Okanagan Family Connection Centre celebrates 1-year of community impact

The Central Okanagan CYSN Family Connection Centre (FCC) opened a year ago, with a bold vision to support and improve the quality of life for children, youth and their families. Operated by arc programs, it uses a new model and approach to deliver a continuum of services for children and youth with support needs.

Since the Centre opened its doors to the public, we’re proud to say we’ve served almost 2000 kids and families. We’re even prouder to have realized our goal of improving access in a relatively short period of time, with 86% of the families served in the past year receiving services for the first time.

Unlike many social services, FCC programs – including speech therapists,physiotherapists, occupational therapists, behavioural consultants, family and youth support services, and Inclusive Child Care services – can be accessed directly by children, youth and families, without a screening or referral.

The FCC offers individual and group-based prevention, treatment and support services designed to help families with children and youth with support needs, ages 0-18, achieve their developmental goals. “The approach we take is truly unique,” says Karine Veldhoen, Director of Services at the Central Okanagan Family Connection Centre. “We focus on enhancing quality of life for families, by promoting inclusiveness and independence, through centralized, one-stop access to a broad range of supportive therapies and community services, which do not require previous medical diagnosis or professional referrals.”

Depending on the child’s needs, they may participate in various individual or group-based therapies orskills development and community inclusion activities. Parents and caregivers can access developmental monitoring and consulting, educational workshops, and parenting support groups. A Care Coordinator is at the centre of it all – providing ongoing guidance, service monitoring, and systems navigation, to support the family’s journey towards healing.

“It was a privilege and honour to collaborate on the formation of the FCC,” says Candice Henriques, CEO at arc programs. “With 35-years of service and a vision to create thriving communities, free of systemic barriers and full of belonging, equity, and hope, supporting this new service delivery model felt like the perfect fit for our agency.”

The Central Okanagan FCC uses an integrated, multi-disciplinary model to deliver a continuum of services for children and youth with support needs. It serves Kelowna and the surrounding communities between Peachland to Oyama. For more information about the FCC, or to submit a service request call 778-760-1445 (Toll Free 1-844-944-1445), email fcc@arcprograms.com or submit an online service request.

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