Nassau County organizations against child and substance abuse and parent neglect have received more than $31 million in preventative services grants to help reunite families, particularly parents and their children.

The State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), in cooperation with the State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), will administer the federal ANF funds to numerous organizations, including the Coalition on Child Abuse and Neglect and the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc.

"Providing resources early on for a family facing crisis is far better than waiting until after that family has been shattered," Pataki said. "By shifting our emphasis to prevention not only will we help more families succeed we will also realize significant financial savings in the long run."

The initiative is aimed at reducing child abuse and neglect and parental alcohol and/or substance abuse; preventing placement in foster care; accelerating family reunification after foster care or after school and/or substance abuse treatment; and keeping youths in their own homes or the homes of relatives after discharge from foster care.

The following is a list of grant recipients that serve Nassau County:

-St. Mary's Children and Family Services, $224,230

-Coalition on Child Abuse and Neglect, $215,983

-Education and Assistance Corporation, $556,000

-Hope for Youth, $150,000

-Leadership Training, Inc., $226,421

-Long Beach Reach, Inc., $500,000

-Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc., $61,000

-South Nassau Communities Hospital, $174,506

Cynthia Cavallo, executive director, Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc., said, "We're really excited about this grant because it's giving us the opportunity to continue in the mode the agency has always modeled itself after. It's a collaborative effort between our agency, the lead agency for the grant, North Shore Child Family Guidance Center and the Nassau County Department of Drug and Alcohol."

The grant's purpose, according to Cavallo, is to strengthen families who have experienced children being placed in childcare and parents who have been substance abusers. The coalition's plan is to replicate a program already in existence for children who are sexually abused called Project Kids Talk using the $215,983 grant.

"We are basing this program on that model. We plan on providing supportive services to these families through the coalition's efforts once the parents have completed drug treatment and are about to be reunited with their children. Our role is to give them concrete support like how to stock a kitchen to easily prepare meals for their family," Cavallo noted.

North Shore Child Family Guidance will provide the parent support for the program while the Nassau County Department of Drug and Alcohol will provide relapse prevention services to keep these parents sober and better able to parent their children.

"Some of these parents may not have had the opportunity to parent their children for quite a while because of foster care or they may never have parented their children at all," Cavallo said. "We'll also offer organized recreational activities so parents can learn how to recreate with their children in a sober way. The ultimate goal is keeping these children out of foster care."

OCFS Commissioner John Johnson said, "Governor Pataki has made it clear that we must continue working to ensure that all of New York's children, youth and families will be healthy and safe and will have the knowledge, skills and resources they need to succeed.

"Children in low income families and distressed communities are at increased risk of a host of problems, including child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse, domestic violence and poor health. We must continue to link families to necessary treatment services and create new and better partnerships between the child welfare and alcohol and substance abuse treatment systems."

Joan Sculli, director of Education and Community Services at the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said, "We're very excited about this grant. It's wonderful because we're doing something important and innovative. Through a treatment program, we will be working dually with child protective services. We'll be there to help adult victims of abuse and empower them to reach out for help. The coalition has a very healthy relationship with child protective services and the collaboration of systems will prevent another added layer of problems."

Sculli adds cross training is a major component of this grant so the coalition will be in direct communication with child protective services.

OASAS Commissioner Sean Somers Miller added, "It is well documented that there is a strong correlation between alcohol and drug abuse in the home by parents and other family members and its devastating impact on the lives of their children.

"Effective and innovative prevention intervention and treatment approaches will help reduce risk factors that threaten the health and safety of children and families. OASAS looks forward to working closely with OCFS to ensure that families stay together in a positive and supportive environment."