Children’s Trust of South Carolina is joining an innovative partnership designed to connect families with coordinated support services. The program, called OPT-In (Opportunities for Prevention and Transformation Initiative), helps families access the support they need before problems become more serious.
OPT-In was founded by the Doris Duke Foundation to test and demonstrate how resource navigation and concrete supports can lower involvement in the child welfare system. Concrete supports may include assisting with utilities, housing, transportation, child care, employment, and other essential needs. It seeks to show a better, more cost-effective and scalable way to prevent child abuse and neglect.
In South Carolina, Opt-In is led by the S.C. Department of Social Services (DSS) and aims to support families further upstream by referring families screened out by DSS to local family resource centers for resource navigation and assistance with concrete supports with the goal of addressing risk factors that may contribute to child maltreatment.
“Many families are reported to DSS simply because they are in crisis,” said Joan Hoffman, chief operating officer at Children’s Trust and one of the South Carolina project leaders. “We know when unmet need continues to linger, they are often rereported to DSS”
OPT-In aims to interrupt that cycle..
Children’s Trust has been working closely with DSS, national technical assistance providers, and, in consultation with families, to finalize the delivery of these services. Children’s Trust will serve as the fiscal agent for this project, collaborating with local family resource centers in Aiken, Richland and Orangeburg Counties.
The project has clearly defined eligibility requirements, including income, proof of residency and documentation. It will be staffed by local, trusted family resource navigators and is scheduled to start in early 2026.
South Carolina is one of four demonstration sites, along with Kentucky, Oregon, and Washington, D.C. South Carolina was selected to due to its efforts in implementing innovative prevention strategies under the Family First Prevention Services Act,
Participation in this project allows our state to learn from other communities while sharing our own strengths, insights and successes.