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Effective: 9/9/2026

C1.16 Family Preservation and Reunification Services (FPRS)

Legal Authority

Introduction

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The Family Preservation and Reunification Services (FPRS) program is an intensive, evidence-based crisis intervention resource that is intended to prevent the unnecessary out-of-home placement of children.

Practice Guidance

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  • The Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) contracts with FPRS providers statewide to ensure families have access to these services in every region. The expectations of FPRS staff include: 
    • Providing intensive services according to the needs of each family, including families with substance misuse, for one (1) to six (6) months; 
    • Providing three (3) to ten (10) direct service hours per week, at least half of the services in the family’s home or other natural community setting; 
    • Carrying no more than four (4) to six (6) cases at one time; 
    • Being available to families twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week; 
    • Aiding in the solution of practical problems that contribute to family stress; 
    • Making referrals (as needed) to other available community resources; and 
    • Providing client assistance funds (as appropriate and to the extent that funds are available) to enhance the success of intervention. 
  • The duties of the FPRS management team are to implement the program by: 
    • Identifying the referral and selection committee and reviewing referral procedures and criteria; 
    • Interviewing prospective FPRS staff members; 
    • Discussing regional needs; 
    • Developing additional linkage agreements, as appropriate; and 
    • Meeting regularly to discuss ongoing issues related to program quality and integration of services.
Additional Context-Eligibility

  • Children are eligible for services when they meet the criteria as a candidate for foster care. Families and/or caregivers may access interventions as long as they are tied to a candidate for foster care.
  • Pregnant or parenting youth in out-of-home care (OOHC) do not require a candidacy determination to receive in-home prevention services. Pregnant youth in care are eligible for services, as are parenting youth in care when their child is in their custody and living with them.

Procedure


The SSW:

  1. Consults with the FSOS to identify that a child is a candidate for foster care or a pregnant or parenting youth prior to making a referral for family preservation in-home service; 
  2. Determines that a child is a candidate for foster care by documenting:
    1. That a safety threat and/or risk factors have been identified and the child would need out-of-home care placement immediately or in the future without intervention; and 
    2. The safety threat and risk factors can be mitigated with the selection and use of a child-specific, evidence-based intervention. 
  3. Must identify whether the child is or is not a candidate for foster care, or if not a candidate for foster care, that the​ child is a pregnant or parenting youth. Children cannot be identified as candidates for foster care for family reunification services (FRS) if services start prior to the child's return home;
  4. Identifies that the familial assessment will result in an ongoing case, through a substantiation or services needed finding, except that no new assessment or findings are needed for pregnant or parenting youth; 
  5. Reviews the Prevention Services Description and Eligibility Criteria resource to select one of the following programs:
    1. Family Preservation Services (FPS); 
    2. Family Reunification Services (FRS);  
  6. Reviews the regionally relevant evidence-based practice (EBP) selection document for EBP intervention selection; 
  7. Upon approval from the FSOS, discusses the potential referral with the family to: 
    1. Inform the family that in-home services are an alternative to out-of-home placement; 
    2. Determine the family’s willingness to participate in the referral to in-home services; 
    3. Discuss with the family the appropriate EBPs to be utilized with the family, based on regional and program availability; and 
    4. Informs the family that if FPRS is appropriate and available, a referral will be initiated upon the family’s agreement and notifies the family if the referral is approved. 
  8. Completes the Prevention Services Referral Form in TWIST, identifying the candidate, the identified risk factors, and EBP interventions to mitigate risk factors; 
  9. Submits the Prevention Services Referral Form in TWIST for FSOS and regional referral and selection specialist approval;
  10. Upon receipt and approval of referral from the regional referral and selection specialist, informs the family that FPRS will schedule a visit within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of the referral; 
  11. Joins, if possible, the FPRS staff for the initial visit within twenty-four (24) to seventy-two (72) hours, depending on the receipt of referral, level of risk, and if an opening is available; 
  12. Invites prevention service providers to the case planning conference, and documents as a family team meeting (FTM);
  13. Completes the DPP-1281 Family Case Plan: 
    1. Documenting the date of candidacy, candidate or pregnant or parenting youth, prevention strategy (selected EBP), and the date of the prevention strategy (date of referral approval); and 
    2. Incorporating the EBPs into a case plan objective. 
  14. Explains the Family First Evidence-Based​​​ Prevention Service Program Evaluation: 
    1. Provides the family with a copy of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Consent Form and Key Information Form; 
    2. Asks the family to complete and sign the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Evaluation Consent Form; 
    3. Advises families that their information will be kept strictly confidential, stored in secure ways, and only viewed by the researchers who are conducting the evaluation; that family participation is voluntary, and families are not required to do anything beyond what they will do to receive services as part of their ongoing case; and 
    4. Uploads the completed consent form into TWIST. 
  15. Obtains signed releases of information from the family (DCBS-1 and DCBS 1A); 
  16. Completes candidacy redetermination via the selection on the case plan when the need for services extends beyond twelve (12) months;
  17. Conducts (at minimum) one (1) joint home visit with FPRS staff and is encouraged to consult with FPRS staff weekly regarding assessments completed, type and quantity of services provided, and family progress through:
    1. Telephone; 
    2. FPRS staff's weekly case conferences; 
    3. Cabinet case planning meetings; or 
    4. Other face-to-face contacts; 
  18. Reviews the FPRS termination summary and provides follow-up services as necessary once termination of FPRS involvement occurs; 
  19. Ensures that the case record includes the following FPRS documentation: 
    1. Prevention Services Referral Form; 
    2. FPRS family functioning assessment and initial treatment goals; 
    3. Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Evaluation Consent Form; 
    4. FPRS termination summary; and 
    5. Contacts with FPRS staff.

The FSOS:

  1. Consults with the SSW to identify if the child is a candidate for foster care or a pregnant or parenting youth; 
  2. Determines that a child is a candidate for foster care by confirming:
    1. That a safety threat and/or risk factors have been identified and the child would need out-of-home care placement immediately or in the future without intervention; and 
    2. The safety threat and risk factors can be mitigated with the selection and use of a child-specific, evidence-based intervention.
  3. Reviews the Prevention Services Referral Form for appropriate program selection and EBP selection; and
  4. Assigns a risk level and approves the Prevention Services Referral Form.

The SRA:

  1. Designates a DCBS staff person to be the regional referral and selection staff who assumes responsibility for reviewing all referrals to FPRS; and
  2. ​Establishes an FPRS management team, consisting of: 
    1. SRA or designee; 
    2. Referral and selection staff; 
    3. The FPRS specialist in central office; 
    4. The FPRS supervisor (contract agency); and 
    5. The program director (contract agency).
The Referral and Selection Specialist:
  1. Checks TWIST workbasket daily for region-specific referrals; 
  2. Reviews the Prevention Services Referral Form for appropriate program selection and EBP selection; 
  3. Communicates with providers regarding their availability to accept referred cases; and
  4. Tracks referrals in TWIST with the following designations: 
    1. Approved; 
    2. Rejected; 
    3. Waitlist start date; or 
    4. Waitlist end date; 
      1. Waitlist end date reasons: 
        1. Accepted; 
        2. Diverted to other services; or 
        3. Closed out without services





Documents

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