{"id":32107,"date":"2024-04-24T19:53:28","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T19:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caseyfamilyv2.wpengine.com\/prevention-collab-overview\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T16:03:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T16:03:42","slug":"resumen-de-la-colaboracion-para-la-prevencion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casey.org\/es\/prevention-collab-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00bfC\u00f3mo pueden colaborar las agencias de protecci\u00f3n infantil para prevenir el acogimiento familiar y apoyar el bienestar familiar?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This strategy brief was developed by the\u00a0Center for Health Care Strategies<\/a>, in partnership with Casey Family Programs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Child protection agencies can drive cross-system efforts to develop comprehensive prevention approaches that provide culturally relevant services across communities and populations. Collaboration across the child welfare, behavioral health, Medicaid, public health, education, and social service systems \u2014 as well as across governance levels (federal, state, local, and tribal) \u2014 can help meet the upstream needs of children and families and prevent child welfare involvement and out-of-home placement.<\/p>\n

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The Family First Prevention Services Act<\/a> (Family First) allows state and tribal child protection agencies to use Title IV-E funding for services such as mental health, substance use prevention and treatment, in-home parenting, and kinship navigators, to prevent the need for family separation. Relying solely on prevention services funded through Title IV-E or delivered only through the child protection agency, is limiting, however, and can result in a service array that is not robust or lacks cultural relevance. Addressing the range of systemic and societal factors that can contribute to child welfare involvement requires strategic, sustained partnerships at multiple levels, and with diverse stakeholders who can meaningfully elevate the input of communities and families.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) has identified promising cross-system collaborations that support integrated prevention planning and implementation, and focus increasingly on upstream approaches. Following a document and literature review, CHCS interviewed 46 stakeholders from four states (California, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Ohio) and one tribe (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in Arizona), including representatives from child protection agencies, behavioral health, Medicaid, community-based organizations, youth and families with lived expertise, as well as other experts in child and family well-being. These geographically diverse jurisdictions deliver prevention services through a range of collaborative structures.<\/p>\n

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This brief includes a summary of the key strategies and lessons learned by stakeholders across these five jurisdictions. Together, they illustrate how child protection agencies and their partners are working to develop comprehensive systems that meet families\u2019 needs, prevent foster care placement, and support community health and well-being. For more information, see the detailed jurisdictional profiles: California<\/a>, Kentucky<\/a>, New Jersey<\/a>, Ohio<\/a>, and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Develop shared vision, mission, and values<\/h2>\n \n \n \n

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A shared vision that clearly highlights prevention as a priority can support strong collaboration across systems and help guide the design and implementation of programs, services, and initiatives, such as a jurisdiction\u2019s Family First plan. Stakeholders described a range of common values and goals<\/strong> that initially brought them together as partners, including implementing family-centered practices, avoiding custody relinquishment, and developing a prevention continuum.<\/p>\n

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Strong prevention-focused partnerships are based on the understanding that no single agency or entity can achieve the vision alone and working collectively can lead to greater impact. Stakeholders must respect one another\u2019s roles. Ideally, the shared vision is articulated in writing, distributed widely, and used as a reference to guide and align current and future initiatives. Stakeholders who were interviewed highlighted the importance of clear protocols and materials to support shared vision, transparency, and accountability and to help promote consistency during leadership transitions that can result from political shifts and changes in state administrations.<\/p>\n

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In Kentucky<\/strong>, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services developed an agency-wide strategic plan<\/a>. Since the umbrella agency includes myriad departments affecting the well-being of children and families \u2014 Community Based Services; Public Health; Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities; Income Support (which oversees disability and child support); and Medicaid Services \u2014 the strategic plan acts an effective tool to inform and align work across all departments.<\/p>\n

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Kentucky\u2019s strategic plan recognizes that implementing prevention services is a cross-departmental goal that can be achieved only through active, ongoing collaboration. In addition to outlining common goals and making prevention a priority, the strategic plan creates a shared language to help stakeholders discuss the impact of policies and acknowledge and address unintended consequences. One agency representative in Kentucky noted that cross-agency meetings help facilitate collaboration, but also vision alignment and values-based leadership. \u201cKentucky is fortunate to have a statutorily created, multi-perspective governing body for its system of care. This is a mechanism for regular cross-agency and partner communication, coordination, and collaborative problem-solving. By virtue of coming together, members begin to see that our missions are not that disparate after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Similarly, New Jersey\u2019s<\/strong> Department of Children and Families worked with partners to develop a strategic plan<\/a> that emphasizes the prevention of child maltreatment and focuses on wellness for families as one of four overarching goals. To develop and implement the plan, the agency organized steering committees consisting of staff leaders throughout central offices and divisions. The Office of Strategic Development, a unit within the agency specifically tasked with working across divisions to ensure service excellence, facilitated the steering committee that helped develop and roll out the strategic plan.<\/p>\n

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Support meaningful family engagement<\/h2>\n \n \n \n

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Meaningfully engaging families, youth, and community members in prevention-centered collaborations is critical to success. This includes incorporating family voice in design, implementation, and quality improvement processes. Collaborating with established coalitions and organizations of people with lived expertise, including those with experience in the child welfare system, can help to ensure that:<\/p>\n