November 8, 2018 - Family First Prevention and Services Act Overview

Family First Prevention and Services Act Overview

Prudence Beidler Carr, JD, Director of the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, will provide an overview of the Family First Prevention and Services Act (FFPSA) and discuss some of its implications for the legal community. FFPSA was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act on February 9, 2018. For the first time, FFPSA provides federal Title IV-e funding to support children at risk of entering the child welfare system by permitting state reimbursement for mental health services, substance use treatment, and in-home parenting services that assist children, their parents or kin. FFPSA also establishes new limits on federal reimbursement for congregate care placements. Other changes resulting from FFPSA include enhancements under Title IV-B for family reunification services after a child has returned home, incentives for the adoption and legal guardianship payment program, and standardization of data exchange requirements among states and for federal reporting.