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DHS Board Meeting. Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program Overview Mark Washington Division of Family and Children Services August 18, 2010. Program Overview. Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program (PSSF)
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DHS Board Meeting Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program Overview Mark Washington Division of Family and Children Services August 18, 2010
Program Overview Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program (PSSF) Provides federal grant funding for direct services, training and technical assistance to help build state and community capacity to meet the needs of children and families. Targets four types of families touched by the child welfare system: Families at-risk and in need of support Families in crisis where efforts are being made to preserve the family through intensive services Families where a child has been placed in foster care and the best interest of the child is to be reunified Families in need of adoption or post permanency services.
Program Objectives In alignment with the DFCS mission of achieving safe and thriving children living in forever families sooner: Safety Prevent abuse and neglect through supportive family services. Prevent the unnecessary separation of children from their families through intensive preservation services. Permanency Minimize the length of time children remain in foster care through safe and expedient reunification. Promote permanent placements and support life-long family connections for children and youth through adoption promotion and post permanency support services. .
Geographic Accessibility PSSF supports an array of direct services through a private provider network Serves children and families across the continuum of Child Protective Services, Foster Care and Adoptions in all 159 counties. The following services are accessible in various regions across Georgia: Family Support Family Preservation Family Reunification Adoption Promotion Additional Post Adoption Services are available statewide Statewide Provider Network
Program Achievements Ongoing data collection and outcome evaluation have shown: Families Served 18,273 families were served in fiscal year 2009. 10,834 families and 19,199 children have been served in the current federal fiscal year (through July 31, 2010) Improved Outcomes for Families Family Support - 80% of families served had no substantiated incident of maltreatment Family Preservation - 94% of families served had no repeat substantiated maltreatment Time Limited Reunification - 87% of children served were discharged from care to a permanent, loving family Average months in care prior to reunification: 13 months Foster Care re-entry rate of children served: 2.1%