Bridges Mission
The mission of the Bridges Program is to provide a supportive environment that facilitates the reunification of adolescents with their families through the leveraging of formal and natural resources within their community network.

Bridges Philosophy
We believe that our participants are experts on their particular family structure. As a result, the Bridges Program strives to obtain a cohesive partnership with families to elicit positive changes within their relational dynamics so that each family is preserved and strengthened.
In order to facilitate the preservation and strengthening of the family, the Bridges Program recognizes that natural and formal community resources must work in partnership with our families so that they have the opportunity to heal from their crises and develop positively as a unit. As a result, an integrated approach a8imed at increasing the family’s protective factors is initiated using a “wraparound” (individualized and tailored) approach. Each family’s service plan is designed through the collaborative efforts of the adolescent, his or her family and their partners, relative, friends., school officials and family-serving systems.

The Bridges Program is committed to assisting our families in making lasting connections to community-based agencies as a part of our continuum of service module. We provide our families ongoing advocacy and education so that they learn how to navigate the public and private systems for themselves. It is our belief that our families will be better able to address their future needs through the development of this asset.

Services Provided:
• Family assessment
• Social learning opportunities through staff modeling and positive peer interaction
• In-home counseling sessions
• Case management services
• Chemical health screening and referral
• Mental health screening and referral
• At Risk Youth Petition educational consultation and shadowing
• Parent and youth educational and support groupsHelping Families in Crisis:
Families that reside in King County become eligible for participation in the Bridges Program upon their adolescent child’s placement in the Spruce Street Crisis Residential Center. Even if a family has a situation that precludes their participation in Family Reconciliation Services, such as incidence of long-term mutli-problem situations, custodial disputes, receiving other services, etc., a family can still access this month-long after care program fee of charge.

Please contact:

Cathy Sisk-Banks, Bridges Program Manager

206-587-0992