Resources address ways to identify and manage funding for family support and preservation services, including State and local examples.
Advancing the Family Support and Strengthening Field Project
National Family Support Network
Describes the Advancing Family Support and Strengthening Field Project, which was conducted in 2015 and 2016 to increase understanding and raise support for family strengthening. The website links to a webinar featuring an overview of the project as well as data from the project, recommendations, and snapshot summaries from several States including Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin.
Family First Prevention Services Act (PDF - 254 KB)
First Focus Campaign for Children (2018)
Presents information on the Family First Prevention Services Act, which was signed in 2018 and reforms the Federal child welfare financing streams to provide services to families whose children are at risk of entering the child welfare system. The resource includes a summary, section-by-section overview, and additional resources on the legislation.
Family First Prevention Services Act
National Conference of State Legislatures (2020)
Reviews the Family First Prevention Services Act, how States are implementing the law, and how it will provide funding for prevention services and investing in family support.
Family First Prevention Services Act: Historic New Reforms for Child Welfare
Children's Defense Fund
Includes summaries, reports, and resources relating to the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018. The legislation helps support children and families by placing an emphasis on prevention, keeping children safe with their families, and ensuring children that are placed in out-of-home care are placed in the least restrictive, most family-like setting available.
Improving Children’s Lives: Balancing Investments in Prevention and Treatment in the Child Welfare System
Ringel, Schultz, Mendelsohn, Brooks Holliday, Sieck, Edochie, & Davis (2017)
RAND Corporation
Identifies policies to increase preventive, family preservation, and kinship treatment services to improve system experience and long-term outcomes for children and families. The report's policies would reduce child welfare spending by 3 to 7 percent.
Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PDF - 301 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2016)
Describes the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program's purpose and objectives, legislative history, funding mechanisms, and requirements as well as relevant definitions.
Strengthening Family Connections to Help Families Thrive
McKinley & Fliss (2019)
The Family Room Blog
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
Explains how strengthening families though the promotion of protective factors can effectively prevent child maltreatment and help families succeed.
Upstream Investment in Children and Families Pays Off
Casey Family Programs (2020)
Analyzes the cost savings of prevention programs and programs that work to strengthen families before maltreatment occurs. Investing in these services shows savings in terms of financial cost and other returns, such as benefits to the health and well-being of children and families.
State and local examples
Child Development Division Strengthening Families Grant
Vermont Department for Children and Families (2020)
Discusses the Strengthening Families Grant Program in Vermont, which offers early care and education programs for children and families challenged by economic instability and other risk factors.
Family Preservation Program
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Explains Michigan's Family Preservation Program, which provides supports and services to families involved in the child welfare system. The website describes the State and local collaboration that makes the program work, explores funding sources, and links to a list of services included in the program.
Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program
Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Children Services
Presents information on Georgia's Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program, which provides funding along with training and technical assistance to help communities in the State build their capacity to meet the needs of families who are at risk of child welfare intervention.