About Us

FamiliesFirst Network of Lakeview (FFN) represents a partnership with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to provide an array of foster care and related services in coordination with network partners. The network includes DCF, Lakeview Center, as the lead agency, judiciary sub-contracted service providers, foster parents, the District One Community Alliance, agency stakeholders, and the community working together to implement the legislative mandate for community based care. Services include case management for out-of-home and in-home placements; foster home recruitment, training, recommendation for licensure, and support; adoption support; independent living program; dependency court resource facilitation; sub-contract management; and other related services to abused and neglected children and their families.

To be the best community based care system in the nation.

To ensure safety, stability, and well-being for children and families.

• Nurturing:  Promoting a loving, caring and safe environment for children
• Family Support:  Acting with a holistic, child and family focus
• Abilities:  Building upon strengths
• Ethics:  Maintaining a spirit of teamwork, trust and integrity
• Innovations:  Seeking creativity, discovery and flexibility
• Accountability:  Collaborating for joint ownership of responsibility
• Success:  Failure is not an option

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FamiliesFirst Network of Lakeview is a program of Lakeview Center. FFN was awarded the contract for community based care of foster care and related services as outlined in Florida Statute 409.1671 on April 1, 2001. This was a short-term readiness contract. The three-year cost reimbursement contract for the above services was effective on January 1, 2002. The past year has been a staged transition for each county’s services. March 1, Santa Rosa County services transitioned. On July 1, Escambia County’s services transitioned. October 1 the services in Okaloosa and Walton Counties transitioned along with District-wide placement and foster home development. FamiliesFirst Network employs nearly 250 staff members in the four county area.

The Department of Children and Families maintains jurisdiction over the reports of Abuse and Neglect through the Florida Abuse Hotline and the investigation of the abuse and neglect allegations in this District. Only the Department can remove a child from the custody of its parents based on the results of the investigation and recommend the child be sheltered. The Dependency Court in each county makes the final decision to remove a child from the custody of its parents and to return the child after services have been provided.