Kansas Serves Substance Affected Families


TFI Family Services is a partner agency in the Kansas Serves Substance Affected Families (KSSAF) initiative funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families and contracted to TFI through the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS).

SRS receives about $500,000 annually from HHS for five years and utilizes these funds to contract with partner child welfare and substance abuse treatment agencies to implement the project. The University of Kansas collects data and provides research and project evaluation. TFI receives $36,500 annually to provide facilitation for two 14-week family group sessions.

TFI Behavioral Health Supervisors oversee the Strengthening Families Program (SFP), the program element of the initiative, in providing services to substance-affected families with children in foster care or who are at risk of out-of-home placement. The Strengthening Families Program focuses on providing group educational experiences for both the parents and the children in the project. Part of the service is geared for parental groups only, part for the children only and part brings all the family members together for education and discussion. SFP is staffed with facilitators who are master level interns in the Pittsburg State University (PSU) counseling department with whom TFI developed a five year commitment to supporting the project with PSU students. These interns are under the direct supervision of their field instructor. The project also targets youth aged 15 and older in foster care, or former foster care youth receiving independent living services.