The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been working with researchers, human services agency leaders, and persons with lived experience to visualize, describe, and document models of primary prevention within human services. To support this goal, ASPE sponsored the Case Studies in Supporting Prevention through Human Services Program Integration project to explore innovative prevention approaches that integrate human services, including preventing child welfare involvement, preventing housing instability and homelessness for youth and families, and increasing the use of economic supports such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
This brief focuses on child welfare-related prevention by highlighting initiatives from case studies that used service integration and agency collaboration to (1) increase protective factors, (2) prevent child maltreatment and reduce substantiated reports, and (3) prevent homelessness among youth aging out of foster care. The brief explores four key themes for successful integration to prevent child welfare system involvement:
- Involve community members and organizations in planning, designing, and implementing an integrated services approach
- Focus on establishing trust and relationships with families served to repair harm
- Use a person-centered approach to implement services
- Braid flexible funding sources to respond to communities' varied needs
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