Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) was created to consolidate child abuse prevention and juvenile delinquency prevention and early intervention programs within the jurisdiction of a single state agency. To provide services for at-risk children, youth, and families.

Community Youth Development (CYD) - The CYD program contracts services in 15 targeted Texas ZIP codes with community-based organizations to develop juvenile delinquency prevention programs in areas with high juvenile crime rates. Approaches used by communities to prevent delinquency include mentoring, youth employment programs, career preparation, youth leadership development and recreational activities. Communities prioritize and fund specific prevention services according to local needs.

Family and Youth Success Program (FAYS) (Formerly Services to At-Risk Youth (STAR)) - The FAYS program contracts with community agencies to offer family crisis intervention counseling, short- term emergency respite care, individual and family counseling, and universal child abuse prevention services, ranging from local media campaigns to informational brochures and parenting classes in all counties in Texas. Youth up to age 17 and their families are eligible if they experience conflict at home, truancy or delinquency, or a youth who runs away from home. In FY2018, contracts for the FAYS program were re-procured and started on December 1, 2017. Under these contracts, families could be served through traditional FAYS services or through one-time focused skills training. In some cases, families participating in skills training also chose to enroll in traditional FAYS services. Programmatically, these families are counted uniquely in both programs; for DFPS Data Book purposes, they are reported unduplicated.

Statewide Youth Services Network (SYSN) - The SYSN program contracts provide community and evidence-based juvenile delinquency prevention programs focused on youth ages 10 through 17, in each DFPS region.