Policy & Practice | Summer 2025

By Yasmin Grewal-Kök, Meg Dygert, and Rebekah Sides Aligning Systems, Centering Families Integrating Economic

and Concrete Supports for Child Welfare Prevention A

cross the nation, public human services leaders are reimagining how systems can better support families before they reach a point of crisis. This shift—from

reactive interventions to proactive supports—is grounded in a growing body of research and practice that points to poverty and unmet economic needs as key drivers of child welfare system involvement. Recognizing this, through the Advancing Family Economic Mobility (AFEM) initiative, the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) and Chapin Hall have part nered over the past two years to elevate and integrate economic and concrete supports (ECS) as a foundational prevention strategy. Through a national cross-sector Community of Practice (CoP); survey of state child welfare leaders; and focus groups of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) administra tors and parents with experience in the child welfare system, this work is informing how agencies view and utilize ECS to advance child and family well-being. This article shares insights and lessons from this collaboration, highlighting promising strategies and elevating the voices of those most impacted to inform future policy and practice.

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