A couple of Salina organizations are among organizations across the state receiving 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.

Saint Francis Ministries and Child Advocacy and Parenting Services, Inc. are both receiving funding.

According to the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF),  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.

“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. Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

Substance Use Disorder Programs

Parent Skill-building

Mental Health

Kinship Navigation

Primary Prevention Program

The University of Kansas Center for Public Partnership & Research evaluates Kansas’ Family First Prevention Services Act programs. Read the most recent statewide evaluation here.