"FRCs Strengthen Families and Save Systems Millions"

A recent peer-reviewed study, commissioned by the National Family Support Network (NSFN) and conducted by Omni Institute and Casey Family Programs, confirms what many in our Network have long known: Family Resource Centers not only strengthen families—they reduce public system costs.

The study, "A Longitudinal Analysis of a Rural Family Resource Center and the Cost Benefits to the County-Based Welfare System", conducted on the Community Partnership Family Resource Center (CP-FRC) in Teller County, Colorado—featured in the Summer 2025 edition of the Family Justice Journal. The study's key fings were:

• A 292% return on investment: For every $1 invested in the CP-FRC, the county child welfare system saved $2.92.
• A 62.84% reduction in substantiated child maltreatment cases in one year, translating to 51 fewer cases in 2018 compared to 2015.
• Services were delivered through a partnership model where the county referred screened-out families for voluntary support—offering help before formal child welfare involvement.
• The FRC reached nearly 100% of the county’s children most at risk of maltreatment through trusted, community-based supports.

This case study strengthens the national case for investing in Family Resource Centers—especially in rural counties where child welfare risks are often higher and access to services more limited. At NFSN, we’re proud to have commissioned this study as part of our broader effort to elevate evidence and expand access to effective, community-centered family support.

adapted from the newsletter of the National Family Support Network, July 23, 2025