The Family First Prevention Services Act is rooted in research indicating that young people do best in families.
The law — passed in February 2018 — restructured federal financing streams to provide services to families who are at risk of entering the child welfare system. The change aims to keep children safely with their families or ensure that they are placed in the least restrictive, most family-like setting appropriate when foster care is needed.
The Family First Act also enhanced support for critical services — such as mental health care, substance abuse treatment and family therapy — that can help prevent the need for foster care in the first place.
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The Family First Prevention Services Act will provide needed flexibility when it comes to federal spending to support children at risk of entering foster care. Read more here.
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The Annie E. Casey Foundation has developed a downloadable tool kit to help child welfare leaders, advocates, private providers and others talk about how the Family First Prevention Services Act can help improve outcomes for children and families.