About Us
Greater Minnesota Family Services is a 501 -C-3 nonprofit organization that got it's start in 1992 to provide In-Home services to at-risk children and their families throughout Minnesota. Greater Minnesota Family Services was founded with the goal of working together with the family, child and local social service agency to create coordinated and effective services for our most at-risk children. Most of the families we serve have at least one or two children that are at risk of out-of-home placement if our interventions are not utilized.
From our startup in 1991 with fifteen employees, we have steadily grown to where we now have 200 employees and offer services in 38 Counties: Aitkin, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Cass, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pine, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Swift, Todd, Wadena, Watonwan, Wright, Yellow Medicine.
Greater Minnesota is organized with a Central Administrative Office located In Willmar, MN. Our Counseling staff is organized in regional "Self Managed Teams." This structure is uniquely suited to be effective in large geographical settings like greater Minnesota.
Over 70% of services performed by Greater Minnesota Family Services go to primarily low-income families, providing individual and family counseling in the homes. As such, measuring the effectiveness of the delivery of these services is critical in assessing client outcomes. During the previous year, our services strengthened the relationships of families with children at-risk of out-of-home placement for 87% of participants, as evidenced by our measuring instruments (ECSII, CASII, CAFAS).
Greater Minnesota Family Services has received numerous awards over the past 30 years of nonprofit Mental Health services to children and their families. One occurred when we were recognized by the Minnesota Family Based Services Association as the Southwest Region Agency of the Year. Our second occurred when our Chief Executive Officer was given a Lifetime Achievement award by the State—Minnesota Family Based Services Association called the Jerry Lindskog award in honor of the services Jerry gave for many years of service and advocacy for Mental Health services at DHS. Our third award occurred when our Chief Programs Officer, who provides services to our Circle of Courage Youth Program (formerly Shelter Care) received the State—Minnesota Family Based Services Association Individual of the year award for his services to youth. We are humbly—proud that our agency has received these recognitions, as it reflects on the efforts of all of our staff at GMFS who are creating dramatic and positive changes in the lives of the families and children they work with.