Helping families gaining momentum
By Staff
Melissa Cason, Franklin County Times
Students, teachers and administrators are getting in the routine of things as the school year is trucks on.
While everything is starting to come together at each school, the Franklin County Helping Family Initiative (FCHFI) has begun to gain some momentum in its task of helping students and their families in an effort to stop crime before it starts.
"We have started taking some referrals, and I have made some home visits to begin working for these families," FCHFI Director Al Hammond said.
Hammond said that as the year progresses he expects to have more and more referrals, which give the program an opportunity to help students in need.
"It's just now taking off," Hammond said. "I am talking with principals and administrators about situations that can be improved."
He added that the program has already made several referrals to social services in order to help struggling kids.
Hammond and the multi-disciplinary team meet every two weeks to discuss cases, and decide the best course to take to help the child. Each approach is unique to each case.
"One child may need one thing, and another child may need a completely different thing," Hammond said.
The Helping Families Initiative is teaming up with The Fatherhood Initiative in Lauderdale County to give children and teens in Franklin County a positive male role model.
"We have found that there is not a positive male role model in a lot homes," Hammond added.
Having The Fatherhood Initiative will give these kids an opportunity to have a positive role model, and will hopefully make them more accountable for their actions.
"When the kids know they are going to attend this class once a week, then they are held accountable for their actions and may think about crossing the line," Hammond said.
The Fatherhood Initiative is scheduled to begin in Franklin County Oct. 2 at the request of the Franklin County Helping Family Initiative.
The Franklin County Helping Family Initiative is a program designated by the District Attorney's office, and both the city and county school systems to help with students who have been a discipline problem in the schools, and to prevent crime before it starts.
Hammond works under the authority of District Attorney Joey Rushing and provides students and their families with social services and other services to keep the student out of trouble.
The program is funded by the District Attorney's Office and both the Franklin County Schools and Russellville City Schools.
