San Francisco provides a range of prevention services for families through its 26 neighborhood-based family resource centers. Katie Albright, CEO of Safe & Sound, talks about the importance of a multi-disciplinary, multi-sector approach to prevention and how the entire community has a role to play in protecting children and strengthening families.

Family needs don’t exist in silos, so agencies must work collaboratively and cooperatively to successfully meet those needs. Sylvia DePorto, former child welfare director for San Francisco City and County, Human Services Agency, emphasizes how government agencies should work collectively to identify a common mission, vision, and goals, pool resources, and put the needs of families above those of individual agencies.

Maria Su, executive director of the San Francisco City and County Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, stresses the impact that agencies can have when they share a common agenda, performance metrics, and outcomes, and leverage resources to help families succeed.