Roughly 600,000 families are homeless today in America, while over 2.7 million children are in foster care or out-of-home placements. Few policymakers have examined these issues together, or understood that they are interrelated and must be addressed jointly to break the cycle of family disintegration, violence, and poverty. A recent survey by the Institute for Children and Poverty suggests that of the entire homeless population about 2,000 families in New York City may have children at risk of abuse or neglect, and over 1,200 are likely already to have children in foster care. It is families where the heads of households grew up in foster care who are at greatest risk of dissolution. The Prospect Family Crisis Nursery is an example of a family preservation program designed to meet the needs of these at-risk families. Parents may leave their children for up to 72 hours per visit up to 30 days per year without legal separation from them. The child is cared for safely at the crisis nursery while the parent can address immediate problems. The Together in Emotional Strength (TIES) program is another family preservation initiative of family services targeting substance abuse in particular. Prevention models like these offer possible solutions by regarding homelessness as more than simply a housing issue. One figure, one table, and one graph present information on homeless families. (Contains 2 references.) (SLD)