About ACYF

Office Overview: Major Functions

The Administration on Children, Youth & Families (ACYF) sets priorities, vision, and oversight for the Children’s Bureau (CB) and the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), including work to: 

• Strengthen Families such that they have the opportunities, resources, and supports to raise their children in their own homes and communities and prevent entry into ACYF systems and programs.
• Enhance Engagement and Collaboration for Prevention across health and human services delivery in communities.
• Promote the sustained Well-Being of children within families and communities. 
• Use Evidence and Data to drive innovation and policymaking to improve the lives of children, youth, and families. 
• Promote Excellence in all aspects of ACYF’s operations and foster a positive workplace and engaged workforce.

 ACYF is led by a Presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed Commissioner and a career Senior Executive Service Deputy Commissioner. A career team of Senior Advisors and other staff support the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner in executing the vision and mission of ACYF, ensuring that the goals of the agency are efficiently achieved. ACYF oversees communications, administrative and budget functions, and strategic planning for all programs. These programs provide policy guidance and financial assistance to tribes, territories, and states, as well as grant recipient community-based organizations and academic institutions, to provide services to children, youth, and families. These resources carry out research and demonstration activities; manage learning opportunities and training; provide technical assistance, data, analytics and compliance review; peer to peer learning; and disseminate information. 

 The Bureaus of ACYF work to achieve their mission through the following major activities: 

• Providing program guidance on federal law, policy, and regulations 
• Funding essential services, helping states and tribes operate every aspect of their service delivery systems 
• Supporting social service innovation through peer-reviewed research and program development grants 
• Providing training and technical assistance to improve service delivery 
• Collaborating with states, territories, and tribes to improve service and achieve optimal outcomes for children, youth, and families 
• Sharing research with children, youth, and family professionals to assist in the improvement of services. 

ACYF actively engages with CB and FYSB on policy initiatives. See individual agency overviews for information specific to those agencies.  ACYF projects and priorities include the following:   

•  Collaborating across ACYF, ACF, HHS, and the federal government, with specific focus on:

  • Supporting positive youth development

  • Addressing and preventing youth homelessness

  • Addressing acute behavioral health issues to prevent entry into ACYF systems and programs

  • Aligning program activities and funding sources for positive family and youth outcomes

  • Children missing from care and trafficking prevention

  • Maintaining positive and collaborative communication with Tribes and supporting tribal engagement across ACYF

  • Preserving families and preventing entry into ACYF systems and programs

  • Innovating to improve efficiencies and outcomes for ACYF populations

  • Strategic planning across ACYF

  • Enhancing collaboration and communication between headquarters and regional offices to more effectively and efficiently support grantees and jurisdictions

  • Continued implementation of Family First Prevention Services Act; Kinship Care, Legal Representation, Designated Placement, and AFCARS-ICWA Final Rules; and Title IV-B Reauthorization

The Office of the ACYF Commissioner is comprised of the Commissioner; Deputy Commissioner; a Director of Tribal Engagement, a Director of Strategy, Planning, and Results; a team of Senior Advisors on prevention, system innovation and improvement, cross-system policy, and tribal engagement; Special Assistants; Executive Assistant; Executive Officer and Budget Officer; and accompanying management and budget analysts.  As a team, they provide the administrative (including Human Resources), budget, organizational and staff development, and program policy support for CB and FYSB. They amplify and elevate the work and accomplishments of the Bureaus, work in partnership with managers and staff, and are “force multipliers” on projects or goals of each Bureau. Presidentially appointed CB and FYSB Associate Commissioners report to the ACYF Commissioner and intentionally collaborate to achieve ACYF goals. See CB and FYSB Office Overviews for details on bureau organizational structure. 

FY 2024 Funding Levels — See individual Bureau descriptions for more information