City of Sunny Isles Beach Official Website
(Friday, Nov. 20, 2020) – The City of Sunny Isles Beach is proud to support KidSide, Inc., a non-profit organization that benefits the Family Court Services (FCS). FCS provides services to low-income families involved with the Miami-Dade family court system, including family therapy, individual therapy for children and adults, reunification therapy, therapeutic visitation, and supervised visitation.
The City recognized the importance of FCS and the work it does for families across the county and in Sunny Isles Beach by providing a charitable donation to KidSide this month. The primary goal of FCS is to provide families with the appropriate skills to allow them to resolve subsequent disputes constructively with a minimum need for legal intervention or local police resources. Due to COVID-19, FCS has seen a dramatic increase in cases as families cope with the toll of the pandemic, especially those affected by substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health issues.
FCS is critically underfunded and cannot keep up with the demand for services. By supporting KidSide, the City is providing funding necessary to expedite services and minimize the need for law enforcement to be utilized for intervention and response of family disputes. From 2017 to 2019, FCS served more than 1,050 residents of Sunny Isles Beach and these numbers are only expected to rise during the pandemic. The City hopes to bridge the gap in County funding to allow FCS to reach as many families in need as possible in a timely and efficient manner.
To learn more about KidSide, Inc. and Family Court Services, visit kidsidemiami.org.