SCDSS Awarded Federal Grant to Strengthen Prevention Services and Keep Families Safely Together

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September 16, 2026 - COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) announced today that the U.S. Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has awarded South Carolina a Prevention Accelerator Grant—part of a national $7.3 million investment—to help states strengthen family‑focused, evidence‑based prevention services. South Carolina is one of just 10 states selected to receive this one‑time federal funding, with individual state awards ranging from $600,000 to $750,000.

This grant award builds on South Carolina’s ongoing work through A Home for Every Child, a national effort the state joined earlier this year to expand kinship care, increase and improve foster home availability, and reduce foster care entries.

With this award, DSS will launch UPSTREAM SC, an initiative designed to expand expedited referral pathways for Motivational Interviewing‑based engagement in high‑risk counties. The goal is straightforward: help families get support earlier, stabilize challenging situations before they escalate, and reduce unnecessary foster care entries. Strengthening the state’s federal Title IV‑E infrastructure will also ensure more federal dollars flow back into local, community‑based services.

“This award directly strengthens our mission to support families before difficulties escalate and before neglect or abuse occurs,” said DSS State Director Tony Catone. “By expanding our engagement strategies and improving the infrastructure behind our prevention work, we can help more families stay safely together and reduce or avoid the trauma that results from foster care entry. We are grateful for ACF’s partnership and their continued support of South Carolina’s progress.”

DSS Chief Transformation Officer Dr. Steven Ferrufino said the grant will accelerate the agency’s long‑term vision for prevention. “UPSTREAM SC will help us amplify local partnerships, expand the capacity needed to deliver strong and sustainable prevention services statewide, and most importantly help families get the support they need exactly when they need it. This investment moves us closer to a future where prevention is a guiding principle in all that we do, where communities are strengthened, crises are reduced before they occur, and families can thrive with the right support at the right time.”

The Prevention Accelerator Grants support ACF’s national effort to shift more federal child welfare resources toward prevention—ensuring families get help earlier and reducing pressure on foster home availability. The funding also complements improvements already underway in South Carolina, including strengthened kinship placement practices, reduced foster care entries, and ongoing progress under the Michelle H. settlement agreement.

Additional information about the grant award can be found here. South Carolina households interested in supporting children and families or becoming foster parents can visit www.dss.sc.gov for more information on the process and licensing requirements.

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