Establishing Community Pathways to Prevention Services
Family First provides a mechanism for connecting families with services before problems escalate to crises
The Issue
Too often, families who experience challenges that may put them at risk of child welfare involvement do not receive the support they need until their situations have escalated. The Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First) seeks to change this by shifting the focus toward prevention services, aiming to address family needs early so children can remain safe and well in their own homes, before a challenge becomes a crisis. This policy report explores the innovative “community pathway” approach within the Family First context, which allows families to access voluntary prevention services through community-based organizations without having to interact with child welfare.
The Evidence
Community pathways provide a promising alternative to the conventional child welfare model. These pathways leverage partnerships with private agencies, community organizations, and evidence-based prevention services providers to promote family stability through upstream engagement and service provision. Essential elements of successful community pathways include strong community relationships, a workforce trained in prevention, a robust data collection and storage infrastructure that maintains data privacy, and strong continuous quality improvement processes.
The Way Forward
To maximize the effectiveness of community pathways, it is critical to engage community leaders and individuals with lived experience from the outset. These stakeholders can help design pathways that truly meet family needs and integrate seamlessly into broader prevention efforts. Additionally, jurisdictions should carefully balance the flexibility of Family First with its legislative requirements, ensuring that expanded services do not inadvertently increase surveillance or inappropriately extend the reach of the child welfare system. By embedding community pathways within a comprehensive prevention continuum, Family First can drive meaningful change in child welfare, promoting family well-being and reducing the need for more intensive interventions.
Contact Information: For more information about this policy report and related research, please contact Olivia K. Wilks at owilks@chapinhall.org or Krista Thomas at kthomas@chapinhall.org.
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