The Family Preservation and Support Services Program

Two recent issues of The Future of Children have examined programs that support families with young children: the Winter 1993 issue on home visiting and the Winter 1995 issue on the long-term outcomes of early childhood programs. In both issues, the legislation creating the Family Preservation and Support Services Program was discussed as a possible funding source for such programs. This Revisiting article summarizes the key elements of that federal program and discusses some of the challenges states have faced as they have tried to implement the new law. Thus far, the legislation has had only a modest impact on the availability of services, but it has triggered a comprehensive and broad-based planning process that is likely to have lasting benefits.