Family First Prevention Services Act

The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, Public Law (P.L.) 115-123 on February 9, 2018. FFPSA supports the use of evidence-based practices to promote the well-being of children, youth, and families and to prevent unnecessary foster care placements. FFPSA revised many sections of Title IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act, including federal payments for foster care and adoption assistance.

The Family First Transition Act, signed into law on December 20, 2019, provides support for states and jurisdictions as their child welfare systems develop prevention-focused infrastructure important for FFPSA implementation.

For detailed information and guidance on FFPSA implementation and on the Family First Transition Act, see the following Federal Guidance Program Instructions and Information Memoranda. For questions, contact the Children’s Bureau Regional Office specific to your state.

FFPSA addresses a wide range of issues, including the development of national model licensing standards for foster family homes, expansion of services for youth aging out of the child welfare system, and funding for evidence-based kinship navigator programs. FFPSA presents a unique opportunity to support children and families experiencing substance use disorders. FFPSA authorized new optional Title IV-E funding for time-limited (one year) prevention services for mental health/substance abuse and in-home parent skill-based programs for: (1) a child who is a candidate for foster care, (2) pregnant/parenting foster youth, and (3) the parents/kin caregivers of those children and youth. The creation of the Title IV-E prevention program is an unprecedented step in recognizing the importance of working with children and families to prevent the need for foster care placement and the trauma of unnecessary parent-child separation. FFPSA presents a unique opportunity to support children and families experiencing substance use disorders.

• Highlighted Resource

  • Planning Title IV-E Prevention Services: A Toolkit for States

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, March 2020

    This toolkit aims to help states develop a plan for Title IV-E prevention services and implement a comprehensive array of services to prevent foster care placement by combining Title IV-E prevention services reimbursement with Medicaid and other funding mechanisms. The toolkit includes five sections: (1) Identifying and engaging partners; (2) Assessing population, service needs, and service coverage; (3) Determining priorities, goals, and actions; (4) Understanding roles of funding and decision points; and (5) Developing a plan for Title IV-E prevention services.

    Visit Website Planning Title IV-E Prevention Services: A Toolkit for States

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  Policy and Practice Resources

  • Federal Guidance Program Instructions and Information Memoranda

    Administration for Children and Families, April 2018–June 2020

    Information Memoranda (IM):

    • IM-18-02 (PDF 350 KB) Public Law 115-123, The Family First Prevention Services Act within Division E, Title VII of the Bipartisan Budget Act 2018
      This IM informs states and tribes of FFPSA enactment and provides basic information on the law (April 12, 2018).
    • IM-18-04 (PDF 25 KB) Funding for State Title IV-E/IV-B Agencies to Develop an Electronic Interstate Case Processing System
      This IM notifies states that the Children’s Bureau is disbursing funding to support an electronic interstate case-processing system to expedite interstate placements of children in foster, guardianship, or adoptive homes as required by FFPSA (August 23, 2018).
    • IM-19-04 (PDF 134 KB) Evaluation Plan Development Tip Sheet
      This IM provides an Evaluation Plan Tip Sheet to assist with the development of an evaluation plan for Title IV-E prevention services and other projects (August 13, 2019).
    • IM-20-01 (PDF 60 KB) NEW LEGISLATION—Public Law (P.L.) 116-94 Family First Transition Act
      This IM provides basic information on the Family First Transition Act. The Family First Transition Act provides a wide range of support for states and jurisdictions as their child welfare systems develop prevention-focused infrastructure important for implementation of the 2018 Family First Act. Support available from the Family First Transition Act includes:
      • Funding to support FFPSA implementation
      • Temporary grants to states or jurisdictions with expiring Title IV-E waivers if they face significant loss of funds as they transition away from child welfare waivers

      The act also delays the FFPSA provisions that require at least 50 percent of state claims for prevention funding to be for programs rated in the FFPSA Prevention Clearinghouse as “well supported.” The act delays the requirements through fiscal year (FY) 2021 and provides a phased approach in meeting the 50 percent requirement. Programs rated as “supported” and “well supported” count toward the 50 percent requirement in FYs 2022 and 2023. Fifty percent of programs must meet the “well supported” category in FY 2024 (January 22, 2020).

