Functional Family Therapy in California
FFT LLC: The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (COE) for Functional Family Therapy in California
FFT LLC supports the implementation of Functional Family Therapy (FFT), an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), across California. FFT LLC delivers comprehensive training and ongoing implementation support to ensure lasting success. By partnering with communities, FFT LLC helps improve outcomes for youth and families facing serious behavioral health challenges.
What is FFT LLC's Role in the BH-CONNECT Initiative?
Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) are central to California’s vision of expanding access to and strengthening the continuum of community-based behavioral health services. To help behavioral health systems and practitioners implement EBPs effectively, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has established Centers of Excellence (COEs).
FFT LLC is honored to serve as a Center of Excellence (COE), supporting the dissemination and implementation of Functional Family Therapy across California.
- Program Overview
- Program Overview
- Target Population
- Key Components
- Staffing Structure
- Helpful Resources
FFT is a systemic, family-based intervention designed for youth at risk for out-of-home placement due to externalizing behaviors (e.g., physical aggression, oppositional behavior, substance use) that require the engagement of the youth or family members’ social system (e.g., family, teachers, health care providers). The service aims to reduce adolescent behavioral problems, conduct disorder, substance use, and recidivism while improving parenting practices.
- The youth is aged 11 to 18 or of an appropriate developmental age to receive the service; and
- The youth is at risk of or has moderate to severe behavioral or emotional challenges, such as conduct disorder, violent acting-out, substance use disorder (SUD), or delinquency.
- Youth residing in inpatient, residential, or congregate living settings.
- Youth with current acute psychosis or who present with severe psychiatric illness.
- Youth who have no psychosocial system that constitutes family.
- Youth 9 to 10 years of age or below (as primary referral) or 19 years and over.
FFT is a systemic and family-based intervention designed for youth ages 11 to 18 at risk for out-of-home placement due to difficult behaviors or trouble dealing with their emotions.
FFT works with a young person’s entire family and extrafamilial influences to facilitate positive growth and development.
FFT is offered on average through 12 to 14 therapy sessions generally spread over a three-to-five-month period. FFT is a five-phase family therapy model:
- Engagement
- Motivation
- Relational assessment
- Behavior change
- Generalization
Teams of three to eight master’s level clinicians (this includes one clinical supervisor). Full-time clinicians see between 10-12 families each at any given time.
Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP) (including waivered or registered professionals) and Clinical Trainees acting within the scope of their license and training may provide FFT. All providers must have an active certification and be acting within the scope of their license and training to claim for FFT.