Functional Family Therapy (FFT)

Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is a short-term family counseling model for youth and families, primarily at-risk youth referred by juvenile justice, mental health, school, or child welfare systems. It is conducted in community settings and includes a family’s values, cultures, needs, and barriers in treatment planning.

Programs

• Functional Family Therapy (FFT) — Youth and families; primarily at-risk youth referred by juvenile justice, mental health, school, or child welfare systems
• FFT-Gangs (FFT-G®) — Youth who are actively involved in gangs or at high risk of becoming so
• FFT Supervisor Apprenticeship Program — Qualified FFT therapists in Phase 3 FFT sites

At a glance

• Ages: 12–18 years old

About the provider

Over 50 studies have been conducted on the family counseling model over the past five decades. FFT is described as an evidence-based intervention for youth and families, and it has been independently studied with consistently positive results.

Services are short-term and conducted in community settings. FFT includes a family’s values, cultures, needs, and barriers in treatment planning. The Supervisor Apprenticeship is a one-year initiative. Apprentices can begin serving in supervisory roles after six months.

What families say

“South Community Behavioral Healthcare has partnered with FFT LLC for over eight years to provide the FFT intervention to more than 1,300 Juvenile Court involved families in Montgomery County, Ohio. Families have been positively impacted by FFT in many ways, including improved family functioning and reduced recidivism, which has created lasting impact in our community.” — Jackie Price, FFT Supervisor

Last updated August 18, 2026.