A Message From the Executive Co-Chairs...

Hello Community Members, Friends, and Child Welfare Advocates,

The Family Advisory Committee thoseServesasthebridgebetweenthecommunityandtheMADepartmentofChildrenandFamilies.WebringfamilyvoicetoDCFpolicyandpracticeandhelptobring policiesandpracticesbacktothecommunity.Atwo-wayengagementwiththemutualbenefitofassuringallpartiescometogethertoapproachthisvitalwork.

What is a Bridge? Is it Steel...Concrete?

From the earlies recorded times bridges have been amongst the most necessary of tools to help move people from one place to another. To help them over chasms, gaps, rivers, and to help keep them safe in the process. Without a bridge we’d have to go miles out of our way to cross rivers, to connect to inaccessible lands, to make connections at all. Bridges allow us to travel in two directions. They are vital for connection. The Family Advisory Committee provides a critical support or “bridge” between Massachusetts families engaged in the child welfare process and the Department of Children and Families. We strive to reduce the risk of “crossing without a bridge” and strive to reduce the time of “going around” to avoid crossing at dangerous intersections.

We are pleased to present the 2023 Annual Report for the Massachusetts Family Advisory Committee (FAC). In this report we’d like to introduce you to our work and outcomes for the past fiscal year, from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023.

This year follows our year of implementing our comprehensive Strategic Plan and associated organizational restructure which was necessary to both help focus what became very broad efforts as well as to guide our practices and assure that our efforts yielded positive and actionable outcomes. Our service to the community included many areas of focus, which align with our core committee objectives and approved projects. In the following pages you can read more about the various efforts being executed throughout the Commonwealth.

Serving as the bridge between the community and the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) we have been present at every DCF Statewide Manager’s Meeting, and involved in several projects where “family voice” is included to help inform and guide policies, practices and to help improve outcomes for youth and families engaged in the Massachusetts child welfare system. This area of practice is especially important to our team. Many have deep lived experience and work tirelessly to support engaged families. FAC Members bring their own voice and a representative voice of the community to the table to assure that the practical aspects of decision-making best meet the broad needs of the population served.

While funding this critical work continues to be one of our prime objectives, we are pleased to be able to offer these services and look forward to future financial partnerships that will help to both increase our scope of work and reach to more communities.

Our sincerest thanks to our Leadership Team, Members, Community Partners and all those who help to support us in the important mission to continue to “bridge” the gap in service delivery, policy and practice reform, and advocacy. And speaking of advocacy, you’ll note that we have activated our Legislative and Juvenile Justice Committee. We look forward to working in partnership with DCF and the Massachusetts legislature to assure that family voice is included at the highest level of work within the Commonwealth.