Connections Count

Strong Connections, Effective Partnerships

Cornerstones of Care, a long-standing FFTA member organization, is a trauma-informed mental and behavioral health nonprofit providing evidence based prevention, intervention, treatment, and support services that help children and families achieve improved safety, stability, and well-being. Serving children and families across Missouri, Kansas, and beyond, the organization’s mission is to partner for safe and healthy communities, with a steadfast commitment to keeping children safe and families together.

Hundreds of miles away in Alberta, Canada, fellow FFTA Member organization McMan Youth, Family, and Community Services Association shares a similar commitment to helping children, youth, and families achieve their full potential through a wide range of community-based services. With the core values of Commitment, Trust, Empathy, Respect, and Genuineness at its core, McMan has been an intentionally impactful not-for-profit social service agency for the last four decades.

The mission of both organizations was recently demonstrated in a way that underscores the importance of strong connections, effective partnerships, and the role FFTA plays in supporting both.

Shelia Rancatore, Executive Director of Missouri Programs and Services at Cornerstones of Care and a member of the FFTA Board of Directors, received an inquiry from a state partner seeking connections to a social service agency in Canada. Several Missouri youth in foster care had a parent residing in Alberta, Canada, but navigating the process and identifying appropriate resources to complete a home study was presenting challenges.

Although Rancatore did not have direct contacts with Canadian agencies, she reached out to FFTA staff for assistance. FFTA Managing Director, Eric Giovanni, promptly responded, facilitating a direct email connection with leadership at McMan. Within two business days, the necessary partners were scheduling a virtual meeting to exchange information and determine the best path forward. “This experience demonstrates the power of relationships—and how FFTA membership transforms collaboration from an idea into meaningful action,” Rancatore shared.

Moments like these reflect FFTA’s mission of being the trusted resource, advocate, and connector that advances wellness for all families and communities. We connect our members to share knowledge and solutions, creating a stronger, more united community of support. And it is an honor to be a part of moments like this, where we can make a difference together.

FFTA's Senior Leadership Collaborative

Leadership Through Connection | Launching October 2026

Behind every strong organization is a team of senior leaders helping navigate complexity, lead people, solve problems, strengthen culture, and shape what comes next.

FFTA’s new Senior Leadership Collaborative (SLC) is a peer leadership and networking experience designed for senior leaders within FFTA Member organizations. The collaborative combines in-person connection at the FFTA Leadership Summit with ongoing virtual peer conversations and leadership engagement throughout the year. If you’re leading programs, operations, strategy, clinical services, workforce initiatives, finance, fundraising, or regional teams, this collaborative may be for you.

Connect with peers. Share insight. Explore emerging challenges. Invest in your leadership journey while strengthening your impact within your organization and community.

Celebration of the FFTA 2026 Public Policy Institute

Driving Policy in Action for the Good of Families| FFTA 2026 Public Policy Institute

A few weeks ago, more than 100 attendees from 27 states, 1 district, and 60+ organizations gathered in Washington, DC for the FFTA 2026 Public Policy Institute (PPI). Throughout the 2-day event, we witnessed providers, lived experts, federal partners, state leaders, housing partners, and community organizations come together around one shared goal: strengthening children, families, and communities. 

The incredible response to this year's sold-out event speaks to the importance of the critical issues and important conversations surrounding prevention, kinship and family support, older youth, and the future of child and family serving systems. We heard directly from federal agencies, congressional offices, national partners, and community leaders about both the challenges ahead and the opportunities in front of us. We spent time highlighting innovative partnerships, housing initiatives, workforce development efforts, and community driven solutions happening across the country right now. We were honored to welcome Armenia’s  Ambassador to the United States, Narek Mkrtchyan, whose country is working toward many of the same goals.

FFTA was also proud to partner with the Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Collaborative, helping further conversations around housing stability, older youth supports, and community driven solutions that create stronger pathways into adulthood for young people. TAY sent 20 attendees and participated throughout the week, including the lived experts panel and networking reception.

One of the most memorable moments came during the last day attendees were on Capitol Hill. Many received passes to sit in the House gallery and watch debate take place in real time as the Fostering the Future Act passed the House floor. Seeing six Chafee reform bills come together into one piece of legislation while our attendees were in Washington was a powerful reminder that relationships, persistence, and lived experience continue to shape meaningful progress.

Progress happens when people are willing to come together, listen, share openly, and continue building toward what is possible. Thank you to everyone who traveled, presented, shared your expertise, and represented your communities throughout the event. 

While this year's Public Policy Institute has concluded, the work of advancing FFTA’s 2026 Public Policy Priorities, continues at FFTA’s Annual Conference and throughout the rest of the year.