The intensive in-home family preservation (IFP) services are provided to families in crisis, where children are at-risk of out-of-home placement, or whose children have been recently returned home. The goal of IFP is to help families stay together safely and to avoid unnecessary out-of-home placements. The philosophy and objectives of the IFP program are to provide family centered, strength based and solution focused services to children and families.

Program staff meet with the families in their homes and in the community two or three times per week. Working together with the family, they develop and implement individual family service plans. These service plans address a number of areas including the environment, parental capabilities, family interactions, family safety and child well-being. Workers teach skills such as parenting and anger management; facilitate family meetings; provide support for family members; and connect the family with community resources. Throughout interventions IFP workers provide 24-hour emergency response for the families.

IFP services are generally provided for a short period of time, about eight to ten weeks for most families with periodic follow up contacts for one year. IFP places emphasis on empowering families and helping each individual family develop tools and skills that remain with them after the IFP intervention has ended.