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Grant to a USA tribal government, tribal consortia, or state government to plan and implement a model foster family support center. Required registrations may take several weeks to complete. Funding is intended to support the development of a program to provide support services in four to six local sites.

The Center for Excellence in Foster Family Development (Center) will develop one model program for the engagement, development and support of foster families that have the capacity to provide community-supported, family based placements that support comprehensive family engagement and family well-being, to be implemented in 4-6 local sites. In an effort to promote reunification and maintain children out of needless congregate care placements, this pool of families will be prepared and supported by the child welfare system to provide enhanced reunification and stability supports to biological families and to provide enhanced stability and well-being supports to children transitioning out of congregate care to family settings.

The Center will secure partnerships that build corresponding knowledge, expertise and capacity in developing and implementing the model program and in evaluating the process and impact on outcomes. The model program will be integrated with other existing programs, policies and practices promoting improved system response and comprehensive systemic change.

The project will be completed in two phases. Phase I, the first 12 months of the grant, will serve as a planning period, for the Center's installation and selections of local sites. Phase II, includes years 2-4 and will serve as an implementation, evaluation, and scale-up/sustainment period. The Center will develop detailed work plans for each phase. The Center will secure the appropriate partnerships needed for effective and efficient model development, program implementation and evaluation activities.

The grantee will develop and implement a model of working with foster families that supports cultural and practice changes that strengthen:

- Supportive relationships between foster and biological families that include coaching and mentoring by skilled foster parents;
- Provision of family-based care to children who might otherwise be in congregate care; and
- Education, development, and on-going supports of foster families necessary to build their capacity to fulfill their role in supporting biological families, not just the children in care.

For further information on grantee requirements, see: https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/files/HHS-2019-ACF-ACYF-CW-1562_0.pdf#page=6

The Center is expected to demonstrate improvements in:

- Engagement, development and support of foster families (individual and collective services);
- Retention rates and agency relationships with foster families;
- The numbers of foster families prepared to provide enhanced supports to children and their families;
- Development of foster families in the neighborhoods and communities children in foster care most come from and where those children will be placed;
- Comprehensive biological family support services and timely, stable reunifications; and
- Permanency stability, family and community connections, and well-being outcomes for children placed with foster families in the target group.

For further information on expected outcomes, see: https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/files/HHS-2019-ACF-ACYF-CW-1562_0.pdf#apge=9