On Friday, January 17, 2025, WFLA Daytime spent time talking with Jenn Petion, President and CEO of Family Support Services Pasco and Pinellas Counties (FSS). Jenn spoke with Farron Hipp about the strides made by FSS in helping kids in the Suncoast community.

Farron asked about services FSS provides to families before children are at risk of removal from their home. Jenn said, “When we joined this community three years ago that was the first thing we set out to build – a strong and robust front-end so that families could receive services without things getting to a crisis point.” With this strategy, FSS has lowered the amount of children entering the child welfare system by more than half. “We are proud of getting kids out of the system and into permanency,” Petion further states.

Watch the WFLA Daytime segment here.

Interested in learning more about adoption? There’s still time to register for a free event, Child Adoption Education Day, on Jan. 25, 10a.m.-1p.m. at Old McMicky’s Farm in Odessa. A fun educational day! Children welcome.

To learn more about fostering with FSS, sign up for a free, virtual Foster Care Information Session (FIS).