National Family
Support Network
Briefing
Each May, the National Family Support Network holds the National Briefing, an interactive virtual event designed for stakeholders working at the systems and policy levels. The event focuses attention on the value of Family Resource Centers and Family Resource Center Networks, explores how and why FRCs continue to be scaled across the country, and highlights progress towards and opportunities for implementing the Advancing the Family Support and Strengthening Field Strategic Recommendations.
Past Briefings
More than 300 people from 42 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia participated in the 2022 National Briefing on May 11. The NFSN released the new Network Snapshots profiling the work of
NFSN Member Networks as well as Supporting & Strengthening Our Nation’s Families: A Blueprint for
the Development of Strong Networks of Family Resource Centers. Participant evaluations indicated that
98% of them found the National Briefing helpful in informing their work.
The Briefing featured:
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Mari Villaluna sharing their experience as a Native American, Two-Spirit, queer parent participating in Our Family Coalition in San Francisco, CA.
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Kentucky State Representative Jason Petrie (R) talking about why he led the recent successful effort to secure $9.4M in state general funds for the Commonwealth's 874 school-based Family Resource and Youth Service Centers.
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Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye speaking about how and why her office recently began partnering with the 57 school-based FRCs in her state.
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A public-private funder to funder dialogue about the value of investing in FRCs with Sasha Rasco, Chief Prevention and Community Well Being Officer, Prevention and Early Intervention Division, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and Blia Moua, Program Officer at the S.H. Cowell Foundation.
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Two Family Resource Centers Tours: a Community-Based FRC Virtual Visit with Ser Familia’s Centro de Asistencia Familiar y Emocional/ Center of Emotional and Family Assistance (C.A.F.É.) in Georgia and a School-Based FRC Virtual Visit with Enfield Family Resource Centers in Connecticut.
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The opportunity to virtually visit and connect with up to three NFSN Member Networks across the nation.
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2021 Recording Link • 2021 Presentation Link The 2021 Briefing celebrated the 10th anniversary of the National Family Support Network. The Briefing featured Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman speaking about why the Commonwealth has allocated $1.1M in state general funds for 24 new school-based FRCs to add to their existing 856 FRCs and designated $15M in federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER II) to fund FRCs to address early childhood and mental health issues. Washington State Representative Carolyn Eslick (R) explained why she has championed FRCs recently being added to state statute. Denver Indian FRC Tara McLain Manthey talked about the experience of FRCs working with families through the pandemic and the value of being part of a state Network of FRCs. Paul Cheung shared his experience as a Chinese immigrant father participating in the Joy Lok Family Resource Center in San Francisco, California.
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2020 Recording Link • 2020 Materials Link The 2020 Briefing featured parent Sheila Harewood sharing her experience with an upstate New York Family Resource Center, remarks from U.S. Children's Bureau Associate Commissioner Jerry Milner, and an announcement from Alabama Department of Human Resource Commissioner Nancy Buckner about adding FRCs as a line item in the state budget for the first time and securing additional funding for them. More than 400 stakeholders from 48 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and Canada participated.
National Forum
Prior to the pandemic, the National Family Support Network conducted an in-person National Forum each May in Washington, DC.
Past Forums
”Wonderful. This was well worth our travel. I was so impressed.“ – Forum participant
Maryland Family Network shares its work at 2015 Forum
2019 National Forum in Washington, DC.
Panel Speakers on the Value of Investing in Family Support and Strengthening Networks- Christine Calpin (Casey Family Programs), Niurca Louis (NJ Assistant Commissioner of Family and Community Partnerships), and Dr Jerry Milner (Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau) at the 2019 National Forum in Washington, DC.