4502. Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS), Family Preservation Services (FPS)

Applies To:  This policy applies to Department of Children, Youth and Families employees.

Policy Number & Title:  4502. Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS), Family Preservation Services (FPS)

Effective Date:  August 25, 2014

Purpose 

IFPS and FPS are family-focused, behavior-oriented, in-home counseling, and support programs available in most counties. The services of both programs may be utilized when children or youth are, for IFPS, at imminent, or for FPS at substantial, risk of placement or for children or youth returning to the home from out-of-home care. 

Authority 

RCW 13.50.100  Records not relating to commission of juvenile offenses—Maintenance and access—Release of information for child custody hearings- Disclosure of unfounded allegations prohibited.

RCW 74.14C.040  Intensive family preservation services—Eligibility criteria.

Policy 

  1. For IFPS, services begin within 24 hours of referral, are available 24 hours a day, are short-term, limited to a maximum of 40 days, unless paraprofessionals are used, in which case service is limited to a maximum of 90 days. The service can be up to 80 hours in a 30-40 day intervention or up to 100 hours in a 90 day intervention. Services include both clinical assistance (counseling, case management, parent education) and concrete help (See examples in Concrete Goods Guide). IFPS services are provided by contracted vendors and are available statewide.
  2. FPS begin within 48 hours of referral, are available 24 hours a day, and can be up to six months in duration. FPS is designed to be less intensive that IFPS, and interventions are focused on improving family functioning and assisting families with getting connected to local community resources. FPS are provided by contracted vendors and are available statewide.

Eligibility

  1. Families, children and youth are eligible for IFPS and/or FPS when a child or youth is in out-of-home placement and can be reunited within 30 days or the caseworker has determined that, without intervention, the child or youth, for IFPS, is at imminent risk of out-of-home placement or, for FPS, at substantial likelihood of being placed out-of-home due to at least one of the following:
    1. Child abuse or neglect.
    2. A serious threat of substantial harm to the child's or youth’s health, safety, or welfare.
    3. Family conflict.
  2. The caseworker need not refer otherwise eligible families and family preservation services need not be provided if at least one of the following conditions is met:
    1. The services are not available in the community in which the family resides.
    2. The services cannot be provided because the program is filled to capacity.
    3. The family refuses services. or
    4. The caseworker or the service provider determines that the safety of a child or youth, a family member, or persons providing the services would be unduly threatened.
  3. IFPS/FPS may not be used for families in need of an in-home crisis resolution or therapeutic service to avoid possible family disruption or foster care placement at some unspecified time in the future and is not to be used as an interim measure until a planned placement resource is secured.
  4. The family has a case open for service with Child Protective Services, Family Voluntary Services, Family Reconciliation Services, or Child and Family Welfare Services. The child or youth must be either residing in the family home or be able to go home immediately, within 30 days, with IFPS.
  5. The child or youth, for IFPS, has been assessed by the assigned caseworker as needing immediate placement or, for FPS, will need placement in the future if family dynamics do not change or is already in placement but could return home immediately with IFPS.
  6. For IFPS, immediate placement means that the caseworker is planning to file a petition with the juvenile court to remove the child or youth from the family home within 72 hours or is planning to obtain a voluntary placement authorization from the child or youth’s parents per the Voluntary Placement Agreement (VPA) policy within 72 hours.
  7. For FPS, substantial likelihood of placement means the assigned caseworker has determined, through assessment, that there is a strong possibility that another injury or crisis will occur in the near future, resulting in the placement of the child or youth, or the child or youth is already in placement but could return home sooner with FPS.
  8. The Regional Administrator may limit the provision of IFPS or FPS to families where children or youth would be receiving paid Department of Children, Youth, and Families placement services.
  9. The caseworker has determined that there are no less intensive services available that can meet the family need.
  10. An immediate opening with the contracted IFPS and/or FPS agency is available.

Resources 

Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS), Family Preservation Services (FPS) procedures (Located in the DCYF Policies & Rules Office SharePoint)

Voluntary Placement Agreement (VPA) policy

Concrete Goods Guide

Original Date:  September 27, 1995

Revised Date:  August 25, 2014

Review Date:

Approved by: