HOMEBUILDERS (Birth to Age 5)^®

HOMEBUILDERS is designed for families with children at risk for placement in state-funded care. The program aims to prevent the unnecessary out-of-home placement of children by teaching families problem-solving skills through intensive, in-home crisis intervention, counseling, and life-skills. Five characteristics categorize the services offered through HOMEBUILDERS: (1) intervention at the crisis point (client families are seen within 24 hours of referral); (2) treatment in the natural setting (almost all services take place in the client’s home and community); (3) accessibility and responsiveness (therapists are on call to their clients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week); (4) research-based interventions (therapists use research-based interventions, including crisis intervention, motivational interviewing, parent education, skill building, and cognitive/behavioral therapy); and (5) flexibility (services are provided when and where the clients wish and therapists provide a wide range of services based on the clients’ needs).