The National Family Preservation Network is well underway with programs and projects for 2006. During this year NFPN plans to:

• Complete the first phase of the Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) Components Project. Researchers will develop an instrument that includes the structural and clinical components of IFPS. Agencies using IFPS will then be invited to fill out the instrument in order to identify the array and quantity of IFPS components that are provided.
• Complete the San Mateo County, CA, project to test an expanded version of the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale (NCFAS) with differential response services. The final phase of the project includes training workers on the scale, collecting data, and determining if the scale is valid and reliable when used in conjunction with services to families diverted from the child welfare system.
• Begin Phase 2 of the IFPS-Adopt Project to determine if outcomes for adoptive families receiving IFPS are similar to outcomes for other families that receive IFPS, identify the IFPS components that are most effective in preserving adoptive families, and find out what happens to the adoptive children who are placed in out-of-home care.
• Seek funding to begin a project to describe how the best child welfare systems operate, including how they allocate funding. Identify the Evidence-Based Practice, Promising Practice, and Emerging Practice programs and services that are effective for use in the child welfare system.
• Continue to offer high-quality training and tools in family assessment. NFPN plans to add new items to the family assessment tools training packages (NCFAS and NCFAS-R) to include Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and information on how the tools can be used to develop goals and service plans.
• Partner with the Native American Fathers and Family Association and the Center for Growth and Development to form the Working with Fathers Institute. The Institute will offer comprehensive, fee-based training and resources on fatherhood that includes developing effective fatherhood support groups, training on successful marriage and parenting, understanding Native American fathers, and training practitioners to engage and involve fathers in their children's lives.
• Employ NFPN's online database to collect data on various programs that use the NCFAS or NCFAS-R scale and training packages.

For more information on NFPN's resources, please visit the NFPN Web site.

If you are interested in a specific project for 2006, please contact Priscilla Martens, Executive Director at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 888-498-9047.