Mission, Purpose, & Philosophy

Mission:  Enhancing the lives of children and their families in southwest Iowa.

Purpose:  Southwest Iowa Families, Inc. exists to provide social and mental health services and supports for families in the areas of southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri.

Philosophy: We believe that children are a gift of God and that families are granted the responsibility of nurturing this gift. Agency programs will support families in caring for their families in accordance with the following principles:

• All children have a right to be raised in a safe and nurturing environment.  Programs and services that focus on the promotion of family life and the prevention of unhealthy circumstances for infants and young children are good stewardship of resources.
• Prevention is a key in the promotion of the well-being of all children, including the aspects of physical and mental health and spiritual, educational and social development.
• It is more effective to help families prevent problems rather than to focus exclusively on treating existing problems.
• All families and individuals have the capacity to grow and change. This capacity is enhanced when families are provided support, information, alternatives, and resources.
• Parents who are confident and competent in parenting roles are more likely to raise healthy, productive children.
• All families have desires and priorities related to meeting their needs and these change over time. A family’s own natural support system may need to be enhanced by varying levels of community support to meet their needs over time as well.
• The Christian Church offers a spiritual foundation for service and a caring community: families grow in communities and all families need supportive communities.
• Effective systems are responsive, flexible, integrated, and accessible to children and their families.