Systems should work to keep families together.
We believe Family First is an opportunity moment that offers exciting possibilities for us to be responsive to the specific needs of children, teens and families. Family First provides additional resources to promote innovations and flexibility in our reform efforts thanks to federal reimbursement for prevention services.
The FamilyFirstAct.org website is a collaborative project, administered by FosterClub with generous support from Casey Family Programs. The partners listed below are excellent resources for more information in their areas of expertise and have contributed to the content of FamilyFirstAct.org.
If you represent a national organization or stakeholder and are interested in joining the FamilyFirstAct.org partnership, please contact Darius Gordon at FosterClub: 503-717-1552 or Darius@fosterclub.com.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is dedicated to the health of all children. AAP is an organization of 67,000 pediatricians committed to the optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
The Center promotes access to justice for children and families. Our team of attorneys and core staff work on a diverse portfolio of national, regional and local projects in the children’s law field throughout the country. Center projects are unified by two complementary goals: improving legal representation and improving the legal systems that impact children and families.
Contact: Cristina Cooper
E-mail: cristina.cooper@americanbar.
Phone: 202-662-8638
The Annie E. Casey Foundation is devoted to developing a brighter future for millions of children at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes. Their work focuses on strengthening families, building stronger communities and ensuring access to opportunity, because children need all three to succeed.
Casey Family Programs is the nation's largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care and building Communities of Hope for children and families across America. Founded in 1966, we work in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and two territories and with more than a dozen tribal nations to influence long-lasting improvements to the safety and success of children, families and the communities where they live.
Child Trends works to improve the lives and prospects of children and youth by conducting high-quality research and sharing the resulting knowledge with practitioners and policymakers.
Contact: Elizabeth Jordan
E-mail: ejordan@childtrends.org
Phone: (240) 223-9316
ChildFocus is a national child and family policy consulting firm that supports non-profits, philanthropy and government as unrelenting champions for children, youth and families.
Contact: Rebecca Robuck
E-mail: rebecca@childfocuspartners.com
The Children's Defense Fund provides a strong, effective and independent voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby or speak for themselves.
Contact: Stefanie Sprow
E-mail: SSprow@childrensdefense.org
Family Centered Treatment Foundation, Inc. (FCTF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping families together and children safe at home. The mission of FCTF is to, ‘enhance the capability of agencies, communities and state systems of care in the implementation of well-supported, evidence-based programs to better address the needs of families in crisis.’
Contact: Tim Wood
Email: Tim.wood@
Phone: (704) 787-6869
The Foster Family-based Treatment Association (FFTA) was founded to develop, promote and support treatment foster care. FFTA member agencies provide treatment foster care services to more than 50,000 children and youth each year.
Contact: Laura W. Boyd
E-mail: lboyd@ffta.org
Phone: (201) 343-2246
FCAA connects the alumni community to transform policy and practice, ensuring opportunity for people in and from foster care.
Contact: April Curtis
E-mail: april@fostercarealumni.org
FosterClub is the national network for young people in foster care. We are youth engagement efforts and inform policy and practice with the authentic perspective of young people who have experienced foster care.
Contact: Angel Petite
E-mail: policy@fosterclub.com
Phone: 503-717-1552
Generations United’s National Center on Grandfamilies is a leading voice for families headed by grandparents, other relatives and close family friends. Through the Center, Generations United leads an advisory group of organizations, caregivers and youth that sets the national agenda to advance public will in support of these families. Learn more at www.gu.org and www.grandfamilies.org.
Juvenile Law Center advocates for rights, dignity, equity and opportunity for youth in the child welfare and justice systems. Founded in 1975, Juvenile Law Center is the first non-profit, public interest law firm for children in the country. Through litigation, appellate advocacy and submission of friend-of-the-court briefs, policy reform, public education, training, consulting, and strategic communications, we fight for children who come into contact with the child welfare and justice systems.
Contact: Jennifer Pokempner
E-mail: jpokempner@jlc.org
Phone: 215-625-0551
Children's Trust Fund Alliance and its members, state children's trust and prevention funds, work to strengthen ALL families and to surround them with supportive communities, services, and systems. A key goal of the Alliance is to advance the meaningful and authentic voices of parents in policies and practice.
Contact: Teresa Rafael
E-mail: teresa.rafael@ctfalliance.org
Phone: 206-526-1221
Mathematica has been at the forefront of evaluating and supporting social policies and programs since 1968. Mathematica’s 1,400 professionals apply expertise at the intersection of data, methods, policy, and practice. Driven by our mission to improve public well-being, we collaborate with clients to improve programs, refine strategies, and enhance understanding.
Contact person: Elizabeth Weigensberg
Email:
eweigensberg@mathematica-mpr.
Phone: 312-585-3287
The National Association of Counsel for Children is dedicated to advancing the rights, well-being, and opportunities of children impacted by the child welfare system through access to high-quality legal representation. NACC promotes excellence in legal representation, builds community among practitioners, and advances justice for children in policy and amicus briefs.
Contact: Allison Green, JD, CWLS
E-mail: Allison.Green@NACCchildlaw.org
Phone: 202-230-9128
Evident Change, formerly the National Center on Crime & Deliquency, is a nonprofit that uses data and research to improve our social systems. Evident Change promotes a just and equitable social systems for individuals, families, and communities through research, public policy, and practice. Our Family First team comprises doctorate-level researchers and advanced social work practitioners. We are experienced in program evaluation, independent technical reviews, and using data to inform Family First prevention plans.
Contact:
Dr. Cynthia Burnson
Email: cburnson@evidentchange.org
The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), the oldest judicial membership organization in the country, is devoted to ensuring access to fair, equal, effective, and timely justice for every family and child. The NCJFCJ serves an estimated 30,000 professionals in the juvenile and family justice system.
Contact: Joey Orduna Hastings
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Email: jhastings@ncjfcj.org
Phone: (775) 507-4866
NICWA works to support the safety, health, and spiritual strength of American Indian and Alaska Native children along the broad continuum of their lives. We support tribes in building the capacity to prevent child abuse and neglect through positive systems change at the state, federal, and tribal levels. We are the most comprehensive source of information on American Indian and Alaska Native child welfare.
Within Our Reach is an office established within the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities to fundamentally reform child protection systems in the 21st century. The reform includes a public health approach to prevent maltreatment and strengthen families. Within Our Reach equips policymakers, practitioners, and advocates with the tools they need to promote this reform, based on recommendations from the federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities, and in partnership with other organizations. Within Our Reach is made possible through collaboration with Casey Family Programs, whose mission is to provide, improve—and ultimately prevent the need for—foster care.
Contact: Amy Templeman, Director
Email: atempleman@alliance1.org
Phone: 202-997-2559
Founded in 1908, the National Governors Association is the voice of the nation’s governors and one of the most respected public policy organizations in the country. The association’s members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. Members come to the association from across the political spectrum, but NGA itself is boldly nonpartisan. Because of that, governors can share best practices, speak with an informed voice on national policy and develop innovative solutions that improve citizens’ lives through state government and support the principles of federalism.
PCG is committed to helping state and local human services agencies keep their promises to the children and families they serve. We support our public and private partners in achieving their performance goals by collaborating on program, service, and system design; navigating and complying with regulations; and, maximizing revenue that supports critical programming.
Contact: Heather Baker
Email: hbaker@pcgus.com
Phone: 617-717-1264
Youth Villages provides help for children and young people across the United States who face a wide range of emotional, mental and behavioral problems. We work to find solutions using proven treatment models that strengthen the child’s family and support systems and dramatically improve their long-term success. Youth Villages helped more than 25,000 young people and their families this year.