List of States Seeking Family First Act Delay is Up to at Least 27

Updated information from the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF), obtained last week by Youth Services Insider, shows that the number of states intending to delay on the Family First Prevention Services Act is now at least 27 states.

YSI obtained an initial list of 17 states in mid-May, after multiple requests that began with a normal inquiry to ACF. After filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, we were denied again. Then, nearly four months after our appeal of that denial was filed, ACF provided a list of states that have requested a delay.

More >> List of States Seeking Family First Act Delay is Up to at Least 27

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signs Families First bill, recalls ‘callous disregard’ of predecessor

Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday praised the work of lawmakers who made child welfare reform a priority this session and produced legislation to unlock federal funds for prevention services.

Kelly announced she had signed the legislation, which will allow the Kansas Department for Children and Families to inject millions of dollars into evidence-based programs that develop parenting skills or treat mental illness or substance abuse.

More >> Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signs Families First bill, recalls ‘callous disregard’ of predecessor

Federal funds can now be used to help Virginia families before kids are put in foster care

State officials are working on ways to implement new strategies to help children at risk of being put into foster homes by giving tools to their families to prevent it from happening.

Governor Ralph Northam signed into law SB1679 and HB2014, which puts Virginia in line with the federal Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018.

More >> Federal funds can now be used to help Virginia families before kids are put in foster care

Feds Won’t Disclose Which States Might Delay on Family First Act

The Children’s Bureau (CB) might have some idea how many states are thinking about seeking a delay on implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act. But it’s not telling.

Mum’s the word, for whatever reason, about what news came in by the November 9 deadline the agency imposed on states to notify CB about whether they intended to seek a delay on implementing the law. Family First passed this year and will increase federal resources for preventing the use of foster care while limiting federal funds for group homes and other “congregate care” settings. CB is the agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that will most directly deal with its implementation.

More >> Feds Won’t Disclose Which States Might Delay on Family First Act

Iowa DHS Director Says State Is Embracing Child Welfare System Changes To Keep Families Together

Iowa’s Department of Human Services says the state’s foster care system has come a long way in helping children in unsafe home situations, but there’s more that needs to be done. The state is embracing a federal law passed earlier this year that supports keeping families together.

The Family First Prevention Services Act passed in February aims to provide services like mental health and substance abuse treatment to families before their child is pushed into the foster care system.

More >> Iowa DHS Director Says State Is Embracing Child Welfare System Changes To Keep Families Together

North Dakota prepares for overhaul of federal foster care funding

The North Dakota foster care system is set to undergo some major changes.

The Family First Prevention Services Act, included in the Bipartisan Budget Act that President Donald Trump signed into law in February, aims to keep children with parents or relatives rather than in the foster care system and provides additional funding for prevention services.

More >> North Dakota prepares for overhaul of federal foster care funding

Families First Preventative Care Act aims to reduce the number of children in foster care

Every year, North Dakota sees about a 6 percent increase in the number of children in foster care, according to the Department of Human Services. The Families First Preventative Care Act was passed to cut that number back.

The Act was passed in February by the federal government and moves funding from treatment to preventative care.

More >> Families First Preventative Care Act aims to reduce the number of children in foster care

Family First will help kids, but Kansas must act

As a pediatrician, I see the ongoing crisis in our state’s child welfare system firsthand.

Two siblings I cared for in my clinic lived with foster parents in Kansas City, 2 1/2 hours away from their biological family. They entered foster care because their birth mother is struggling with a substance use disorder and can’t safely care for them without treatment. Their foster parents are dedicated and loving people, but did not have proper support from our state’s underfunded child welfare system. Unfortunately, this disconnect meant a lack of medical history and prescription information that I needed to help these children, which further fragmented their care.

More >> Family First will help kids, but Kansas must act

Preparation for Family First Prevention Services Act Implementation

Earlier this year, Congress passed the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), taking an important step toward better supporting the well-being of infants and toddlers in the child welfare system.

For the first time, FFPSA allows funds previously only available for foster care payments to be used to keep families together. In July 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services requested public comment on the development of a clearinghouse of prevention programs that can be implemented with FFPSA funding. ZERO TO THREE submitted comments on the comprehensive approach of our Safe Babies Court Teams in meeting the needs of individual families through integrated services.

More >> Preparation for Family First Prevention Services Act Implementation

Implement the Family First Prevention Services Act

More than 400,00 children are in foster care across the United States, and most are children of color. This number will only increase because of the current opioid crisis in the country. According to sciencedirect.com, we spend approximately $20,000 a month for a child to be placed in foster care, but we refuse to support families with concrete resources and services to prevent placing children in foster care.

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Nebraska DHHS begins training on new child welfare practices

Nebraska's child welfare agency is moving forward with a new approach to child welfare cases designed to help more youths stay with their families.

The plan was outlined Thursday as part of a series of meetings held throughout the state. The new approach encourages case workers to spend more time with at-risk families, discuss solutions to their problems and work with them to create a network of positive influences, such as relatives or neighbors.

More >> Nebraska DHHS begins training on new child welfare practices