Family First Prevention Services Act
The Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018 was signed into law in February 2018 (P.L. 115-123). This law provides opportunities for states and tribes to better serve children and families by preventing the need for foster care and supporting better outcomes for children in care. Explore these resources to learn more.
External resources
Familyfirstact.org
This collaborative site is a resource database compiled by partner organizations, including Casey Family Programs, and administered by FosterClub.
Casey Family Programs resources
Evidence Based Prevention Catalog
This catalog provides information about interventions that have been rated by the FFPSA Prevention Clearinghouse or approved through the ACF Technical Review process; interventions that were reviewed but had insufficient evidence for review; and interventions that states plan to include or have included in their approved FFPSA plan.
Questions from the field
These Casey Family Programs publications provide information about relevant practices, approaches and research that are related to issues addressed by the Family First Prevention Services Act.
- How do parent partner programs instill hope and support prevention and reunification?
- How do parent partner programs instill hope and support prevention and reunification? (APPENDIX)
- What does Family First mean for families and for child welfare systems? (Q&A with BJ Walker)
- How does Circles of Support help keep children safe at home?
- How have agencies moved from evidence to action? An exploration of evidence-based practice implementation in New York City and Ohio to support preparation for Family First
- What is New Jersey’s Mobile Response and Stabilization Services intervention?
- What are some evidence-based programs that help promote safety, permanency, and well-being?
- How can child- and family-serving agencies select evidence-based programs that are the right fit?
- How is Family Connects providing every infant in Travis County, Texas, a healthy start to life?
- How does Children’s Village keep New York City children safe with their families and connected to their communities?
- Upstream investment in children and families pays off
- How does one Family Resource Center keep families “Safe & Sound”?
- How has New Jersey built a continuum of home visiting services?
- How are states building community-based pathways to prevention services through Family First?
- How have community voice and leadership guided the implementation of Family Success Centers in Washington, D.C.?
- Are home visiting programs effective in reducing child maltreatment?
- How can child protection agencies collaborate to prevent foster care and support family well-being?
- What do we know about family resource centers?
- What do we know about family resource centers? (APPENDIX)
- What strategies support pregnant and parenting teens in foster care?
- How do economic supports benefit families and communities?
- How did Allegheny County advance a kin-first approach? (Q&A with Marc Cherna)
- What are kinship navigator programs?
- How are kinship navigator programs developed and funded?
- How can an effective border agreement support timely placement with kin?
- How can we prioritize kin in the home study and licensure process, and make placement with relatives the norm?
- How did A Second Chance, Inc. transform kinship care in Allegheny County?
- Why should child protection agencies adopt a kin-first approach?
- What is the impact of Title IV-E waiver kinship supports intervention?
- How can kinship navigation services support family resource needs?
- Do kinship navigation programs impact permanency and equity for youth?
- What should every child protection agency do to ensure that children are placed with kin?
- What are some examples of effective family search and engagement?
- What can we learn from the voices of those involved in kinship care?
- How can Medicaid services and plans address vulnerable children’s health care needs? (Webinar Series)
- What are some of the foundational elements, strategies and opportunities for child welfare financing? (Webinar Series)
- How can jurisdictions ensure consistent health care access for children and youth in foster care?
- What are promising practices for using Medicaid State Plan Amendments and waivers to address the needs of children and youth in foster care?
- How can Medicaid support the treatment costs for youth in residential programs?
- How can Medicaid-funded services support children, youth, and families involved with child protection?
- What keeps community-based organizations from contracting with child welfare agencies, and what can be done about it?
- Can Medicaid be leveraged as a sustainable source of prevention funding for family resource centers?
- How are child welfare systems using flexible funds to support families and prevent the need for foster care?
- How can youth peer support be funded through Medicaid?
- How does Children’s Village reflect the components of a Qualified Residential Treatment Program?
- How did Virginia safely reduce the number of children in congregate care?
- How did New Jersey safely reduce the number of children in congregate care?
- Can we re-envision residential care?
- Can a residential treatment provider transform into a model for prevention?
- How are some child protection agencies attending to Qualified Residential Treatment Program requirements?
- Ending the need for group placements
- How can we end the need for group placements in child welfare?
- How can family-based residential treatment programs help reduce substance use and improve child welfare outcomes?
- How does Native American Connections’ Patina Wellness Center help parents in treatment and recovery stay with their children?
- What is Connecticut’s Family-Based Recovery Program?
- What is the National START (Sobriety, Treatment, and Recovery Teams) Model?
- How can the child welfare system support families affected by substance use disorder?
- How can families affected by substance use disorder safely stay together?
- What supports can benefit kinship caregivers in families affected by substance use disorder?
- What are some evidence-based interventions to prevent and mitigate the effects of prenatal substance exposure?
- How can Plans of Safe Care help infants and families affected by prenatal substance exposure?
Additional Casey Family Programs resources
- Building Communities of Hope, Creating a Better Future, 2020 special report
- On the Pathway of Hope, 2019 signature report
- Moving Hope Forward, 2018 signature report
- The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
- Moving Hope Forward: A briefing on the Family First Prevention Services Act
- Dr. William C. Bell statement on the Family First Prevention Services Act
- Dr. William C. Bell testifies on importance of fathers, Family First
- State-by-state data
- 2022 signature report - Investing in Equity
- Executive Summary: Catalogue of Interventions with Special Relevance for the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA)
Editor's note: This page, originally published December 17, 2019, was updated on March 2, 2023, to remove outdated material and reflect newer resources and information.