FamilyNet
In February 2000, the
NC Association of County Directors of Social Services was awarded
a Work First pilot grant from the NC Division of Social Services.
The grant supported nine counties to engage their county departments
of social services in a system reform initiative that would unify
services for children and families in a more holistic, family-centered
manner.
Although it started out
as a collaborative initiative between Work First (Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families) and child welfare programs, FamilyNet quickly
became an agency-wide system reform effort grounded in the beliefs
that:
- Partnerships within
and across agencies, with families, and with the community lead
to success.
- Improving communication
about families, programs, and resources can help create more
comprehensive services and facilitate a focus on prevention.
- Establishing a
unifying vision and mission for an agency’s work helps
staff in all program areas understand how they work together
toward a common goal.
- Collaboration across
program lines leads to stronger, safer, more prosperous families.
FamilyNet emerged
into an unconventional philosophy for change that continues to
be developed by and applied in 14 counties: Alamance, Buncombe,
Cabarrus, Caldwell, Durham, Edgecombe, Guilford, Halifax, Lincoln,
Rockingham, Swain, Union, Wilson, Yadkin.
The Resource Program has
contributed to the spread and development of FamilyNet primarily
by facilitating agency and community dialogues in Family counties.
To learn more about FamilyNet,
visit <www.ncacdss.org/ncacdss/TANFdocs/>.
