Family Resource Center 

Welcome to the web page of Juvenile Court’s Family Resource Center. A new service of the Summit County Juvenile Court, the Family Resource Center (FRC) was established in 2006 to develop strengthening initiatives to assist youth and their family members who are facing life challenges.  The FRC works to support and enhance the mission of the Juvenile Court: to fairly administer justice while offering a helping hand. To meet this goal, the mission of the Family Resource Center is to provide youth and family strengthening services in order to increase youth opportunities for success in school, work and life. The model of the FRC is to strengthen the entire family in order to assist the youth. Primary objectives of the FRC are to screen families, to assess needs, to make appropriate connections with community agencies, to facilitate a “quick start” with engaging in services, to monitor and follow-up and to assist the family with access by removing barriers and promoting success.  

The Juvenile Court has provided a dedicated space to house the Family Resource Center. The space features a large, comfortable “family room” with an array of resources, educational brochures, provider information, access to technology and a place for families to gather.  Youth are primarily referred to the Family Resource Center by Court Officers, Parole Officers and Judicial Officers immediately following a court hearing to make an immediate connection with the FRC. The Court’s priority risk indicators for making a FRC referral include: truancy, teen pregnancy or parenting, domestic violence and re-entry back into the community from the Ohio Department of Youth Services or residential treatment. FRC Youth and Family Specialists have training and expertise in these targeted areas. 

Court involved youth may be eligible for specialized case management services based on qualifications including family financial need.  Case management services may include assisting eligible families with meeting basic needs for food, shelter, safety, health, mental health, education and employment as well as facilitating the family’s engagement with Court orders. Current initiatives at the FRC include a teen parent program coordinated with a targeted teen parent Court docket and the probation department, an incentive program, a DYS re-entry program and a school-to-work program for career exploration, skill building and job search. 

Residents of Summit County who are not court involved are welcome to visit the Family Resource Center on a walk-in basis to access an array of health and human service information from our literature racks or to apply for case management services.  Community organizations and schools are welcome to refer families to the FRC for information and referral. Human service agencies are encouraged to provide brochures and program literature regarding their programs for professionals and families to access in the Family Resource Center. 

The Family Resource Center is made possible through a grant and partnership with the Summit County Department of Jobs and Family Services. The Family Resource Center is located on the second floor of the William P. Kannel Juvenile Court Center. It is open Monday through Friday from 7:45 am – 4:30 pm and other hours by appointment. Contact the Family Resource Center for more information at (330) 379-3613.