FAMILY PRESERVATION & SUPPORT PROGRAM

Launched in March 2024, FFCR’s Family Preservation & Support (FPS) Program proactively engages families who were previously served by FFCR’s PRT Program and achieved legal permanency; therefore, they no longer have an open dependency case. The program focuses on preventing abuse and neglect by reinforcing family stability through a specialized process of identifying their post-permanency challenges and then connecting them to practical assistance, services and/or interventions. To implement the FPS Program, FFCR staff contact families every two months for at least the first 12 months following the closure of their dependency case to conduct a needs assessment. Because FFCR’s team has already established a supportive trust-based relationship with each family, FFCR is uniquely equipped to leverage its extensive network and knowledge of community resources on behalf of these highly receptive families. During each check-in, FFCR staff facilitates a child and family needs assessment. Strength-based and solution-oriented, the assessment process provides a safe and nurturing space for families to share and address any new or ongoing challenges they may be experiencing. In addition to connecting families to concrete assistance and resources, the FPS Program’s regular, supportive and consistent engagement with each family provides meaningful opportunities to celebrate successes, progress made and/or individual milestones.

Most families have at least one challenge they are struggling with, and they are relieved to have FFCR’s help. Taking the family’s lead, our staff connect children and their caregivers to a wide variety of resources and services ranging from securing safe, stable housing to ensuring the continuation of a child’s disability benefits and/or services. Staff help the family to navigate complex entitlement programs, search for quality child care and secure critical documents such as birth certificates and final adoption papers. At the family’s request, the FPS Program team may continue to provide support beyond the 12-month timeframe until any outstanding issues are fully resolved. Families are also encouraged to reach out to FFCR’s program team in the future should challenges arise.

In addition to helping at-risk families in our community, FFCR has extended the FPS Program to young adults who aged out of foster care and are without a forever family or a parent-like adult in their lives. It is well-established that young adults who age out of foster care are especially vulnerable to homelessness, exploitation and untreated physical, mental or behavioral health conditions. Equally concerning, these vulnerable young people are twice as likely to have unplanned pregnancies compared to those who didn’t experience foster care. Many are already parenting one or more children and their children are at-risk for abuse, abandonment or neglect. Without FFCR’s specialized continuum of care these young adults and their children are at-risk of involvement with the child welfare and/or criminal justice system, and experiencing homelessness.