Functional Family Therapy (FFT)

FFT is a short-term, high-intensity therapeutic family intervention that spans about four months while focusing on the relationships and dynamics within the family unit. Therapists work with families to assess family behaviors that maintain delinquent behavior and teach family members how to modify dysfunctional family communication, teach family members to negotiate effectively, set clear rules about privileges and responsibilities and generalize changes to community contexts and relationships.

Who should be referred for FFT?

The target population for FFT is any family with a youth 11-18 years old with a diagnosed behavioral health disorder whom:

• Is at-risk of being placed outside of the home.

• Is transitioning from out-of-home placement back to their community and is in need of intensive family therapy to be successful.

• Has been identified by the youth’s school, Juvenile Probation Officer or other court official, or local DHHS.