Georgia Family Connection

When the Annie E. Casey Foundation released its inaugural national KIDS COUNT report in 1990 to track the status of children in the United States, Georgia placed 48th out of 50 states.

Gov. Zell Miller responded to this state’s dismal ranking in 1991 by establishing a two-year pilot initiative designed to coordinate services for the educational, social, economic, and physical well-being of Georgia’s youngest, most vulnerable citizens. He called the initiative Georgia Family Connection.

The governor called for the departments of Education, Human Resources and Medical Assistance to work together to develop a community-based collaborative approach to increase school success, and reduce teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and juvenile delinquency in Georgia.

A steering committee that included representatives from state agencies and the Georgia Academy for Children and Youth Professionals (Georgia Academy) coordinated the initiative at the state level.

Fifteen communities volunteered to participate in the pilot, with private funding from the Joseph B. Whitehead and Kirbo foundations.

The state legislature appropriated funds in 1993 to establish a state-level technical assistance system to support the original counties, and set additional funds aside each year after to support the waves of new counties connecting to the network.

GaFCP

Georgia Academy served as the first fiscal agent for the technical assistance system that provided support to the Family Connection initiative. But after 10 years of steady growth, public and private leaders realized the statewide network required formalized oversight.

That same year state government, philanthropy, and community-based organizations developed and launched a new organization by merging Georgia Academy and the Family Connection technical assistance system—Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP).

By 2004 all 159 counties in the state had voluntarily become part of the Georgia Family Connection collaborative network with an expanded focus on overall child and family well-being.

GaFCP's unique position as a public-private partnership enabled us to serve as a conduit for government, the private sector and communities by connecting their efforts to better support children and families.

The knowledge and expertise we’ve developed during the past 20 years working in communities with Georgia Family Connection has gained recognition and nods from national organizations like the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Brookings Institute’s Innovation in Community Indicators Award, and the Center for the Study of Social Policy.

Gov. Sonny Perdue allocated funding to the final five collaborative organizations in 2002, ensuring that all 159 counties were part of the statewide Georgia Family Connection network—the only statewide network of its kind in the nation.

In 2003 the Annie E. Casey Foundation named GaFCP the KIDS COUNT grantee, which further enhanced our ability to lead discussions among state and local leaders about the challenges Georgia faces, and poised us to offer positive solutions.

Georgia Family Connection and our work would not exist without the bipartisan support of Georgia’s executive and legislative leadership. Their continued investment in our work demonstrates that healthy children who are ready for school, succeed in school, and thrive in stable, self-sufficient families is a priority for all Georgians.

Milestones

1991
Gov. Zell Miller establishes a two-year pilot initiative designed to coordinate services for the educational, social, economic, and physical well-being of children in response to Georgia ranking 50th in inaugural national KIDS COUNT report.

Fifteen communities volunteer to participate in the two-year pilot initiative.

1993
State legislature appropriates funds to establish a state-level technical assistance system to support the original county collaborative organizations.

1995
Georgia Family Connection adopts the state’s framework for measuring community and state progress in five areas:

1. healthy children
2. children ready to start school
3. children succeeding in school
4. stable, self-sufficient families
5. strong communities

1996 through 2001
Georgia Family Connection helps Georgia improve eight out of 10 measures of child well-being.

2001
State government, philanthropy, and community-based organizations launch Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP).

2002
Gov. Sonny Perdue allocates funding to final five collaborative organizations, ensuring that all 159 counties are part of the statewide Georgia Family Connection network, making it the only statewide network of its kind in the nation.

2003
The Annie E. Casey Foundation names GaFCP the KIDS COUNT grantee.

2008
The Brookings Institution presents GaFCP with an international Innovation Award sponsored through the Community Indicators Consortium for programs that effectively use information to drive change in their communities.