The Virginia Department of Social Services

Family First is an initiative of the Virginia Department of Social Services that advances the goals of the Family First Prevention Services Act. Its purpose is to keep children safe, strengthen families, and reduce the need for foster care when children can safely remain at home. The program reflects the principle that children do best in families supported by strong communities, and that a safe, stable family can promote long-term well-being.

In Virginia, Family First supports access to trauma-informed, evidence-based prevention services in mental health, substance use disorder prevention and treatment, and in-home parent skill-based programs. These services are intended to help families address challenges and prevent foster care placements. The initiative also focuses on children already in foster care, promoting family connections and placement in the least restrictive, most family-like setting appropriate to each child’s needs. Its foster care goals include finding safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible.