Family Support

Family Support 360 Fact Sheet

Family Support 360 Overview

Family Support 360 (FS 360) is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), part of the Administration for Children and Families. Through this effort, ADD has provided planning and implementation grant opportunities to create one-stop centers to assist the families of individuals with developmental disabilities (DD).

Applicants were required to be designated as the lead entity for their State/Territory by their Governor and work in partnership with the DD Network (DD Council, Protection and Advocacy System, and University Center on Developmental Disabilities), family members, policymakers, and others in their State/Territory. In addition, applicants identified an unserved or underserved population in their State/Territory, on which to focus their efforts.

In FY 2004, 21 entities were funded for five years to implement, and in FY 2009, 7 entities were funded to plan and implement Family Support 360 Centers.  These grantees are working with families in a variety of community settings to assist them in locating and navigating public human service agencies, as well as connecting to private community organizations. ADD envisions the efforts of these grantees will demonstrate the economic feasibility of a one-stop center where families can go for all of their needs, as well as the positive impact of the center on the ability of families to care for their family member with DD in their local community.

Family Support 360 Goals

Families need access to comprehensive systems of family support services that are family-centered and family-directed, and that provide families with the greatest possible decisionmaking authority and control regarding the nature and use of services and supports for them and their members with disabilities. Families need to have the opportunity to participate in the design of family support services. Initiatives that involve and center on families, and promote and develop coordination and collaboration among agencies responsible for providing the services will contribute to family preservation and strengthening.

The FS 360 initiative differs from other family support efforts in that it views the family as a unit and provides services for the entire family, not just the individual with a developmental disability. Existing service agencies often focus on the individual with DD and provide only one type of service, such as childcare or an educational evaluation, for that individual. The FS 360 initiative seeks to assist the entire family. This means not only the member with the DD, but also the mother, father, siblings, and even the grandparents and children of individuals with DD.

Each of the 21 implementation projects is required to work with at least 50 families a year. Families participate in one family-friendly information collection process. From the information collected, center staff and where appropriate, other agency personnel, work with the individual family to determine the services needed and the best way to qualify for those services. Families participate in writing a family service plan (FSP), which describes the services they may receive, as well as the steps to be taken to secure the services. Through the FSP, families may be assisted with a broad range of needs, for example, accessing health care, childcare, early intervention, education, employment, marriage education, financial education, transportation, housing, respite care, and assistance in maintaining parental rights. If a family encounters a problem once the plan is implemented, staff at the one-stop will help get things back on track.

Family Support 360 Technical Support:

In the FY 2009, BETAH Associates of Bethesda, Maryland was awarded the contract to provide technical assistance to ADD’s Family Support 360 grantees. The BETAH staff is tasked with coordinating the annual grantee technical assistance institute, hosting conference calls, providing expert knowledge upon request, and facilitating peer-to-peer grantee learning and problem solving. Through this contract, a technical assistance web site has also been developed which may be viewed at: www.addfamilysupport360.org.

To view Family Support 360 Programs by state/territory, please click here.