Family Connections - Family Group Decision Making

Department of Health and Welfare Service
Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) is a meeting designed to bring together family members and others to share information that relates to the protection and safety of your child(ren). A skilled coordinator leads the FGDM meeting as a neutral team member. The coordinator’s primary responsibility is to help team members identify and use the strengths within their family’s support system to develop a plan for the child(ren). Your FGDM team, which includes your referring worker and possible safety monitor, will assist with implementing and monitoring the plan developed by your team. This meeting process is a starting point for identifying community referrals, resources and additional meetings to support your family’s plan.

How Are Families Referred?
Family Connections contracts with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to provide Family Group Decision Making services to referred families. At the present time, Family Connections provides this service in Regions/Districts III, IV & V.

Department of Juvenile Corrections Service
Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) is a solution focused decision-making process to which members of the family group are invited along with members of their informal network, community  group and juvenile corrections.  The purpose is to strengthen and support the family and to actively engage them in the creating a successful plan to address any and all family needs to support the youth to prevent Department of Juvenile Corrections commitment or to support the youth's transition into the community upon Department release.  This group is often used for case planning, safety planning, placement planning and often used to open lines of communication among the family's network. 

How Are Families Referred?
Family Connections contracts with the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections to provide Family Group Decision Making services to referred families. Often youth are referred by their Juvenile Probation Officer, Department of Juvenile Corrections Social Worker or Clinician.  At the present time, Family Connections provides this service in District III (Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette and Washington Counties), District IV (Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley Counties) & District V (Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka and Twin Falls Counties).