment Services, Untied Way, USDA, and private donations. NEW FOUNDATIONS is a Medicaid reimbursable agency. Currently 70% of our funding comes from Medicaid.

Q: Do you take donations?
A: YES! Although we strive to fulfill each of the children’s needs, we are often unable to provide the “extras”. New Foundations works diligently to embrace the children as if they are “at home”. Thanks to generous, caring supporters, children are provided for at Back to School time, Christmas, Easter, and other special occasions. Many of our children continue to be able to attend events and other recreational activities because of the generous donations received.

Q: Do you need volunteers?
A: Yes! Individuals may volunteer time if they are screened through DSS and SLED, or groups may coordinate service projects of the children. Contact the Development Dept. at 225-1628 ext. 106.