Community Advocates Public Policy Institute’s Stronger Families Milwaukee program has just completed three years of this five-year prevention initiative. This pilot program was developed by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families and has made an impact within Community Advocates and in partnership with Neu-Life Community Development and The Parenting Network. Working together, we strive to alleviate the stress placed on parents who are struggling and empower them to focus on the most important thing – having a healthy and loving family.
"I have grown since I have been in this program and things have gotten better communication wise in my family as far as what needs to be done for our daughter,” said a graduated participant of Stronger Families Milwaukee. “That could not have been done without you guys. Thanks a bunch."
About the Program
We are highlighting Stronger Families Milwaukee in conjunction with observing April as Family Strengthening Month in Wisconsin. This year, we are especially inspired by Governor Evers’ proclamation of 2025 as the “Year of the Kid,” reinforcing a statewide commitment to bolstering youth mental health, supporting the childcare industry, and prioritizing the well-being of children and families. While every month we are dedicated to strengthening families to build safe and nurturing environments for children, this month we highlight the teams and programs that do the work every day.
The Stronger Families Program takes a multi-generational, strengths-based approach to prevent families from being separated and experiencing household and relationship instability. After a referral from DCF’s Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services, families volunteer to participate in Stronger Families Milwaukee to build on their strengths to resolve their self-identified issues.
In the program, parents/caregivers and their Family Support Specialist assess various aspects of their lives, including housing, food, family support, substance use, parenting, safety, life skills, and more. They then identify goals and work step-by-step to resolve them. Stronger Families Milwaukee Program Manager Lauren Faulds says that looking at the data, many families’ scores improved significantly from time of entry to exit. This information is a great measurement to demonstrate the benefits and success of Strong Families Milwaukee.
The Stronger Families Program’s team includes one intake specialist and five case managers working to support families. Taking on up to 12 families at a time, each Engagement Specialist acts as a bridge into additional services offered by Community Advocates and community partners. Over the course of 4 months in the program, families graduate having addressed any behavioral issues, anger management, housing instability, parental support, and so much more. We are honored to have served and supported over 120 families in our first three years.
Recommending the Program to Clients
If any Community Advocates staff is working with a family that has an open case with DMCPS and you think they may be a good fit for this program, please contact Lauren at lfaulds@communityadvocates.net. Lauren will ask the family for permission to reach out to their initial assessment worker to get the proper referral needed.
To learn more about Stronger Families Milwaukee and the team, go to https://ppi.communityadvocates.net/policy-projects/stronger-families-milwaukee.html.
