About Us

A Commitment
to Excellence

2007 Board of Directors

Teaching-Family Research and Development

In the late 1960's, the National Institute of Mental Health provided major grants to fund research conducted by several pioneers of behavioral psychology with the Achievement Place Research Project at the University of Kansas. This research defined and refined a residential treatment model know today as the Teaching-Family Model (TFM). That Model was, and continues to be, consistently effective in changing the behavior of troubled youths. Since 1967, an international association, the Teaching-Family Association, has grown out of the demand to replicate this effective, humane model of treatment. The Teaching-Family Association is applied in many different programs - i.e., Group Homes, Treatment Foster Care, and Home-Based Treatment, etc. - each of which is based on the common Elements and tenants of the Teaching-Family Model. Today, the Model serves families; physically, emotionally, and sexually abused children; delinquent youths, emotionally disturbed and autistic children and adults; medically fragile children; and, adults with disabilities.

About the Teaching-Family Association (TFA)

The Teaching-Family Association (TFA) was founded in 1975 to ensure the quality of care provided by professionals who actively pursue the goals of humane, effective, individualized treatment for children, families, and dependent adults using the common framework of the Teaching-Family Model for treatment and support. What is learned in one agency can be shared with other agencies within the Association and incorporated into the standards of quality assurance processes within the Association. TFA's goals are to certify members, recognize programs, standardize useful training and evaluation procedures, supervise program replication, and provide yearly conferences for sharing new material and program development. The Teaching-Family Association is the only entity in North America that defines and implements standards and review procedures related to the actual performance and quality of treatment and service delivery systems at all organizational levels

For more information about the Teaching-Family Model or the Teaching-Family Association that is beyond the scope or these web pages, e-mail, fax (757/497-0010), or call (757/497-3023) the Association Office.