Congregate Care in the Age of Family First

High-quality, customized congregate care can be lifesaving for children and youth with complex clinical or behavioral needs who require a short-term stay in a residential treatment facility. The 2018 Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) reinforces appropriate use of congregate care through an emphasis on family-based placements and the development of qualified residential treatment programs (QRTPs). Trauma-informed care and meaningful family engagement are hallmarks of these residential programs, strengthening practice and improving treatment outcomes for children and youth with serious clinical or behavioral health disorders.

The resources in the Congregate Care in the Age of Family First series can help child welfare agency leaders, program managers, and mental health professionals:

• Better understand the congregate care provisions of the FFPSA
• Learn how various provisions of the FFPSA apply to congregate care
• Explore the important roles of family engagement and trauma-informed care in residential treatment programs

Use these resources individually or with your team to gain a foundational understanding of the congregate care provisions of the FFPSA and what they might mean for your agency.

Do You Want to Explore How the FFPSA Promotes Appropriate Use of Congregate Care?

Congregate Care in the Age of Family First: Overview

Offers child welfare administrators, managers, and others working with children and youth in congregate care foundational information for implementing the FFPSA provisions regarding appropriate use of congregate care and QRTP assessment, examples of how these provisions have been implemented, and next steps for implementation.

Would You Like to Strengthen Your Congregate Care Programs?

Congregate Care in Age of Family First: Family Engagement

Provides information and concrete examples of strategies child welfare agencies, QRTPs, and other child welfare stakeholders can use to understand the family engagement requirements of the FFPSA and plan for meaningful partnership with families and youth in residential treatment programs.
 
Congregate Care in the Age of Family First: Trauma-Informed Care

Presents information and concrete examples of strategies to help child welfare agency leaders and managers, residential treatment programs, and other organizations understand the trauma-informed care provisions of the FFPSA and implement a trauma-informed approach to residential treatment.