Agency Description

Developers of the Homebuilders model of Family Preservation Services, Intensive Reunification Services and Evidence based child welfare programs
"Washington State has been at the forefront
of child abuse prevention. Two programs started
here are so successful they've become role
models for other states...One is called
HOMEBUILDERS. ~ ABC World News Tonight"
The Institute for Family Development is a recognized leader in the development of innovative family preservation services that help families thrive.

Located in Washington State, with training services delivered across the United States and internationally, the Institute offers new solutions to the complex problems facing families today.

Please take a few minutes to explore this website, and learn more about the Institute's service programs, professional training and consultation options, and employment opportunities.

HOMEBUILDERS
The Institute has received international recognition for its HOMEBUILDERS program, an intensive, in-home family counseling and skill-building program that is designed to keep children safe, improve family functioning, and prevent the unnecessary removal of children into state custody. HOMEBUILDERS is the oldest and best-documented family preservation program in the country. In the early 1990s, 13 states set the characteristics of the program in statute, and the Washington State Legislature has implemented the model statewide.

In 2006, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) conducted a meta-analysis of the research about family preservation programs across the country, and concluded that programs with high fidelity to the HOMEBUILDERS® model significantly reduced out of home placement and produced $2.54 of benefits for each dollar spent. Programs with low fidelity to the model produced no significant effect on placement and no cost benefit.

The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare includes the HOMEBUILDERS® model as one of only five programs identified as being effective in reunifying families. The U.S. Surgeon General has recognized HOMEBUILDERS® as a model family strengthening program, the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) has designated HOMEBUILDERS® as a model program for preventing juvenile delinquency, and the program has been accepted into the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Registry of Evidenced Based Programs and Practices to prevent or treat mental health or substance abuse disorders. Research consistently shows that 70% to 90% of referred families remain safely together six months to a year following services .
Click here for more information about HOMEBUILDERS Intensive Family Preservation Service.

Other Programs
The Institute offers a range of in-home and community-based programs through a variety of human service systems, including child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice. Our programs serve over 1000 troubled families each year throughout Washington State. While each program is designed to meet the unique needs of the targeted population, all are based on the HOMEBUILDERS model of working with families to reduce service barriers and improve family functioning.
Click here for more information about our other family preservation programs.

Training
The Institute provides technical assistance and training to staff from public and private agencies from across the United States and internationally who wish to replicate HOMEBUILDERSŪ.
Click here for more information

Evaluation
The Institute holds itself accountable for providing only services that can demonstrate their effectiveness. We have a long-standing commitment to using research and evaluation to guide program development. Client service outcomes, consumer satisfaction, and adherence to program standards are routinely evaluated. We evaluate our own programs, and offer program evaluation services to other agencies.
Click here for more information about evaluation of our programs.