Families at times are separated or reunification is delayed because they lack the concrete resources to make the changes required to keep children safe. In the past, the cost of the inability to respond to the needs of families has been high, causing the emotional trauma of loss and separation, as well as the needless fiscal costs of maintaining children in care. The Emergency Placement Prevention and Family Reunification Fund provides CUAs with a critical resource to help families. This fund is meant to be easily accessible to the CUAs. This fund is not simply an emergency fund, but a fund to be used strategically to advance three critical child welfare outcomes:

• Keep children and youth safely in their homes.
• Reunite children and youth with their families in a timely manner.
• Achieve permanency through Adoption or Permanent Legal Custodianship (PLC) by DHS paid caregivers.

Please see the links listed below for more information.

DHS CUA Emergency Fund - Protocol
DHS CUA Emergency Fund - Application