What if families facing a crisis could receive support before entering the court system? In 2019, the National Center for State Courts received funding to identify promising practices in state and local courts that aim to prevent removal through non-adversarial collaborative team approaches and timely access to treatment and services. The Family Preservation Initiative (FPI) in Rutherford County, Tennessee was one of the standout programs identified.
FPI transforms how communities support families by intervening before circumstances escalate to court involvement. When families experience challenges likely to result in a juvenile court petition, FPI staff step in to build relationships, learn about each family’s unique strengths and needs, and connect them to resources and services. This individualized approach keeps children safely with their families while providing the entire family with the support needed to overcome obstacles.
Referrals come from law enforcement, schools, community organizations, and families themselves. Families involved in FPI are not under court supervision; however, the court’s backbone support for the program helps build and sustain community partnerships essential for its success. By intervening early, FPI prevents family separation, minimizes trauma, and provides crucial support when families need it most. The documentary, “Together We Thrive: Championing Prevention Efforts with Tennessee’s Family Preservation Initiative,” offers a powerful look at FPI through the eyes of the families and professionals involved in the program. Their stories demonstrate how family-centered and prevention-focused approaches can create positive changes for children, families, and communities.
“What we really hope is that this would become the new norm, that this wouldn’t be just a pilot or a program or in a few places dotted around the county. But this would become the way that people want to intervene much sooner so that children never become part of the system.”
-Deborah Taylor Tate, Former Director, Tennessee Administrative Office of Courts
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