Our Organization

Families4Change (F4C) is a nonprofit organization that has pioneered two family-based programs that seek to reduce juvenile offenses and/or problem behaviors and truancy in school.

Our mission is two-fold. We not only provide direct services to youth and their families, we also provide leadership training to professionals who wish to implement our programs.

We began in Athens, Georgia in 1992 as a collaboration of the Clarke County Juvenile Court and the Department of Child and Family Development at the University of Georgia.

Having demonstrated our program’s ability to reduce recidivism rates, Families4Change has expanded to many counties across the states of Georgia and South Carolina.

Additionally, we train professionals throughout the country so that they may bring our programs to their local communities. Thus far, Families4Change has successfully reached over 2500 youth and families. Graduates of the program have a re-offense rate of 24 percent, as compared to 43 percent for youth not attending, and 55 percent for youth placed on probation. In addition, youth who graduate from the program are 7 times less likely to re-offend when compared to first-offender youth who are placed on probation, and this higher success rate has been found for both males and females, regardless of race.

wquinn@clemson.edu
(864) 656-1501

Professor at Texas Tech University and The University of Georgia

Currently Professor and Coordinator of Youth Development Programs, College of Health, Education, and Human Development, Clemson University

Published over 60 refereed journal articles such as Journal of Community Psychology, Journal of Child and Family Studies, American Journal of Public Health, and Journal of Marital and Family Therapy

Author of Family Solutions for Youth at Risk: Applications to Juvenile Delinquency, Truancy, and Behavior Problems (2004). Taylor Francis Publisher

Major research projects: Program Development and Effectiveness of the Family Solutions Program; Effectiveness of Family Therapy; Building Interventions and Evaluating Outcomes of Bully Prevention Programs.

mcclendon@families4change.org
(706) 338-4040

Amber joined Families4Change in May of 2010 and immediately began leading groups in the Family Solutions Program and overseeing the nationwide implementation of the Family Solutions Program. As the program coordinator, Amber ensures certification of FSP leaders, fidelity of the program, utilization of Families4Change website and documents, compensation for leaders and direct supervision of interns.

Previous experience includes academic intervention with students in the Clarke County School District utilizing the Response to Intervention Multi-Tier Pyramid and individual case management to economical disadvantaged and underserved students and families at Athens Area Homeless Shelter. Additional professional experience includes, CHINS Committee member, annual grant writing to the United Way of Northeast Georgia and the John and Mary Franklin Foundation, data collection and analysis of pre and post FSP assessments and a liaison for Families4Change to various community agencies such as the Department of Juvenile Justice, Clarke County School District and the University of Georgia.

Amber holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia.