Cornerstones of Care is launching a new initiative this year called the Therapeutic Family Foster Home (TFFH) Capacity Building Program, made possible by a recent grant from the Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF).

The program is designed to enhance support for families in the Family Preservation program and aligns with Cornerstones of Care’s strategic plan to adopt a more preventative approach to trauma-informed care. The goal of TFFH is to reduce the number of children removed from their homes and placed in foster care by focusing on youth in Northeast Kansas who are at risk of entering care for reasons other than abuse or neglect.

If successful, the TFFH program will reduce the number of youth entering foster care by at least 25 percent compared to the previous year.

“We tried to identify areas we may be missing with support for our Family Preservation families,” said Maggie Gilliland, Director of Family Preservation Services in Kansas. With this new grant, the aim is to address additional barriers to treatment, such as the cost of respite care services.

The grant will cover costs for respite families, such as food, gas, and utilities. Respite homes provide a safe, temporary place for at-risk youth ages 11-18 and are often provided by relatives or kinship caregivers without financial reimbursement. Typically, temporary stays last just a few days.

“We work hard to identify respite options for families so that if they do get in a difficult situation, there is a safe place for the child to go at a moment’s notice,” said Maggie.

Her team also works with families to think creatively and identify natural supports, such as a school counselor, church member, or family friend. Once identified, they complete a background check and walkthrough of the home.

To further support respite caregivers, Cornerstones of Care will hire two In-Home Support Specialists to assist with things like transportation and childcare. Cornerstones of Care recently hired a Family Engagement Coordinator to serve as a liaison between DCF, families, and Cornerstones of Care to explain available services and follow-up to prevent re-referrals.

The grant will also fund the creation of a virtual resource library with helpful content for caregivers, case managers, and other team members. The library will include training videos from the popular BIST (Behavior Intervention Support Team) program, which provides guidance for caregivers in school, home, and other settings.

“My hope is that the In-Home Support Specialists can model and help implement some of the BIST principles with families,” said Maggie.

In the early stages of the program, Maggie’s focus is on training new team members and increasing awareness about the program’s offerings, as many are still unaware it exists. Since its launch, the program has already supported five families, with more opportunities ahead to prevent family disruptions through the TFFH program.

Cornerstones of Care is one of seven agencies to receive a grant for the Family Preservation Services program this year and is the only recipient to prioritize prevention in their use of the award. When used effectively, respite care can serve as an alternative to police protective custody (PPC), which often leads to the removal of children from their homes and a complicated legal process. This reality emphasizes the importance of prevention efforts and building strong relationships with partner agencies to increase the likelihood of children and families staying safely together.