Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan

We all need help sometimes. We may not always know where to turn. Third Level Crisis Center offers guidance for youth and adults as they navigate life’s challenges. Counselors are available right now. We listen, work with you to problem solve, and help you decide what your next steps will be. We can connect you with community resources to ensure you get the long term support you need, including food pantries, utility payment assistance, ongoing counseling, support groups, and more. 

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Adoption gives a child the ultimate gift – the chance to be loved and cared for in circumstances their own parents are unable to provide at this time in their lives. Weather you are considering adopting a child or considering placing your child for adoption, you’ve come to the right place.

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The Behavioral Health Department at Child & Family Services provides ongoing counseling, supervised visitation and safe exchange, intensive family preservation services, and comprehensive, trauma-informed assessments and treatment, along with other supportive services to people of all ages throughout northern Michigan.

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Our licensed therapists provide comprehensive counseling and support to people of all ages on a variety of issues. We accept many insurance plans and counseling services are offered on a sliding scale. Therapists can help with many topics and use a trauma-informed approach, when appropriate, as well as other evidence-based models of treatment.

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The Crisis Respite Program provides basic care, safety, and a nurturing environment during short-term placements for children and youth who are in crisis. Our trained foster parents work closely with case managers to help de-escalate family crisis situations, and provide an opportunity to implement problem solving techniques in a more neutral setting. 

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When children are abused or neglected, they may be removed from their homes on a temporary basis by the State to protect them from further harm. We work with state agencies to find homes for children, to provide treatment and support, and to resolve any issues that have made their homes unsafe. Family reunification in a safe home is always the goal of foster care.

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The Free Legal Clinic is an opportunity for individuals to receive private, free, and confidential legal advice and problem clarification from attorneys from the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association. Over 60 attorneys from the bar volunteer their time to the program and answer legal questions of all types. This service is made available by funding from the Legal Services of Northern Michigan.

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The journey to adulthood can sometimes seem like a juggling act – staying in school, graduating, making plans for the future, maintaining a social life, and adjusting to all sorts of changes. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed at times. For teens without a safe place to stay, accomplishing these goals can be even more of a challenge. Our Host Homes program provides a safe place for youth to call their own, as well as guidance and support to those willing to host a teen in their home long-term.

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No parent is perfect. Child & Family Services has several programs designed to help parents be the best they can be. We can provide you with tools to manage stress, deal with difficult behaviors, work with a co-parent, and keep your child safe.

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Pete’s Place is the first and only youth shelter in the region. We provide a safe place for teens to stay when it’s too hard to be home or when you have nowhere safe to stay. All teens receive food, shelter, counseling, and support from caring professionals.

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Life doesn’t always go as planned. When it doesn’t, we’re here for you. Child & Family Services offers free pregnancy counseling and support to expectant mothers. We’ll talk through your options, help you make a plan, and be there throughout your entire pregnancy to make sure you’re safe, well, and comfortable, no matter what you decide. Our counselors are compassionate, experienced, non-judgmental, and extremely knowledgeable.

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Safe Haven is a supervised visitation and safe exchange program for families affected by domestic violence or high conflict. It is the only program of its kind in northern Michigan. Safe Haven provides a safe, supervised, age-appropriate, and friendly environment for children to visit with their non-custodial parent or exchange between parents for visits.

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Trained counselors are available 24/7/365 to talk with you, work with you to ease your pain, help problem solve, find ways to cope, and identify referrals or next steps for continued help. As part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, anyone calling these national numbers from a northern Michigan area code are routed to counselors at Third Level.

Call now: (800) 442-7315

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We all need help sometimes. We may not always know where to turn. Third Level offers guidance for youth and adults as they navigate life’s challenges.

Call anytime for help with anything.
(800) 442-7315

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The Transitional Living Program (TLP) is for 16-20 year olds that helps expand your skills so you can live independently as an adult. Some things you can learn include budgeting, transportation and housing info, how to find and maintain jobs, college and high school registration and information, time management, cooking, social skills, nutrition planning, navigation of community resources, physical and dental health, and parenting or family planning if needed.

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Traumatic experiences have been linked to poor physical and mental health outcomes and a reduced quality of life. Our therapists use a trauma-informed approach, when appropriate, to help individuals and families overcome the negative effects of trauma. Trauma-informed services have proven successful in reducing problem behaviors, allowing kids to live happier, healthier, and more productive lives.

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The Wraparound Program provides community-based support and individualized planning for children, including those with severe emotional and behavioral disorders (SED),and their families. By bringing together family and other people relevant to the child’s well-being, the Wraparound Team creates an intensive family preservation plan that supports keeping the child at home with their family. The program works through a combination of team building, coordinating both natural and professional supports, brainstorming and developing strategies, and accessing and utilizing the community’s resources and services.

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Youth Services offer teens and their families many ways to sort out different problems they’re facing. Our amazing staff provide counseling and support to help you overcome immediate struggles and help you create a plan for long term success.

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