BRIDGE: Building Recovery through Integrated Decision-making, Guidance, and Engagement A cross-system recovery model to resolve in-home safety barriers and reduce unnecessary foster care. - Citrus Family Care Network proposes Building Recovery through Integrated Decision-making, Guidance, and Engagement (BRIDGE), a five-year project serving families affected by parental substance use disorders in Miami-Dade County, Florida. BRIDGE will serve approximately 300 families with children from birth through age 17 who have been removed from their parents’ care because safety concerns could not be managed in the home. BRIDGE focuses on the critical period immediately following a child’s removal. During this time, parents must quickly navigate substance use treatment, court hearings, visitation, child welfare requirements, and other barriers to bringing their children home. Without early support and clear communication, families may experience delays in treatment, visitation, and reunification. Each participating parent will be matched with a Peer Support Specialist who has personal experience with recovery and the child welfare system. The specialist will begin working with the parent before or shortly after the first court hearing. Peer Support Specialists will help parents understand the child welfare and court processes, prepare for meetings, access treatment and community resources, identify family supports, and participate in decisions affecting their families. Families will participate in a structured BRIDGE Review Conference. This meeting will bring together the parent, family members and other trusted supports, child welfare professionals, treatment providers, and other individuals selected by the parent. Together, the team will identify the issues preventing the child from safely returning home and create a Coordinated BRIDGE Action Plan. The plan will describe the steps needed to address safety concerns, identify possible safety supports, connect the parent with appropriate treatment, strengthen visitation, and clarify the responsibilities of everyone involved. BRIDGE aims to help parents begin and remain in substance use treatment, increase parents’ confidence and participation in decision-making, improve visitation, support the earlier use of in-home safety plans, reduce the time children spend outside their homes, and increase safe reunification. The project will also develop a specialized peer workforce trained to support families involved in both the child welfare and behavioral health systems. Citrus Family Care Network will lead the project in partnership with the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Administrative Office of the Courts, Thriving Mind South Florida, The Village South, THRIVE, local substance use treatment providers, and the University of South Florida. The first year will focus on planning, staff training, partnership agreements, service procedures, and data systems. BRIDGE will be piloted, and enrollment and service delivery will begin at the end of Year 1. The University of South Florida will evaluate the project by comparing families receiving BRIDGE with families receiving usual child welfare services with or without peer support. The evaluation will examine child safety, treatment participation, parent confidence, visitation, reunification, time spent in out-of-home care, and later reentry into foster care. Results will be used to improve BRIDGE, support its continuation, and help other communities better serve families affected by parental substance use disorders.
