The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), passed in 2018, aims to help families and prevent kids from entering foster care. It encourages states to focus on preventing foster care placement and providing better family-like care when needed.
This act challenged states to redesign their child welfare systems, putting the focus on preventing children from entering foster care and when necessary, ensuring that children are cared for in the best, family-like settings when removal is necessary.
In accordance with FFPSA, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is shifting from a crisis-response to a prevention approach. They're improving services to meet families' needs before crises happen and reducing the chances of families returning to crisis. They're also making sure programs to keep kids out of foster care are well-run and based on solid research.
USF was contracted by Florida’s DCF to assess how well these practices work across Florida. We partnered with Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) for this project. Together we have been involved in reviewing how implementation of the programs is progressing and focusing on how well these practices are put into action, how faithfully they're followed, and what outcomes they bring for kids and families.
Florida's Family First Prevention Plan includes nine proven practices rated highly by the Title IV-E Clearinghouse. These practices aim to help parents improve their skills and deal with mental health and substance issues. They're meant for families with a child at risk of entering foster care, but who can stay safely at home or with relatives.
Brief Strategic Family Therapy
Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) is a structured therapeutic approach that provides intervention to families with children or adolescents (aged 6 to 17), exhibiting problem behaviorssuch as substance abuse, conduct problems, and delinquency.
Tip Sheet (pdf document)
Functional Family Therapy
Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is a short-term prevention program designed for youth aged 11 to 18 who may be at-risk of involvement in juvenile justice, mental health or child welfare systems and their families.
Tip Sheet (pdf document)
Healthy Families America
Healthy Families America (HFA) is a program that provides home visiting services to new and expectant families with children who are at risk of experiencing maltreatment or adverse childhood experiences.
Tip Sheet (pdf document)
Homebuilders
Homebuilders offer intensive, in-home counseling and support services to families with children (aged 0-18) who are at risk of being placed outside their homes or who are currently placed and require intensive in-home assistance for reunification.
Tip Sheet (pdf document)
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a counseling approach designed to facilitate behavior change and enhance physiological, psychological, and lifestyle outcomes.
Tip Sheet (pdf document)
Multisystemic Therapy
Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is an intensive intervention designed to assist youth across various settings. Its primary objective is to foster pro-social behavior while reducing criminal activity, mental health issues, out-of-home placements, and illicit substance use in adolescents aged 12 to 17.
Tip Sheet (pdf document)
Nurse Family Partnership
The Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) is a program that involves home visits typically conducted by trained registered nurses. NFP focuses on providing assistance to young, first-time, low-income mothers from early pregnancy until their child reaches the age of two.
Tip Sheet (pdf document)
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) involves the guidance of a skilled therapist who assists parents in enhancing their behavior-management abilities and building stronger relationships. PCIT is designed for children aged two to seven and their parents or caregivers. (pdf document)
Tip Sheet (pdf document)
Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a home-visiting program that provides parent education to new and expectant parents, with the aim of promoting positive child development and preventing child maltreatment.
Tip Sheet (pdf document)