    Program Instructions (PI):

    • PI-18-05 (PDF 208 KB) Fiscal Year 2018 Funding Available for Developing, Enhancing, or Evaluating Kinship Navigator Programs
      This PI provides guidance on FFPSA funding to support the development, enhancement, or evaluation of kinship navigator programs (May 4, 2018).
    • PI-18-06 (PDF 214 KB) Additional Information and Instructions for the Annual Progress and Services Report
      This PI provides guidance on actions that states and tribes would need to take to receive FY 2019 funding under the programs authorized by Title IV-B, subparts 1 and 2, section 106 of CAPTA, CFCIP, and ETV programs due to the passage of FFPSA (May 31, 2018).
    • PI-18-07 (PDF 207 KB) Public Law 115-123, The Family First Prevention Services Act
      This PI provides guidance for agencies to amend their Title IV-E plans to meet FFPSA provisions and request a delay of effective dates for plan requirements as permitted by law. It includes instructions on claiming Title IV-E foster care maintenance payments for a child placed with a parent in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for a substance use disorder (July 9, 2018).
    • PI-18-09 (PDF 281 KB) State Requirements for Electing Title IV-E Prevention and Family Services and Programs
      This PI provides guidance on the requirements that states must meet when selecting Title IV-E prevention programs (November 30, 2018).
    • PI-18-10 (PDF 343 KB) Tribal Title IV-E Agency Requirements for Electing Title IV-E Prevention and Family Services and Programs
      This PI provides guidance to Tribal Title IV-E agencies on requirements of the FFPSA prevention program (November 30, 2018).
    • PI-18-11 (PDF 119 KB) Requirements for Participating in the Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Program
      This PI provides information on the requirements for participating in the Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Program (November 30, 2018).
    • PI-18-12 (PDF 656 KB) Approval of a revised form for reporting financial data on the Title IV-E Foster Care, Adoption Assistance, Guardianship Assistance, Kinship Navigator, and Prevention Services Programs
      This PI provides a revised form and instructions for reporting quarterly financial information on the Title IV-E Foster Care, Adoption Assistance, and Guardianship Assistance, Kinship Navigator, and Prevention Services Programs (November 30, 2018).
    • PI-19-01 (PDF 218 KB) Federal Fiscal Year 2019 Title IV-B, subpart 2 Funding Available for Developing, Enhancing, or Evaluating Kinship Navigator Programs
      This PI provides guidance to state, territorial, and Tribal Title IV-E agencies on the actions required to apply for Title IV-B, Subpart 2 funding to support the development, enhancement, or evaluation of Kinship Navigator Programs (January 8, 2019).
    • PI-19-06 (PDF 540 KB) Transitional Payments for the Title IV-E Prevention and Family Services and Programs
      This PI provides procedures for transitional payments for Title IV-E Prevention Services Programs (July 18, 2019).
    • PI-19-07 (PDF 1.2 MB) Transitional Payments for the Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Programs
      This PI instructs states on the procedures for transitional payments for the Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Programs.
  • Children’s Bureau Title IV-E Prevention Program Website

    Children’s Bureau, 2020

    This website includes helpful information and resources including the following:

    • Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse
    • The Prevention Services Clearinghouse Handbook of Standards and Procedures
    • Independent Systematic Reviews to Claim for Transitional Payments: Status of independent systematic reviews currently in review or approved
    • Status of Submitted Title IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plans
    • Technical Bulletin #1 – Title IV-E Prevention Program Data Elements
    • Technical Bulletin #2 – Title IV-E Prevention Program Data Submission Timelines

    Visit Website Children’s Bureau Title IV-E Prevention Program Website

• Related Online Trainings, Videos, and Webinars

  • The FFPSA Title IV-E Prevention Program Implementation Updates Webinar
    

    Children’s Bureau, March 2020

    This webinar provides an update on the implementation of the FFPSA prevention services program and to assist child welfare agencies and their parents in developing FFPSA prevention plans.

