DHHS and partners outline five-year Child Safety and Family Well‑Being Plan

Child Safety and Family Well‑Being Plan presented to committee leaders Thursday puts prevention and family partnership at the center of efforts to reduce child welfare intervention.

The plan, presented by Mariette Aylborn of the Department of Health and Human Services and partners from the Maine Child Welfare Action Network, maps five strategies across two goals intended to ‘‘keep children safe by keeping families strong,’’ Aylborn said. The five strategies include providing economic and concrete supports, expanding access to low‑barrier services, building family partnerships, promoting supportive communities and improving coordination among state and community partners.

The plan matters because participants told presenters that missing basic needs and fear or stigma about asking for help are recurring barriers that push families into crisis. "We can keep children…