The Family Assessment and Planning Team, or “FAPT,” is a multidisciplinary group of professionals who represent public agencies as well as private organizations serving Fairfax County, the City of Falls Church and the City of Fairfax. Each FAPT is comprised of a representative from the Department of Family Services, the Community Services Board, Fairfax County Public Schools and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. There is also a representative from the private provider community as well as a trained parent/family representative.

As stated in our Systems of Care philosophy, Fairfax County believes that youth are best served with their own families. Keeping youth and families together and preventing entry into long-term out-of-home placements is the best outcome for children and families. While developing and coordinating treatment planning for children, services utilized will be community-based whenever possible, and children will be placed outside of the community only when absolutely necessary.

When other team-based planning processes have been unable to create a safe and effective community-based plan, or are unable to agree on a plan, then a referral shall be made to a FAPT. If parents/custodians disagree with the community-based plan created by a Family Partnership Meeting, Family Resource Meeting, or Intensive Care Coordination Youth and Family Team, or if they decline to participate in developing a community-based plan and decide to request residential or group home placement, then a referral can be made to a FAPT, via the youth’s CSA case manager.