Family Ties of Westchester Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Child safety conferencesin response to the federal family first prevention services act enacted february 9, 2018, westchester county department of social services partnered with family ties of westchester, inc. To establish new programing that supports the goal of increasing the number of children who can remain safely at home with their families and avoid the traumatic experience of entering the foster care system. In passing this law, congress recognized that too many children are unnecessarily separated from parents who could provide safe and loving care if given access to needed mental health services, substance misuse treatment and/or improved parenting skills.using a strengths-based, family team decision-making model, caregivers at risk of having their children removed due to incidents of abuse or neglect, come together with child welfare representatives and related service providers during the child safety conference to discuss presenting concerns, address barriers to child wellbeing, and identify resources or programming that will meet the family's needs and contribute their ability to successfully maintain their children in the home. In addition to master's level meeting facilitators, a family ties' family peer advocate (fpa) is on the team as a support to the caregiver. They have experienced the fear, stigma, and confusion of needing services in complex, jargon-filled systems. They have navigated service systems and advocated for themselves, their family, and their community. Utilizing the experience and skill of family peer advocates in a collaborative parent-to-parent model lets caregivers know that they are not alone and ensures that their voice is heard in the creation of service plan that best meets their family's unique needs.in 2024, the child safety conference program served 356 families.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 81.2%; rating input score 81
• Program expense ratio: 78.7%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $17.16 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Fail
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -3.2%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.37; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.47; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 9.4%; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 0.7% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.4% per year; rating input score 100; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 12.2% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings