Community Based Care

Community Based Care (CBC) is a statewide child welfare reform initiative launched by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). Rather than relying solely on DCF caseworkers, CBC contracts with local, nonprofit “lead agencies” (19 across Florida) to manage all aspects of foster care and related child protection services in their regions. These lead agencies (e.g. ChildNet in Broward/Palm Beach, Children’s Network of Hillsborough in Circuit 13, Family Support Services in Jacksonville) are embedded in their communities, responsible for intake, placement, therapy, adoption, prevention, and performance reporting. The goal is safer, more accountable, locally‑tailored child welfare services and permanent family outcomes.