Family First Funding Expansion Announced by Governor Laura Kelly
Governor Laura Kelly announced a nearly $20 million funding expansion through the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) for services designed to keep families together and reduce the number of children in foster care. The announcement by Governor Kelly and DCF Secretary Laura Howard took place at Kansas Children’s Service League’s (KCSL) Topeka office on February 14. The grants awarded through DCF to partnering agencies statewide will provide important family services in mental health treatment, parent and caregiver skill-building, substance abuse prevention and more. By expanding funding to these programs, Kansas families will see an increase in family functioning.
“Family First programs have been proven to keep families together, improving outcomes for our children long-term and saving our state money down the road. They have contributed to the nearly 20% drop in the total number of children in foster care since the start of my administration,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “That’s why we have worked across the aisle to direct both state and federal funding to expanding these successful programs.”
How KCSL will Build Stronger Families with Family First Prevention Grants
KCSL is honored to be one of the recipients of the Family First Prevention grants. KCSL was awarded $310,344.98 to our Parent-Child Assistance Program (P-CAP) and $1,555,000 to our Healthy Families Kansas program. This funding will continue to reinforce our goal to build stronger families and prevent child abuse through our early childhood home visitation services. These Family First Prevention programs, along with other programs we offer, foster long-term positive impacts for all Kansans, not just those we serve directly.
