HELENA — Florence Crittenton Family Services is entering an important new chapter, launching its training institute designed to help professionals better address the stress of their jobs and the families they support.
“The core of our mission is to meet families where they are,” Florence Crittenton chief executive officer Carrie Krepps noted.
(WATCH: Florence Crittenton Family Services launches training institute)
The goal is to provide residential, community, and early childhood programs to support families struggling with things like trauma, mental health, and substance use.
Krepps shared, “We just want to be able to give them the services and support and opportunity to heal that they need to be the best family possible.”
The new training program aims to support professionals across Montana, including those in healthcare, education, child welfare, law enforcement, and other helping fields that may have their own challenges from working with families in crisis or need.
The training uses real-life stories and tools to address the burnout and emotions that come with these jobs.
“The training was launched with the idea that we would really be able to help in secondary trauma in a relationship-based way and in a very real way,” Krepps said.
The institute also creates a new source of revenue, with proceeds going directly back into Florence Crittenton.
The organization serves about 300 families each year, and leaders say its impact continues to grow through Project Sunshine, an effort to bring all of its services together on one campus.
“We looked at this as an opportunity to purchase a campus where we can bring all of our services together into one place, all of our staff, and really make a hub for this greater Helena community, but also for the people coming from all over the state,” Krepps shared.
As the project nears completion, it represents a milestone in ensuring that Florence Crittenton serves Montana’s families for another 125 years.
