There are pre-implementation materials to measure organizational or provider readiness for Family Centered Treatment® (FCT) as listed below:

The FCTF’s Readiness Assessment process evaluates an applicant agency’s capacity and commitment to implementing quality, sustainable FCT services. To support this process, the FCTF provides multiple tools to assess a provider organization’s readiness to implement and deliver the FCT model.

Initial Steps & Preliminary Discussions

Before formal assessment, the FCTF facilitates discussions regarding:

• Program size, scope, and location
• Mission and agency culture
• Organizational intent and vision for FCT

These discussions allow the FCTF to learn about the prospective provider while also providing an overview of the FCT model and implementation expectations. Once an organization submits a formal written request to become a provider, the FCTF initiates the Readiness Assessment Process, granting access to the following resources:

• Prospective Organization Portal
• Readiness Assessment Matrix (RAM)
• Readiness Assessment Management Plan (RAMP)

Prospective Organization Portal

The Prospective Organization Portal serves as a centralized resource outlining the Readiness Assessment process. It includes:

• Information on program costs, services, and supports offered by the FCTF
• Implementation science, change management strategies, and timelines
• A Readiness Assessment Guide, which details how to prepare for and navigate the assessment

Additionally, the portal provides access to the Readiness Assessment Matrix (RAM)—the primary tool used during the formal assessment process. Readiness Assessment Matrix (RAM). Developed in consultation with the National Implementation Resource Network (NIRN), the Readiness Assessment Matrix (RAM) evaluates readiness across 10 implementation drivers and approximately 100 sub-drivers linked to successful FCT implementation.

The RAM process mirrors the Joining and Assessment phase of the FCT clinical model, fostering a collaborative approach between the FCTF and the prospective provider organization. This tool:

• Establishes a baseline for readiness
• Identifies organizational strengths and areas for growth
• Incorporates feedback loops to ensure ongoing quality improvement

Findings from the RAM are presented using graphs and summaries to assess trends and patterns. The FCTF Executive Leadership Team reviews these results to determine whether the organization is a good fit for FCT.

Readiness Assessment Management Plan (RAMP)

Upon approval, the FCTF works with the provider to develop a Readiness Assessment Management Plan (RAMP). This tool is derived from RAM findings and serves as a roadmap for early implementation. The RAMP includes:

• Provider demographics and target population
• Funding sources
• Implementation goals and strategies, aligned with the 10 implementation drivers

Beyond guiding implementation, the RAMP also functions as a training tool, demonstrating how data-driven strategies are used to set practical, measurable goals. Once implementation begins, the RAMP is integrated into Weekly Implementation Meetings (see Formal Support for Implementation section).

Accessing Pre-Implementation Materials

All pre-implementation materials, including the Readiness Assessment Guide, RAM, and RAMP, are available on the Prospective Organization Portal. Access can be requested via the training contact listed above.

There is formal support available for implementation of Family Centered Treatment® (FCT) as listed below:

The FCTF employs a multi-faceted implementation strategy that includes onsite and web-based direction, guidance, technical assistance, training, coaching, and consultation across clinical, operational, and systemic levels. Additionally, FCTF provides quality assurance, oversight, and monitoring to ensure effective implementation.

Upon FCT licensure, organizations receive training not only on the clinical model but also on implementation best practices. FCTF operates from the perspective that implementation is just as critical as the FCT model itself. To support this, a Co-Occurring Process integrates:

• Various assessments and tracking mechanisms
• Change management strategies
• Systems intervention and facilitative administration
• Workforce recruitment and retention
• Organizational culture development
• Leadership training
• Quality assurance practices

Once an organization is licensed as an FCT provider, FCTF provides structured guidance through the stages of implementation. Achieving full implementation or sustainability is a long-term process that varies by organization. Built-in feedback loops ensure continuous data collection, quality improvement, and provider ownership of the process.

As with the Readiness Assessment Matrix (RAM) and Readiness Assessment Management Plan (RAMP), implementation tools and processes are designed to be collaborative, working with providers rather than imposing requirements on them.

