B3 - Realizing the Promise of Family First: Lessons Learned from the District of Columbia’s Family First Implementation Team

This session will focus on the role of the District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency’s (CFSA) implementation team in advancing timely and successful implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First).  Participants will gain an understanding of the scope and nature of the tasks the team was charged with carrying out, as well as key aspects of the membership, roles, and functioning of the team that enabled it to be successful. Presenters will reflect on firsthand experience related to the challenges and strengths of the team, and invite dialogue to help other jurisdictions leverage CFSA’s experience to further Family First implementation.

Presenters: Natalie Craver and Robert Matthews, District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency, Washington, DC; and Katie Rollins, Chapin Hall at University of Chicago, Chicago, IL