The Sylvia Thomas Center has the following three programs:

1. Training Institute which provides education;
2. Post-Adoption Family Support Program which provides case management services; and
3. Support Groups

TRAINING INSTITUTE
Knowledge and understanding is power. Raising children is not easy even in the best of circumstances. The challenges of caring for our wounded children who have journeyed through the system of care and the unique family dynamics that sustain the adoptive families however require unique skills and understanding often atypical of a family’s natural child rearing inclinations. These challenges present themselves not only in the home, but in all settings, most notably in the school and in therapy.

To create awareness and to enhance the knowledge base of community providers, the Training Institute was established in October 2008.  This is an unparalleled program providing comprehensive training across the wide reach of adoption related issues including the following:

• Adoption competency training for mental health care providers, case managers, group home employees, adoption agency staff and others touching the lives of adoptive children or families;
• Training of parents prior to adoption to more effectively prepare them for the challenges they will face;
• Adopted and foster adolescent training through support groups;
• Pre and post-adoptive parental training, including foster parents planning to adopt, through support groups;
• Parent mentor training to promote peer-to-peer assistance;
• “Pairs” training, a national curriculum designed to strengthen the parental relationship of post-adoptive parents.

Please click on this link for more detailed information.

POST-ADOPTION FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM
Comprehensive and family-centered services designed to empower adoptive families. Our Post-Adoption Family Support Program provides case management services to adoptive families in crisis or need.  Families may come to the Sylvia Thomas Center on their own or be referred by judges in Family and Juvenile Court, the Sheriff’s Department, or other outside agencies.

Please click on this link for more detailed information.

ADOPTED AND FOSTER ADOLESCENT SUPPORT GROUPS
As important as training and therapy are, the real indicator of an Adoptive or Foster family’s health is its ties and connections to other experienced families.  In our support groups we offer unbeatable training opportunities; however the greatest benefit will be the supportive connections a family will build with fellow families who share in the adoption journey.

Here at the Sylvia Thomas Center we offer the following Support Groups:

• The Adopted Adolescent Support Group which meets twice each month. 
• The Foster Adolescent Support Group which meets weekly for six weeks and is run four times each year.
• The Parent Support Group held on the second Thursday of each month.

Please click on this link for more detailed information.