    Visit Website The FFPSA Title IV-E Prevention Program Implementation Updates Webinar
  • Implementing the Substance Use Disorder Provisions of the Family First Prevention Services Act: A Toolkit for Child Welfare and Treatment Stakeholders

    Children and Family Futures, March 2020

    Children and Family Futures, the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, and ChildFocus developed this toolkit designed to guide state leaders in their efforts to implement the substance use disorder focused provisions of the law. The toolkit is composed of five sections: (1) Understand Key Opportunities and Concepts; (2) Determine Evidence-Based Treatment Programs Most Appropriate for Children and Families in or At Risk of Entering Foster Care; (3) Leverage Family First to Expand Family-Based Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment; (4) Develop a Comprehensive Understanding of Available Funding Streams; and (5) Create Strong Partnerships to Maximize Success. The sections can be used in conjuction with eachother or as separate documents for jurisdictions looking to focus on one aspect of the law at a time. There is also a recorded webinar that discusses the toolkit.

    Visit Website Implementing the Substance Use Disorder Provisions of the Family First Prevention Services Act: A Toolkit for Child Welfare and Treatment Stakeholders

• State and Local Examples

  • Family-Based Residential Treatment: Directory of Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs for Parents with Children
    (PDF 1.1 MB)

    Wilder Research and Volunteers of America, March 2019 (Updated July 2019)

    This website provides a state-specific directory of family residential substance use disorder treatment programs.

    View Document Family-Based Residential Treatment: Directory of Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs for Parents with Children
  • Family First Prevention Services Act: Candidacy by Jurisdiction
    (PDF 1.5 MB)

    Chapin Hall and Casey Family Programs, March 12, 2020

    This resource provides a summary of state-specific candidacy criteria and considerations, as delineated in states’ submitted FFPSA prevention plans.

    View Document Family First Prevention Services Act: Candidacy by Jurisdiction
  • Defining Candidacy, Guiding Questions

    State of Oregon, Legislative Policy and Research Office

    The State of Oregon has developed a set of discussion questions on defining candidacy for prevention services under Family First.

    Visit Website Defining Candidacy, Guiding Questions
  • FamilyFirstAct.org

    Foster Club (in partnership with organizations including The Annie E. Casey Foundation and American Academy of Pediatrics)

    This website includes a listing of state specific resources, such as implementation plans and states’ progress in implementing FFPSA.

    Visit Website FamilyFirstAct.org

• Additional Resources

  • Implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act

    Children’s Defense Fund, February 2020

    This resource provides answers to commonly asked questions about the provisions in FFPSA.

    Visit Website Implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act
  • Putting Family First: Developing an Evidence-Based Child Welfare Preventive Practice Model

    The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2020

    This resource provides information for state child welfare agencies on considerations for developing a preventive practice model that aligns with the requirements of FFPSA, addresses the unique needs of families within local communities, and ensures that selected programs and practices are implemented with fidelity. The resource provides three state and local case examples.

    Visit Website Putting Family First: Developing an Evidence-Based Child Welfare Preventive Practice Model
  • Comparison of the CEBC Scientific Rating Criteria with the FFPSA Evidence
    (PDF 1.2 MB)

    California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), June 2018

    This brief provides a description of the similarities and differences between the CEBC and FFPSA criteria for evidence standards that practices need to meet to be funded using FFPSA dollars.

    View Document Comparison of the CEBC Scientific Rating Criteria with the FFPSA Evidence
  • Leveraging the Family First Prevention Services Act to Improve Use of Title IV-E GAP
    (PDF 1.7 MB)

    Grandfamilies.org, a partnership between the American Bar Association, Center on Children and the Law, Generations United, and Casey Family Programs

    This brief highlights provisions in the FFPSA related to kinship families and federal Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP). It suggests how states and eligible tribes can build on these provisions to promote use of assisted guardianship for children in kinship foster care.

    View Document Leveraging the Family First Prevention Services Act to Improve Use of Title IV-E GAP
  • New Opportunities for Kinship Families: Action Steps to Implement the Family First Prevention Services Act in Your Community
    (PDF 440 KB)

    Grandfamilies.org, a partnership between the American Bar Association, Center on Children and the Law, Generations United, and Casey Family Programs

    This tool highlights provisions in the FFPSA that can help kinship families and lists steps that caregivers, advocates, and other leaders can take to help implement the FFPSA.

    View Document New Opportunities for Kinship Families: Action Steps to Implement the Family First Prevention Services Act in Your Community