Family Preservation provides voluntary services alongside families to build on family strengths and reduce the risk of children being placed in foster care.
Families must meet the following eligibility requirements to participate in Family Preservation:
- Reside in Kansas,
- Be at risk for having children placed in foster care,
- Have a parent/caregiver available to protect the children, and
- Be willing and able to participate in Family Preservation services.
Family Preservation services may also be offered to pregnant women using substances, to help connect the family with treatment and prenatal services.
Family Preservation referrals are made by DCF Prevention and Protection Services staff. To begin the assessment process, call the Kansas Protection Report Center (KPRC) at 1-800-922-5330. When making a report, please have the following information available: family name, current address, ages of children, and circumstances placing the children at risk for foster care. Reports are screened by KPRC to determine whether a Child Protective Services response is required, using state law and agency policy to guide each decision. If the report is assigned, a Prevention and Protection Specialist will contact the family to begin the assessment and service determination.
Family Preservation is provided by contracted child welfare agencies. Family Preservation has two tier service options on intensity and duration of services provided.
Tier 1
Intensive In-Home Family Preservation Services
- Provided by a master’s level practitioner with the intent to mitigate immediate child safety concerns, stabilize family crisis and assess the family’s needs.
- Services last approximately six weeks.
- Will meet with the family intensively, consistent with the applied evidence-based model.
Tier 2
Short-Term Family Preservation Case Management Services
- Provided by a worker dyad consisting of an assigned Case Manager and a Family Support worker, assessing for existing risk and emergent safety issues and when identified, initiative services to stabilize and support the family.
- Services shall last three to six months.
- The case manager will meet with the family at a minimum of one hour face-to-face weekly.
- Family Support workers will assist the family with learning skills to strengthen the family system.