Family Group Decision Making/Crisis Rapid/Family Find

Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) is a process that empowers families by placing them in charge of developing their own plan which will guide their future. FGDM is a voluntary process; if the family chooses to end the process, they can do so at any time.

An Family Engagement Coordinator will assist the family in determining which relatives, friends, and service providers they want to include in their family conference. The coordinator will then prepare all of the conference participants by visiting or calling them. This preparation is centered on strengths of the family and the purpose of the family meeting. Purposes may include, but are not limited to: child placements, transition plans for youth aging out of foster care, school issues, etc. Typically, referrals for FGDM are received from Children and Youth Services but are accepted by any agency or person.

At the FGDM meeting, families are expected to make their own plan to address their family concerns. Families are provided a “private time” to develop their plan. After the plan is made, the family will present their plan to the rest of the conference participants. If a referral source is present, they will accept the plan or ask for more details. Once a plan is agreed upon by everyone, it will become the family’s primary plan and will be monitored by referral source.