The mission of the National Institute for Permanent Family Connectedness (NIPFC) is to advance permanency for all children and youth, with Family Network Building as a core strategy and a method that adds value to service systems. Let's Have a Conversation is our podcast that brings together ideas, practice, and discovery of youth services to promote innovation and discussion in the field.
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In this episode, Bob Friend and Mike Mertz interview Tristian Smith, author of Against All Odds and foster youth advocate. Tristian Smith is a retired Army officer, author, and advocate for foster youth whose life embodies resilience and hope. Raised in the foster care system, he moved through more than 25 homes and 13 schools across four cities, transforming instability into purpose. A former…
The 20th episode of Let’s Have a Conversation showcases the work of Solano County Child Welfare Services and their Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) program. The conversation details the culture-changing work that Solano County has done to create an environment that promotes justice and healing for families served. This work is also creating opportunity and safety for staff and leaders…
The 19th episode of Let’s Have a Conversation features Tina Binda, MA, LMFT, Star View TEAMMATES Administrator, Mr. Kelley, MPSS, Star View TEAMMATES Parent/Peer Director, and Pedro (Peter) Tafolla, Star View TEAMMATES Parent Partner and Fathers Matter Facilitator. Star View TEAMMATES is a part of Stars Behavioral Health Group (SBHG). SBHG serves more than 30,000 children, youth, and families…
Designed with a vision of equity, Ohio’s new shared practice model is PACT — Practice in Action Together. PACT has been developed for (and by) public children services agencies: caseworkers, supervisors, and agency leaders working alongside families, former foster youth, academics, and other experts. In this 18th episode of “Let’s Have a Conversation,” Bob Friend is joined by Mike, Ashley, and…
Numbers can reveal profound narratives and the story of Upfront Family Finding in Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is inspiring. In the space of two years, LA County DCFS has seen a remarkable increase in the percentage of children initially placed in out-of-home care with kin, from 11% in 2021 to 43% in 2023. DCFS began its Upfront Family Finding journey in…
Allambi Care is a multi-disciplined and recognised leader in the human services field working across Newcastle, the Hunter, the NSW Central Coast and Victoria. We are committed to supporting our community’s most vulnerable people through tailored services and programs. We include a family finding case study experience regarding a young Aboriginal young person living in Allambi’s residential care,…
Allambi Care is a multi-disciplined and recognised leader in the human services field working across Newcastle, the Hunter, the NSW Central Coast and Victoria. We are committed to supporting our community’s most vulnerable people through tailored services and programs. We include a family finding case study experience regarding a young Aboriginal person living in Allambi’s residential care with…
Seneca Family of Agencies, a non-profit mental health agency , is leading Todo Por Mi Familia, a nationwide effort to connect impacted families with mental health assessments and treatment. Over the last two years, Seneca supported the class action lawsuit as a pro bono expert witness and consultant. Seneca is coordinating referrals to local mental health providers for interested families who were…
This is the third and final segment of our conversation with Outagamie County Child Welfare, to discuss their journey to install and implement family finding since 2014. In this episode the remaining staff share more success stories, further discuss the importance of alignment, and identify some of the necessary system changes to sustain the practice.
This is the second of our three segments with Outagamie County Child Welfare to review the last 5 years of their work to install and implement family finding. We dive into the importance of front loading the family finding intervention to prevent isolation and loneliness of young people from the very beginning and the discussion also references the critical importance of how families are engaged…
