Harlem Children's Zone's Preventive Programs operate in Central Harlem, Manhattan Valley (on the Upper West Side) and in a midtown neighborhood known as Hell's Kitchen. All of these program sites are located in the neighborhoods which they serve because the Harlem Children's Zone believes that key to understanding a family is understanding the community in which they live. This understanding cannot be accomplished by commuting into a neighborhood once a month or even once a week for a visit.

All program sites serve to prevent foster care, place and offer case work counseling (in clients' homes as well as at the program site), advocate for clients and refer clients. In addition, they all accept clients via referrals and walk-ins.

• Truancy Prevention is a comprehensive, neighborhood-based, foster care prevention program that helps to strengthen families so that the children in the Manhattan Valley and Central Harlem do not need to enter the foster care system. Truancy Prevention provides family strengthening support and counseling to children and their families. Linked with our neighborhood Beacon School, Booker T. Washington, the program also provides recreational and educational opportunities for children.
• The Family Development Program is a comprehensive, neighborhood-based foster care prevention program that helps to strengthen families so that the children in Central Harlem do not need to enter the foster care system. Central Harlem has one of the highest rates of foster care placement in the state. Working closely with Countee Cullen Beacon School, the Family Development Program is able to provide afterschool, evening and weekend programming for children and families.

• Project CLASS (Clean Living And Staying Sober) is a comprehensive, neighborhood-based program that serves clients with substance abuse issues through an innovative combined service program that addresses substance abuse and family strengthening. When a family needs substance abuse services, a case planner develops a contract that specifies the client's and worker's responsibilities. Once the contract is signed, the sobriety of the family member who has been identified as having a substance abuse problem becomes the primary focus. The caseworker works with the family to insure that the member enters a treatment program and that Harlem Children's Zone receives regular toxicology and attendance reports from our treatment partners. Thus, substance abuse services are offered in addition to traditional preventive services.

• The Harlem Children's Zone's Family Support Center serves families in Central Harlem from our walk-in store front facility at Lenox Avenue and 119th street. As part of the Harlem Children's Zone, FSC offers families in crisis immediate access to professional social services including foster care prevention, domestic violence workshops and parenting skills classes (at HCZ's Baby College). The Family Empowerment Program, located at the Family Support Center, augments the work of FSC by providing short-term crisis services to 150 families. The Family Empowerment Program provides home-based supportive counseling, as well as individual and family therapy, a Parenting Group and an Anger Management Group. They also provide an array of referrals and advocacy for clients.

• Midtown Family Place is a comprehensive, neighborhood-based program that offers foster care preventive services to families who live in Chelsea, Clinton and Hell's Kitchen. Through home-based individual and family counseling combined with an after-school and summer program and varied recreation and enrichment programs for families, the Midtown Family Place provides strengths-based support to families and offers a safe, enriching program for their children.