Topeka, Kan. – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced a new set of Family First Prevention Services grants to expand programs that help keep Kansas children safely with their families as well as prevent them from entering the foster care system. The grants, which take effect in state fiscal year 2028, build on the success of Family First programs across Kansas, which have helped thousands of children remain safely at home while connecting families with mental health, kinship, parent skill building, substance use treatment and other supports they need to thrive. In 2019, Kansas became one of the first states in the country to implement the Family First Prevention Services Act, bipartisan federal legislation that allows states to direct federal foster care funds into prevention programs focused on keeping families together.
DCCCA was awarded $2,285,000 for the evidence-based program, START (Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams), which is aimed at keeping families together. START is a family-centered, collaborative intervention for families with Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement and children 0-5 years of age, who are impacted by parental substance use. Learn more about START.
“We are incredibly proud of the impact DCF and our partner agencies are making in the lives of Kansas children and families,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. “Since 2019, Family First Prevention programs have helped more than 8,300 Kansas children remain with their families and avoid entry into foster care. These outcomes demonstrate the value of investing in families and strengthening them before a crisis occurs.”
DCF awarded grants for 12 distinct Family First Prevention Services programs through 10 provider agencies. The grants will begin July 1, 2027, and include three one-year renewal options. The total budget available per state fiscal year is approximately $23 million, of which approximately $11.5 million is from State General Funds, with the remainder coming from federal matching funds.
