The Family Room

The Family Room offers child-centered services for parents seeking to establish or rebuild relationships with their children. We serve Caledonia, Orleans and Essex counties. Our priorities are to keep everyone safe; make decisions based on the children's best interests; and to hold people accountable for abusive or otherwise harmful behaviors.

 

We strive to keep services affordable by utilizing a sliding fee scale. Services are free of charge to victims of domestic and sexual violence. 
 

Monitors

Staff and volunteer monitors at the Family Room are trained and must participate in significant ongoing education every year in the knowledge areas of child development, conflict resolution, separation and divorce issues, child abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence and stalking, mental health and substance dependency.
 

Monitored Exchanges

In cases where there is concern about the safety of a child or parent during the exchange of children, The Family Room can assist families by having a staff member present during the exchanges to ensure that there is no direct contact between the parents and to alleviate concerns.

 

Supervised Visitation

When supervised visitation is ordered by the court, or self-referrals, and is agreed upon by both parties, the visiting parent and his or her child remain at the Center for the entire duration of each visit. A staff monitor will observe each visit without being intrusive, unless there are reasons of concern for the child, or anyone else at the Center. For established families, The Family Room does offer some community visits, pending monitor availability (please contact a staff member to receive the guidelines for determining when a family is considered established). Unless otherwise indicated, the court will determine the length of time that supervised visitation is needed. If a court has ordered your family to use our center for supervised visitation or monitored exchanges - it is each participating adult’s responsibility to contact The Family Room to arrange the opportunity for an Intake and Orientation, which essentially is a time to fill out paperwork, engage in an interview and become familiar with the Center.

 

Other Services

The Family Room can provide additional services, such as Parent Coaching and Therapeutic Supervision, upon request and for additional fees.
 

Referrals
The Family Room is linked to many other community organizations in the Northeast Kingdom. We can refer you to resources for:  parenting, developmental, health and/or educational concerns of children, child care, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking; mental health; housing; safety planning; chemical dependency; adult education and much more.

Fees
The Family Room charges fees for conducting an intake, supervising a visit, monitoring an exchange, providing parent education, and therapeutic supervision.  Visiting Parents (or Non-Residential Parents) shall be assessed the fees for The Family Room's services, unless otherwise ordered by the court. The Family Room prefers that when judges are writing orders, they decide who is responsible for paying The Family Room Fees. The Family Room reserves the right to make the final decisions in determining fees. A complete list of the center’s fees is available by contacting us. Fees are subject to change.  

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Contact Us

1330 Main Street, St. Johnsbury VT 05819

(802) 535-0817

79 Coventry Street, Newport, VT 05855

(802) 535-0817

familyroom@umbrellanek.org

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