CAMPBELL COUNTY (WSLS 10) - Patrick Henry Family Services launched a "first-ever" program in Virginia on Wednesday.
Safe Families for Children protects kids from neglect while their families face unemployment, homelessness, hospitalization or serve jail time.
The kids are placed with volunteering churches or families while their parents work to restore stability in their lives.
"That could be helping them find a better job, helping them get a GED, it could be to help them to get better education, practical things, needs food or maybe a car, whatever the situation is," said Patrick Steven Neff, Director of Family Placement Services.
The program was recently approved by the General Assembly and the Commission on Youth.
The program has successfully helped tens of thousands of families remain intact since it started in Chicago back in 2002.