To assist families currently receiving (TANF) in reaching this goal, ECCPASA is working in partnership with the Erie County Department of Mental Health and the Erie County Department of Social Services by conducting a research-based program - the Strengthening Families Program (SFP).

The SFP is a national model: the first research-based parenting program specifically designed for substance abusing parents and their children. The SFP is a selective (targets groups at risk), multi-component, family-focused program that provides prevention services for six- to 14-year-old children of parents who are actively involved in substance abuse treatment.

The SFP is conducted two times a year in four-month segments. Three-hour sessions are conducted weeknights from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Each cycle is conducted in cooperation with the Erie County Department of Social Services (ECDSS) Multi-Abuse Assessment Team (MAAT) Unit.