Vol. 27, No. 2
July 2024

Homebuilders

The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) provides funding to support Goal 2 of North Carolina's CFSP, which is to “increase access to services intended to keep children and their families safe and in the least restrictive setting possible.” According to the FFPSA, each state must develop a Title IV-E Prevention Services Plan that identifies evidence-based services that will prevent children from entering foster care. The plan must be submitted to and approved by the Children's Bureau. North Carolina has included five services in its Title IV-E Prevention Services Plan. The first of these, HOMEBUILDERS®, is an intensive family preservation service designed to stabilize crises, mitigate safety concerns, and provide families with the skills, competencies, and resources they need to manage future crises.

In January 2024, regional providers began providing HOMEBUILDERS® services to families with children determined to be candidates for foster care. HOMEBUILDERS® requires mandatory provider participation in training and technical assistance from the Institute for Family Development (IFD), which developed HOMEBUILDERS®. Their involvement ensures program quality and fidelity. IFD also consults with regional providers in hiring HOMEBUILDERS® staff and determining eligibility for this service. When implemented with fidelity, HOMEBUILDERS® has proven to effectively improve family functioning, reduce unnecessary out-of-home placements, and avoid future incidents of child maltreatment.

Key components of North Carolina's HOMEBUILDERS® model include:

• Providing crisis intervention, case management, counseling, and life-skills services.
• Being available statewide through regional coverage.
• Providing intensive, short-term services with 24-hour availability for 4-6 weeks.
• Having caseloads of no more than two families at a time per caseworker.
• Providing service delivery in the home or location preferred by the family.

Who is eligible?

HOMEBUILDERS® is for families where children (aged birth through 17 years) are at imminent risk of removal to foster care but can safely remain at home or in a kinship placement if provided preventive services. In the future, adolescents in foster care who are pregnant or parenting will also be eligible for HOMEBUILDERS®.

What is the implementation plan?

The NC Division of Social Services (NC DSS) is taking a scaled approach as it implements HOMEBUILDERS® across the state. When county child welfare agencies are selected for implementation they receive training, including on Title IV-E Prevention Services eligibility, child welfare documentation requirements, and the HOMEBUILDERS® referral processes. Counties are selected based on several factors, including their readiness to implement the program and service provider capacity. A regional child welfare prevention specialist from NC DSS and a HOMEBUILDERS® provider deliver a two-hour, in-person training. Upon completion of training, county child welfare staff can make referrals for HOMEBUILDERS®. As of the end of June 2024, more than a third of the state has received training.

HOMEBUILDERS® provider staff are also trained by IFD in model delivery, motivational interviewing, record keeping, and data management. This increases the capacity to deliver the HOMEBUILDERS® service statewide. As of June 2024, three provider organizations have trained 23 staff; additional staff will be trained as they are hired.

To initiate a referral, a CPS in-home services worker or their supervisor calls the HOMEBUILDERS® provider. To confirm the family's eligibility, county staff should be prepared to share information on current safety threats and why the children are at imminent risk of removal from the home.

Initial feedback from county child welfare agencies and HOMEBUILDERS® providers has been positive. County staff report that services are going well. HOMEBUILDERS® services help close cases sooner, meet family safety and well-being needs, and help prevent the need for petitioning court involvement. HOMEBUILDERS® providers report child welfare staff share information promptly, helping families.

Who are the regional providers of HOMEBUILDERS®?

• Regions 1, 2, & 4: Children's Home Society of North Carolina
• Region 3: Crossnore Communities for Children
• Regions 5, 6, & 7: Coastal Horizons Center

Questions?

For questions regarding HOMEBUILDERS® implementation as well as other services in a region, contact the assigned regional child welfare prevention specialist:

• Region 1 - Kristy Smith
• Region 2 - Larissa Berger
• Region 3 - Nikki Hull
• Region 4 - Laura Wasson
• Region 5 - Tonya E. Askew
• Region 6 - Jiselle Hirsch
• Region 7 - Nikki Hull

Resources

Click the following links for more about HOMEBUILDERS® and North Carolina's Title IV-E Prevention Services Plan: