Family Preservation (Foster Care Prevention Services) Helping families stay together and get the help they need is at the core of what we do. The Lower East Side Family Union casework staff assists families that are struggling to care for their children due to alleged abuse or neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, and more. We also help families that are overwhelmed by the challenges of un/underemployment, homelessness, lack of affordable health care, and other issues that impact their ability to care for their children. Through supportive counseling, referral and advocacy work, we help at-risk families stabilize, access the help they need, and stay together.