About Us

Mission Statement

Family First Advocacy (FFA) is committed to helping children with social, emotional, behavioral, and other mental health challenges find success in the public school system and their communities by empowering them through community-based advocacy, support services, trainings to children, parent(s)/caregiver(s), other caring community members, social groups, and mentoring. At no expense to families.

Vision Statement

Family First Advocacy NFP will provide support and training to parent(s)/caregivers of students with learning, social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges to successfully navigate the public school system and advocate for the needs of their students.  We will provide opportunities through volunteering, social events, and trainings to the community that encourages a greater understanding of this unique population.  Family First Advocacy NFP is committed to this population of students, their families, and their community; to develop programs that provide success, self-worth, and a greater sense of inclusion within their school and their community. 

Value Statement

Family First Advocacy NFP is a values-based organization.  We use our core values and behavior standards to drive us as an organization and to determine future success for those we serve.

Family: We, as an organization strive to support the family as a whole because no child struggles alone.

Fairness

We are committed to advocating for students in a truthful and trustworthy manner, seeking fairness and justice based on state and federal laws.

Inclusion

We advocate for and will only accept full acceptance and inclusion for students with learning, social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges and their families within the school system and the community.

Respectful

We are committed to always standing up for what is right and just for all students and their families in a respectful manner.

Stick-to-itiveness

We are committed to never giving up on our goal of creating programs and events that promote success and a better understanding of students with learning, social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges, as well as supporting the family as a whole.

Thoughtfulness

We believe it is possible to operate in the spirit of kindness and integrity and still be relentless in advocating for what a student needs to be successful.

Through these core values students with learning, social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges will find success in the public school system. We will create an inclusive community that is safe for diverse families. In addition, we will develop family leaders that are equipped to confidently advocate for their students and support other parents/caregivers in doing the same, building a network of parents, caregivers, and community members supporting and advocating for those in need. Because there is power in numbers!

Family First Advocacy NFP. is a nonprofit family run agency providing students with learning, social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges, and their families the support and training they need to be successful students, advocates, and leaders for themselves and other families like theirs. Our program will form partnerships with the public-school system, religious communities, mental health providers, and other businesses in the community. Family First Advocacy NFP. has an overall goal to change the way youth with learning, social, emotional, behavioral, mental health challenges and their families are viewed and create an inclusive community where this diverse population will become independent, contributing leaders in their communities and state.

Family First Advocacy NFP. will focus on three deficits that have become risk factors to this diverse population: youth success in school, community inclusion, and family engagement. By providing educational advocacy, advocacy training, and technical support to school staff we will change school into a protective factor for youth with learning, social, emotional, behavioral, mental health challenges. To create a community that is truly inclusive and offers opportunities for this diverse population and their families to develop into family leaders that foster system change. Family First Advocacy NFP feels strongly about providing a full and robust list of opportunities for growth and sustainability. For youth, Family First Advocacy NFP. will support and promote pro-social friendships, strong interpersonal skills, and a sense of hope in the future. For caregivers, Family First Advocacy NFP. will support and provide training opportunities to better develop their ability to gain the confidence in their ability to advocate for their student and family, to be fully engaged in the education system and their community, to develop a safe and reliable support team, and develop their leadership skills so they might become a support to other caregivers as well as develop employable skills. Youth and families learning from each other in Community Peer Support groups can develop a sense of individual responsibility and hope to give youth with learning, social, emotional, behavioral, mental health challenges, and their families the commitment to follow through on the path to adulthood and leadership with a sense of pride and accomplishment.