Family Link: What We've Learned, What We've Built, and What’s Next
Over the past 7-weeks, we’ve been piloting Family Link with 13 Affiliates across the country — and we’re excited to share a quick look at what’s happened, what we’ve learned, and what’s coming next.
"Family Link has enhanced our programmatic efficiency in several key areas. It has streamlined processes related to managing our waiting list, conducting intakes, and maintaining documentation. Additionally, the platform has improved our ability to access and review program data in a centralized, easily accessible format. Overall, Family Link is a valuable tool in helping us manage our programs more effectively."
What We’ve Done:
Since launching the pilot in February, 130 families have been served through Family Link, across five core programs: eviction prevention, shelter diversion, shelter and emergency services, and housing. For the case managers using it every day, Family Link has already started to make a real difference — simplifying tasks, reducing paperwork, and providing easier access to the data and tools that matter most.
But we also learned something else early on: onboarding and adopting new systems takes more time and care than we expected. Change is hard — especially when you’re already working hard to support families. So we’ve been listening closely and working hard to meet Affiliates where they are, strengthening our onboarding, refining our training, and improving our support along the way.
What We’ve Learned (and Improved):
Thanks to honest and thoughtful feedback from users, we’ve made a number of improvements to Family Link that are already live:
A Rapid Intake process that shortens the time from intake to action
Easier labeling and list management to help users stay organized
Support for new document types
Plus 20+ small but mighty enhancements to make the platform faster, easier, and more intuitive
The feedback from Affiliates has been incredibly encouraging — and more importantly, it’s been directly shaping how Family Link evolves.
What’s Next:
The pilot phase wraps up on April 11, but Affiliates who joined the pilot will continue to have free access through the end of the year. While we won’t be checking in weekly anymore, full training and support will still be available — we’re committed to helping every team succeed with Family Link.
Looking ahead:
A new cohort of 20 Affiliates will begin onboarding in mid-April
Another 40–60 Affiliates are expected to join before the end of 2025
We’ll continue to release updates that make Family Link more powerful and easier to use
"We are running a Diversion program through federal funds to assist families exit homelessness straight into housing. This program uses flexible funds to try and meet families where they are with financial assistance to support them towards housing. While flexible funds are great, it can be hard to remember what all you have done with a family and what is left to be done. My favorite part of Family Link is its ability to keep track of services. By the time we exit them from our program, we have a comprehensive summary of services. "
Thank You
To everyone who’s been part of the pilot — thank you. You’ve helped shape what Family Link is becoming, and your input continues to guide our path forward.
And to those thinking about joining — we’d love to have you on this journey. Family Link is more than a tool. It’s part of a shared effort to serve more families, more effectively, with less administrative burden and more real-time insight.
We also recently sent out our first CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) survey — results coming soon. But even before the data, the real story is in the engagement. The Affiliates in our pilot haven’t just used the tool — they’ve shaped it.
Let’s keep building it together.
