In the past decade, Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) have been under a great deal of scrutiny and criticism. Much of this has resulted from elected officials and child welfare agencies trying to get “the most bang for the buck” by altering the basic IFPS model to serve more families for the same amount of money.

Reducing service intensity (one of the keys to effective IFPS) has had disastrous consequences. Programs that incorporated this reduced level of intensity and made various other changes that reflected a lack of fidelity were studied and found not effective. Unfortunately, all IFPS programs were then labeled not effective.

Funding and support for IFPS waned nationwide. In some states, IFPS programs totally disappeared, while in other states IFPS was unrecognizable as such. During this time the only national organization promoting IFPS, the National Family Preservation Network (NFPN), nearly disappeared due to lack of funding.

But a new day is dawning for IFPS. Following are just a few examples of its resurgence:

• Five comparison group studies of IFPS, two published since 2002, demonstrate the effectiveness of high-fidelity IFPS programs.
• The Washington State Institute for Pubic Policy has just issued a report that IFPS programs adhering to the HOMEBUILDERS® model significantly reduce out-of-home placements and subsequent reports of child abuse and neglect. (More on this report in a Special Issue of NFPN News Notes coming soon.)
• A family assessment tool (the NCFAS) used with IFPS is providing states with the data needed to establish, measure, and make needed changes to IFPS. The state of Alaska has just established a family preservation program that requires use of the NCFAS. The state of Maryland tightened eligibility for IFPS based on data provided through the NCFAS. Another state, Indiana, is currently establishing high-fidelity IFPS programs statewide and will mandate use of the NCFAS with these programs.
• New applications of IFPS are being used with reunification and post-adoptive services for families. A reliable and valid assessment tool (the NCFAS-R) has been developed for use with IFPS-based reunification services. Research has demonstrated that IFPS is effective in preserving post-adoptive families and a research article on an IFPS-Adopt project sponsored by NFPN is in press.

NFPN is boldly proclaiming the resurgence of IFPS even though there are still many hurdles to overcome. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is funding, with very few foundations funding IFPS-related projects. One of the faithful few, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, provided funds for the IFPS-Adopt project last year and has expressed support for additional funding in this area and for other IFPS-related projects.

NFPN is underwriting the cost for the first phase of an IFPS project to identify the structural, clinical, and concrete components of IFPS. The instrument will then be tested with IFPS programs. Identifying the most effective components of IFPS is critical to its survival and growth. NFPN has raised 75% of the funds towards the $6,500 total amount needed for the first phase of this project. Donations of any amount would be most welcome to fully fund Phase 1 of the IFPS-Components Project. Please consider making a donation.

NFPN will soon be including specific information on IFPS in its family assessment tool training packages (NCFAS and NCFAS-R). NFPN is partnering with the most experienced IFPS provider and trainer in the nation, the Institute for Family Development, in this endeavor. Information in this new Supplement includes:

• Tips on engaging families
• Linking goals to services that are effective in working with families
• Resources for working with families.

The NCFAS/R Supplement will be available to past training package purchasers by the end of the month. Anyone may purchase the IFPS information separately for a small fee.