Prevention Programs | Parent Aide Services | Project Early Start | Youth Diversionary Programs | Comprehensive Emergency Services (CES) | Independent Living Program

This division provides community-based services which are designed to prevent family dysfunction, abuse, neglect and to preserve children's placements in their own homes and in foster homes. The division also provides community-based services which divert adolescents from the Juvenile Justice System and intensive supervision services which prevent out-of-home placement and which facilitate family reunification.

The division also includes the following:
Placement Unit - responsible for all emergency placements and planned foster care; 
Program Development & Contracts Unit - responsible for developing BOTH residential and community based programs: 
Residential Review Unit - responsible for reviewing children in need of high end placements.  

In addition, the division also administers two Federal grants, the IVE Independent Living Grant and the Family Resource & Support Grant, a grant that promotes child abuse & neglect prevention.

Prevention Programs -  The Department helps fund the Rhode Island Child Abuse Prevention Network, which directs child abuse and neglect prevention activities statewide.  See Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island for more information on prevention activities that are supported by the Department.

Parent Aide Services - provide a consistent, nurturing relationship between a trained and professionally supervised individual and a parent whose family is at risk or is experiencing problems in the area of child maltreatment. The parent aide provides assistance by being a positive role model, by facilitating positive parenting skills and by helping to reduce the isolation of the parent.

Project Early Start - a comprehensive early intervention program for economically disadvantaged families with children newborn to age 3 who are at risk for developmental, health and social problems. The goal of the home-based and center-based activities is to enhance parenting skills. 

Youth Diversionary Programs (YDP) - accepts referrals from the Family Court, police departments, schools and other community agencies in order to divert pre-delinquent and first time offenders from the juvenile justice system. The program provides family mediation services, counseling, advocacy and recreational activities. 

Comprehensive Emergency Services (CES) - a short-term, home-based intervention program for families in crisis. This statewide program provides case management, counseling and educational services to children and families. The program is designed to prevent child abuse and placement out-of-home, to resolve family conflict and rectify dysfunctional aspects of family relations.

Independent Living Program
This program assists DCYF youth age 16 and older who are transitioning from care. There are many services associated with this program.