PCA America & HFA Work in Unison
Our North Star: All children and families are living a purposeful and happy life with hope for the future.
The Theory of Change guides all of our work at PCA America
This Theory of Change lays out a framework to promote a unified movement that ensures the health and well-being of all children and families so they can thrive. Now is the time to build an aligned and comprehensive primary prevention ecosystem in the U.S. that can create the conditions for all children, families, and communities to thrive, eliminate the structural barriers to economic inclusion, and decrease the need for families to encounter deep-end systems that are racist, cause unnecessary family separations, and create generational trauma for families.
Download the full Theory of Change
PCA America will serve as a national leader in our movement to transform the primary prevention ecosystem as laid out in the Theory of Change. Specifically, PCA America will:
Transform the narrative on and create a shared value for prevention
The first strategy approach aims to transform the narrative around prevention. This includes shifting mindsets: advocating for cross-sector solutions that drive positive childhoods and advance justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion/belonging; social norms and narratives that support positive childhoods.
As an example, see the Building Better Childhoods campaign, website, and toolkit – a collaboration between Prevent Child Abuse America, Social Current (formerly the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities-Council on Accreditation), and the FrameWorks Institute, with graphic design from 2-Story and support from Casey Family Programs.
Center families as partners in decision-making
The second strategy approach is aimed at engaging families – both those that have and have not been involved in the formal child welfare system – as full decision-making partners within primary prevention ecosystem efforts to advance positive childhoods for all children.
As one step within this strategy, HFA launched our first-ever national parent advisory committee in early 2024!
Build and leverage evidence and influence to advocate for effective policies, practices, programs, and systems
The third strategy approach is aimed at building and leveraging evidence and influence to advocate for effective policies, programs, and systems that can advance positive childhoods for all children.
HFA is proud to have 40+ peer-reviewed published articles and 13+ randomized control trials by independent researchers demonstrating evidence of our effectiveness.
Amplify collaborative learning and adaptive action
This includes, among other strategies, serving as a connector to relationships, influencers, resources, and knowledge.
Some great examples of this include:
Grow and sustain human and financial capacity to advance prevention
This includes a focus on human resources and organizational culture: Staff and leaders represent diverse communities and families with lived expertise, have skills and knowledge to provide effective prevention programming and advance equity, and experience less burnout and more well-being.
As one example, HFA emphasizes the value of hiring staff with lived expertise and knowledge of the community served, increasing opportunities for diverse representation and equitable access to all positions. (Learn more)
Public Policy Resources
At PCA America, we advocate for a wider set of policies and services to strengthen families and communities, promote healthy child development, and prevent child abuse and neglect before it happens. PCA America has recently advocated for important issues such as the child tax credit and increasing available funding communities can use for home visiting programs like HFA.
PCA America Announces Federal Policy Priorities
Our priorities include: Investments in Primary Prevention, Comprehensive Family Supports, and Economic Stability and Mobility.
Child Tax Credit Information Brief
This brief was informed by a virtual Child Tax Credit (CTC) Convening in May 2023, hosted by Prevent Child Abuse America and Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago.
Research Resources
PCA America emphasizes the critical importance of research in analyzing and studying what’s working and not working, with a focus on improving the systems and supports for children and families. The more we know, the better we can advocate for policies and programs that will positively impact the lives of children and families across the country.
PCA America Research Team Explores Impact of Family-Friendly Policies
PCA America’s Research Team has hypothesized that supportive, family-friendly policies will lead to a decrease in family violence. What have they learned so far about the impact of Paid Family Leave and Child-Care Subsidies?
HFA's Evidence Comes to Life in Family-Freindly Voice
We’re proud to showcase HFA’s research in a way that ensures families are centered. And the evidence is clear: HFA parents and families achieve remarkable accomplishments
Chapter Network Collaborations
PCA America’s state chapter network provides state-level leadership, advocacy, and coalition building. They also implement programs to strengthen families, such as Connections Matter and Circle of Parents. Many are also implementing or advocating for Healthy Families America and the home visiting field at large. State chapters are great partners in our work, and we are thankful for them!
Looking ahead to PCA America’s 2025 National Conference in Portland, OR!
August 12-14, 2025 at the Oregon Convention Center & The Hyatt Regency Portland, OR
Advocating Together: Margaret, an HFA Parent Advocates with PCA Chapter Leads
Thank you to our incredible public policy team for making this happen!