Key Implementation Tools & Strategies

To support ongoing implementation, FCTF employs structured tools and processes at regular intervals, adapting them to the organization’s development stage:

• Weekly Implementation Meetings – The primary driver of implementation. These multi-functional meetings between provider organizations and FCTF adjust in frequency as the provider gains competency, confidence, and commitment.
• Implementation Driver Assessment (IDA) – Conducted every six months (starting after the RAMP period), the IDA assesses implementation progress using 10 implementation drivers and 100 sub-drivers. The results determine the organization’s stage of implementation and guide FCTF’s level of direction and support.
• FCT Implementation Tool (FIT) – A living document developed from IDA data, the FIT tracks and monitors implementation goals and strategies. FITs are updated every six months and integrated into Weekly Implementation Meetings for continuous refinement.
• Licensure Implementation Report (LIR) – An annual report reviewing all implementation progress, training, performance metrics, outcomes, fidelity, stakeholder engagement, and systemic challenges. The LIR includes practitioner and stakeholder surveys and is reviewed with the organization’s executive leadership to ensure their active participation.

FCT Team Primacy Model

A high-performing team is the #1 administrative priority of an FCT provider organization. The effectiveness of FCT depends on a team-driven approach, grounded in Team Development and Peer Supervision. To support this, FCTF provides:

• Team Development Diagnosis Tool – Used by FCTF consultants and supervisors to measure team behaviors at both individual and group levels.
• Peer Professional Development – A tool that fosters peer supervision to enhance individual practitioner development.

Implementation Guides & Manuals

Implementation guides and manuals provide agency leadership, managers, and supervisors with strategies for organizational-level support of FCT implementation. Unlike treatment manuals, which focus on clinical delivery, these guides cover topics such as:

• Sustainability planning
• Collaboration with external agencies
• Staff training and development
• Data collection and evaluation
• Leadership involvement in implementation

There are fidelity measures for Family Centered Treatment® (FCT) as listed below:

FCT fidelity and adherence are determined through multiple objective measures that assess training completion, treatment intensity adherence, core treatment component implementation, and driver metrics.

FCT adherence measures are integrated into the treatment process for each client, utilizing actual written records that become part of the client’s file. These adherence measures are directly tied to treatment progression—each activity required to produce a written record cannot occur without the corresponding advancement in treatment.

All fidelity measures, except for the case review instrument (MIGS), involve client participation and are specific to the phase of treatment. Because they align with treatment phases, these measures serve as both progress indicators and quantifications of model adherence.

Staff Competency & Implementation:

• FCT staff are permitted to implement adherence measures only after successfully completing training specific to the relevant phases and measures.
• Each staff member must demonstrate competency through observation before independently performing or implementing a measure.

For additional details on fidelity measures or to obtain a Program Design and Implementation Guide, please contact the program developer.

There are implementation guides or manuals for Family Centered Treatment® (FCT) as listed below:

There is a Program Design and Implementation Guide. The purpose of this guide is to assist providers in learning about the history, purpose, and method of implementing the FCT model. It is comprised of the following content areas:

• Program Design & Implementation
• History
• FCT Program Implementation Considerations
• FCT Program Development Process
• Readiness Assessment
• FCT Training
• FCT Supervision
• Monitoring & Adherence to Fidelity and Treatment Intensity
• Outcome Evaluation and Research
• Implementation Process
• Implementation Drivers-Implementation Tool-KPIs-Licensure Reports
• Stages of Implementation
• FCT Certification and Licensure Process

FCTF implementation is practical and fully integrated into the daily operations of an FCT provider organization. The Program Design and Implementation Guide serves as a reference tool, supporting active implementation across multiple organizational levels and operational structures.

A structured agenda for the Weekly Implementation Team meeting ensures that implementation is collaborative and provider-driven, guiding the process in real-time. These meetings address both internal and external factors that impact the quality and sustainability of an FCT program.

Research has been conducted on how to implement Family Centered Treatment® (FCT) as listed below:

Muniute, E. I., & Alfred, M. V. (2007, Feb.). Team Primacy Concept (TPC) based employee evaluation and job performance. Paper presented at the Academy of Human Resource Development International Research Conference in The Americas (Indianapolis, IN). https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED504342

Hamburger, J., Marino, K., Wright, R., (2024). The Family Centered Treatment (FCT) Model: Impacts in Child Protective Services. Journal of Psychological Research. 6(4): 27-49. https://doi.org/10.30564/jpr.v6i4.7738