Family Intervention Services history

Beginning in 1986 the reauthorization language was amended to recognize and mandate the role of parents and family members in the provision of services and policies for those with developmental disabilities.

State governments establishing policies and programs to support and strengthen families of young children (Weiss, 1989) represent the next wave of the family support movement.

Finally, in January 1993, Rape Crisis/Domestic Violence Center merged with Family Guidance Center to form Family Support Services.

That campaign raised over 1.1 million dollars at its completion in the fall of 1994.

In September 1995, Family Support Services opened Center City Child Care as a service to working parents of the community, employees, and clients.

In 1996, the Harrington Foundation funded a pilot program in Hereford combining traditional social work and community development with a faith community and local church.

In 1997, the FSS Education Division expanded with a school-based family strengthening program – FAST (Families and Schools Together) to Amarillo schools.

The Polk Street Boutique, adjacent to the main offices of FSS, began as a for-profit thrift store in April 2000.

In 2003, Family Service completed a capital campaign and found a new home at 702 San Pedro Ave, which continues to serve as headquarters.

But it’s also startling to see how virtually unchanged the findings of Congress are in the most current authorization of IDEA—passed in 2004 as Public Law 108-446.

2006: Began renting the building that once was HK Williams Elementary School.

Report of the Wingspread Conference on building a family support agenda, March 6-8, 2011.

In 2013, FSS began discussions with several community stakeholders regarding the need for a Veteran Resource Center in downtown Amarillo.

The VRC opened in August 2014 and has served hundreds of veterans since its inception, providing housing assistance, job training and placement, counseling, peer support, benefits processing, and many other services.

2016 purchased the Neighborhood Place and became renovations of the building

The grand re-opening of Family Service Neighborhood Place, our community center on the Westside of San Antonio in 2019.

In January 2020, FSS experienced a devastating loss when the main offices and VRC were lost in a fire.

A permanent location for the Veterans Resource Center was purchased in 2021 at 800 S. Rusk, one block away from the future home of FSS located at 2209 S 7th Avenue in Amarillo.