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Child Saving Institute (CSI) has many services and programs dedicated to supporting children, youth and families who have experienced abuse, neglect and trauma. Each focuses on healing to ensure safe and healthy homes for children and youth.
Adoption primarily focuses on finding loving, nurturing families for older children in the child welfare system who are in need of a forever family. CSI's adoption specialists are dedicated to preparing and supporting children in foster care throughout their journey to find their forever families. At CSI, we also provide guidance, support, and training to those opening their homes to these children—both before and after placement—in order to ensure family success.
Foster & Kinship Care provides out-of-home care for children and youth unable to be with their families of origin. All children need loving, nurturing role models-especially those who come into foster care. Children in foster care need a safe, secure home that will shelter them from the trauma and pain they have had in their young lives. YOU can be that safe haven for children.
In-Home Services focus on the stabilization and improvement of family functioning through skill development in the areas of household and behavior management and parenting. The goal of CSI's In-Home Services program is family preservation.
The Independent Living Skills (ILS)* program provides individual and group support to young adults ages 14-26 as they transition from foster care to adulthood. ILS prepares young adults for adult living and provides life-skills attainment through the creation of an individualized service plan.
The Triage Center is a safe and child-friendly facility for temporary care of children while specialists and law enforcement officials investigate allegations of child abuse or neglect. Placement in the Triage Center (generally 2-3 hours) allows time to determine whether a child can safely return home and, if not, identify relatives or adults known by the child to help prevent unnecessary placement in stranger care.
CSI's Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) provides nurturing care in a state-of-the art facility located on the main CSI campus at 45th and Dodge Streets in Omaha. ECEC was designed specifically for kids in mind providing a safe, conducive space to learning and respectful of each child's individuality. ECEC is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and participates in the Nebraska Step Up to Quality program.
The Spellman Child Development Center (Spellman) located on the College of Saint Mary campus is managed by CSI. Like ECEC, Spellman focuses on stimulating activities and playtime structured so children from six weeks to six years of age can learn how to interact with others in health ways. Educational programming and individualized planning prepares children for school success. Spellman also participates in the Nebraska Step Up to Quality program.
CSI provides a therapeutic Emergency Shelter* for children up to age 18 to address their immediate needs for safety. The focus in the shelter is always on therapeutic care with individualized service plans that emphasize strengths, identify achievable goals and reinforce small achievements.
Missing Youth Services is designed to assist families who have had children run away from home. CSI staff assess, support and coordinate services for youth and their families to prevent system involvement and future runaway incidents.
Pediatric & Adolescent Therapy* addresses the mental health needs of children, adolescents and their families. All CSI therapists are trauma-informed and specialize in working with children, teens and families. CSI's therapists can help your family with a variety of issues including: past trauma; strained relationships; attachment issues; mental health disorders such as depression, ADHD, anxiety and others; behavioral problems such as hitting, yelling, isolating, risk-taking behaviors and hurting themselves; divorce; grief and loss issues. Our licensed therapists provide the support, skills and knowledge necessary to move children and families from uncertainty and hopelessness to a place of hope.
Medication Management Services treatment begins with a psychiatric evaluation by CSI's Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. This evaluation is the starting point to develop a treatment plan, which may involve medication management, health education and supportive and problem-focused psychotherapy, as needed.
The Family Empowerment Program** is a collaborative program between CSI and the Women’s Center for Advancement’s (WCA) designed to aid parents/caregivers and their children who are survivors of domestic violence in the Omaha-metro.
KidSquad* is a mental health and early childhood consultation service created specifically to address the emotional and behavioral health needs of young children and the environmental needs of childcare facilities in the Omaha area. CSI coordinates these services in collaboration with four other Omaha child-serving agencies.
Pediatric Social Work (PEDS) services provide developmental screening for infants and screening for postpartum depression for mothers at area pediatric clinics in conjunction with child well visits. Mothers and children identified as having risk factors receive follow-up home visits and referrals to community services to address their individualized concerns.
School & Family Enrichment (SAFE)* provides a home-based family support specialist and mental health counseling as needed and is free to families in the Omaha Public Schools, Bellevue Public Schools, and Millard Public Schools districts. School personnel and parents may request services based on the youth’s behavior at school, attendance, and other individual challenges.
Teen & Young Parent Program (TYPP)* provides pregnant and parenting young people (under 25) with support services and parent education.
*United Way supported programs.
** The Family Empowerment Program was supported by Grant Number 90EV0472 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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