History
1973
Police discovered the bodies of 27 youths buried in shallow graves in the Houston area, many of them runaways from middle class America.
1974
Congress passed the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (Title III), establishing 60 programs to serve runaways nationwide, six of them in Florida (Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Merritt Island, Gainesville, Tampa and Miami).
1976
The Florida Network of Youth and Family Services was incorporated with an office in Tampa.
1981
The Florida Legislature provided state funds for runaway services for the first time (in response to federal budget cuts).
1982
The Florida Network office opened in Tallahassee.
1983
Florida’s Runaway Youth and Family Act was passed and a statewide Runaway Youth Task Force was formed.
1984
A legislative mandate passed for Florida to have 23 full service centers, serving every area of the state, with a full range of services, from prevention to aftercare, to troubled teens and families. Florida Network staff was expanded to collect data on runaways for the state, provide quality assurance controls, train agency staff members, and assist with communications and fundraising.
1988
The Florida Youth & Family Foundation was created; headed by Florida First Lady Mary Jane Martinez. The Florida Runaway Hotline was established.
1992
The Florida Legislature privatized services to the CINS/FINS population. Centralized client intake and assessments were removed from the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (DHRS) and were contracted out to the community-based Florida Network organizations.
1994
Funding and oversight of CINS/FINS services moved from the DHRS to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).
Additional shelters are being added bringing the total to 30.
2001
DJJ entered into a single, statewide contract with the Florida Network to provide CINS/FINS services. The Florida Runaway Hotline was eliminated due to budget cuts after the 9-11-01 terrorist attacks in New York.
Florida TaxWatch releases a study finding the Florida Network services save taxpayers millions of dollars each year by successfully diverting children from juvenile justice programs.
Clear Channel produces a video entitled, “Family Emergency”, about the services provided to Children and Families in Need of Services.
2003
The Neighborhood Partnership Project begins across the state, providing counseling to children in locales closer to their home through partnerships with grassroots organizations.
2004
The statewide brochure is produced in three languages, English, Spanish and Creole.
2005
The Florida Network is awarded a federal grant to serve children from other countries that are not citizens but are left in the USA without parents.
2006
The Florida Legislature provides funding to raise the starting pay for youth shelter care workers statewide to $10.50 per hour.
The Network receives federal funding to provide special services to the soldiers and families of the Florida National Guard.
2007
The Florida Network celebrates 30 years of Leadership.
2008
The Florida Network is recognized by the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention as a best practice in the deinstitutionalization of status offenders.
2009
The Florida Network is recognized by the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention as a best practice in the deinstitutionalization of status offenders.
2010
The Associated Press does a follow-up article that is printed by newspapers statewide featuring the Florida Network titled “Intercepting Youths on the Path to Trouble.”
2011
Assumed responsibility for direct oversight of the QI process.
The Justice Research Center of Tallahassee completes a cost savings study of the Florida Network – “Findings from the cost effectiveness evaluation suggest that more than $160 million in subsequent DJJ juvenile justice placement expenses were avoided as a result of Florida Network non-residential and residential shelter services. Investing in Florida Network’s services is economically beneficial, with a nearly $5.50 return for every dollar invested in quality prevention programs for you at-risk for delinquency. A dollar invested today is multiplied in the future for Florida’s children and families.”
2012
Probation Respite services to youth on DJJ Probation with adjudication withheld. This program enables youth to successfully complete the terms of their probation with shelter and case management.
2013
The Domestic Violence Respite program was created as a Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI), with the focus on keeping youth who are arrested and charged with a battery on a household member out of secure detection and placed in one of our 28 shelters around the state. Youth are then able to remain in the community, attend school and receive family services through the shelter during their stay; which can be up to 21 days. This allows families to work on the issues that resulted in the arrest and work towards developing a healthy alternative other than physical violence when they become upset. This program serves youth ages 10-17. Since 2013, the Florida Network through the member organizations have been able to keep over 2,344 youth out of secure detention.
Advocated for and received $1.5M in funding by the Legislature to expand services to rural areas.
2014
Advocated for and received $1.9M for digital medication carts and part-time Registered Nurses.
The Florida Network expands the Probation Respite program which was originally started back in 2012. This was developed as an amendment to our Domestic Violence Respite contract to include serving youth ages 10-17 who are on Probation with adjudication withheld. This program provides a respite to youth who are at-risk of violating their probation. Youth can be placed at one of our 28 shelters around the state by their probation officer. This allows them to remain in the community and receive intervention services that would help redirect their behavior and develop better decision making skills.
2015
Implementation of the SNAP (Stop Now and Plan) program at four CINS/FINS sites located in Tallahassee at CCYS, Gainesville at CDS, Orlando at Orange County Youth and Family Services and Jacksonville at YCC. SNAP is an evidence-based behavioral model from Canada that provides a framework for teaching children struggling with behavior issues, and their parents, effective emotional regulation, self-control and problem-solving skills. The program includes sibling care and dinner to reduce challenges of engagement.
2016
Celebrated 40th anniversary of the Florida Network!
2017
$1M to expand SNAP U12 to 6 new sites
2018
2.5M to expand SNAP U12 to 11 new sites (bringing total to 21)
2019
Hurricane Michael creates unprecedented disruption to services statewide. All services continue through the strength and commitment of our Universal Aid Agreement.
2020
COVID 19 challenges the Network to locate and distribute PPE. The Network and partners adapt, pivot and innovate to continue services in a safe environment as well as negotiate extensive economic challenges.
2021
As workforce shortages and operational challenges persisted following the pandemic, the Florida Network focused on ways to adapt and overcome new challenges including member organization work force shortages. During this time, the Network convened the Chapter 984 Workgroup, bringing together leaders from across the state to begin the process of modernizing Florida's CINS/FINS statutes and advancing meaningful reform for youth and families.
2022
Worked with Analytic Initiatives to develop proprietary assessment, NIRVANA, (Network Inventory of Risks, Victories, and Needs Assessment) including protective factors and ACE scores to create a tool that measures the risks, strengths, and trauma of all Florida Network clients across all programs.
$1.49M bringing minimum wage for all FN employees to $15/hour, SNAP for Youth began at 5 sites
2023
Advocated and secured additional $5M from Florida legislature to increase direct care staff to $19/hour. NetMIS 3.0 unveiled, first major system modernization in two decades
2024
Increase of over $6.2M to increase contract rates to professionalize staff, published third independent Return on Investment Study by Analytic Initiatives which found for every dollar invested in CINS/FINS, $9.19 is saved to tax payers, an overall savings of $410 million for the period studied, US Health and Human Services Shareet Cares Project and DCF Fatherhood Initiatives begin.
2025
Responded to DJJ competitive procurement for all services, negotiated and resulted in new contract in July 2025 with rate increases and heightened accountability
SNAP for Probation began at 21 sites
2026
To Be Continued!