The Family First Act: An unprecedented opportunity to transform child welfare

Kids should grow up in safe, stable and secure families who support their long-term well-being. Research makes clear — growing up in a family is essential for all kids, especially those who have experienced abuse or neglect. Family First is an opportunity moment that offers exciting possibilities for us to be responsive to the specific needs of children, teens and families. 

Learn the Basics

Sign Up!

Receive updates about what's new @ FamilyFirstAct.org

Family First Resource Database

This database has been compiled by partner organizations and contains links to resources relating to the Family First Act. Search by resource type, topic, geographic location, or source. Note that you may view two ways: summary and list.  Have a Family First resource that you think would be useful? Share it here >

Submit a Resource
State Teams, Implementation Strategies

Database of State Legislation related to Family First Implementation

The National Conference of State Legislators maintains a database of state legislation that supports implementation of Family First. There are 76 introduced bills from 30 states dealing with aspects of... (Read more)

Published Jan 8, 2020

Constituent Engagement, Guidance

Family Voices United Podcast: Constituent Engagement

Listen as Family Voices United members share best practices in constituent engagement. Learn how constituents are taking action, getting involved, and building the movement! Click here to listen! Podcast Features:... (Read more)

Published Jan 6, 2020

Constituent Engagement, Guidance

Family Voices United Podcast: Strengthening Families & Keeping Kids out of Foster Care

Listen as Family Voices United members share perspectives on strengthening families and opportunities with prevention support to keep kids out of foster care. Learn how constituents are taking action, getting... (Read more)

Published Jan 6, 2020

Program Instructions

ACYF-CB-PI-19-07 - Family First Prevention Services Act, Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Programs

TO: State and Tribal Agencies Administering or Supervising the Administration of Title IV-E of the Social Security Act SUBJECT: Transitional Payments for the Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Programs LEGAL AND... (Read more)

Published Dec 20, 2019

State Teams, Implementation Strategies

Washington State Family First Prevention (IV-E Program) Services Plan

Washington State submitted their Family First Prevention Plan on December 20, 2019. The plan reflects: "Family First also enhances DCYF’s ability to find loving, permanent homes for children and youth... (Read more)

Published Dec 20, 2019

News, Law / Summary

Family First Transition Act Signed into Law

On December 20th, as part of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, the President signed the Family First Transition Act into law. View the full text here. The Family First... (Read more)

Published Dec 20, 2019

Advocacy Tools

Webinar Recording: Communications Strategies around Family First: Examples and Lessons Learned from Early Adopter Jurisdictions

Communications Strategies around Family First: Examples and Lessons Learned from Early Adopter Jurisdictions The webinar, presented on behalf of the Public Information Officers Learning Collaborative in partnership with Casey Family... (Read more)

Published Dec 12, 2019

Title Resource Type Topic Location Source Published
Database of State Legislation related to Family First Implementation State Teams, Implementation Strategies Overview / General
Federal
National Conference of State Legislatures
01/08/20
Family Voices United Podcast: Constituent Engagement Constituent Engagement, Guidance Overview / General
Federal
Tribal
Children's Trust Fund Alliance
Birth Parent National Network
FosterClub
Generations United
01/06/20
Family Voices United Podcast: Strengthening Families & Keeping Kids out of Foster Care Constituent Engagement, Guidance
Federal
Children's Trust Fund Alliance
Birth Parent National Network
FosterClub
Generations United
01/06/20
ACYF-CB-PI-19-07 - Family First Prevention Services Act, Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Programs Program Instructions Kinship
Federal
Federal HHS/ACYF/CB
12/20/19
Family First Transition Act Signed into Law News, Law / Summary Prevention
Federal
Senate / Congress
12/20/19
Washington State Family First Prevention (IV-E Program) Services Plan State Teams, Implementation Strategies Prevention
Washington
Other
12/20/19
Utah's Family First Plan Approved News Prevention
Utah
Other
12/12/19
Webinar Recording: Communications Strategies around Family First: Examples and Lessons Learned from Early Adopter Jurisdictions Advocacy Tools Overview / General
Federal
Casey Family Programs
Other
12/12/19
Child Abuse Deaths Disclosure Act Law / Summary Child Fatalities
Federal
Tribal
Senate / Congress
12/11/19
Webinar Recording: Leveraging the Family First Prevention Services Act to Improve the Use of Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program Presentation/Webinar, Implementation Strategies Kinship
Federal
American Bar Association
Casey Family Programs
Children's Defense Fund
Generations United
12/11/19
Recording: 5th Annual Birth Parent National Network Virtual Convening Constituent Engagement, Guidance Prevention
Federal
Children's Trust Fund Alliance
Birth Parent National Network
12/03/19
Motivational Interviewing - Prevention Services Clearinghouse Rating Data / Research, Guidance Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention
Federal
Tribal
Other
11/25/19
Family First Prevention Services Act: Implications For Addressing Youth Homelessness Advocacy Tools Older Youth / Chafee, Prevention
Federal
Other
11/20/19
State of GrandFamilies Report: A Place to Call Home: Building Affordable Housing for Grandfamilies Advocacy Tools Kinship
Federal
Tribal
Generations United
11/20/19
North Dakota Family First Website State Teams Overview / General
North Dakota
Other
11/20/19
Multi-State Overview of the Interventions that States Plan to Include in their Family First Prevention Plan and the Intervention Technical Reviews that Are Being Planned Guidance, Implementation Strategies Prevention
Federal
Casey Family Programs
11/20/19
Title IV-E funding for legal representation and Title IV-E funding for Family First Prevention Services. Guidance Courts, Prevention
Federal
American Bar Association
Casey Family Programs
11/13/19
Leveraging the Family First Prevention Services Act to Improve Use of Title IV-E GAP Guidance Kinship
Federal
Tribal
American Bar Association
Children's Defense Fund
Generations United
11/13/19
Family First Transition Act. (S. 2777/H.R. 4980) Implementation Strategies, Law / Summary Overview / General
Federal
Tribal
Senate / Congress
11/05/19
Arkansas Revised Prevention Plan Nov. 2019 Submission State Teams, Implementation Strategies Prevention
Arkansas
Other
11/05/19
Teens Shouldn't Be Put in This Position Real Story Older Youth / Chafee
Federal
Other
11/02/19
Three Branch ToolKit & Webinar Implementation Strategies Older Youth / Chafee
Federal
National Conference of State Legislatures
Casey Family Programs
10/31/19
Children’s Bureau Approves DC Child and Family Services Agency’s Federal Family First Prevention Plan Implementation Strategies, News Prevention
District of Columbia
Other
10/30/19
Chapin Hall Candidacy Overview Guidance, Implementation Strategies Prevention
Federal
Casey Family Programs
10/30/19
Jurisdictional Candidacy Definitions 10.31.19 Implementation Strategies Prevention
Federal
Tribal
Arkansas
Kansas
Kentucky
Nebraska
Utah
Casey Family Programs
Other
10/29/19
Applying the Research and Evaluation Provisions of the Family First Prevention Services Act Data / Research, Guidance Evidence-Based Practice
Federal
Child Trends
10/25/19
Love as Destiny: A Former Foster Youth's Journey in Motherhood Real Story Older Youth / Chafee, Pregnant & Parenting
Federal
Other
10/25/19
Birth Parent National Network Webinar – Update on Family First Prevention Services Act (October 2019) Real Story, Constituent Engagement Prevention
Federal
Children's Trust Fund Alliance
Birth Parent National Network
10/25/19
Webinar Recording:Historic Opportunity to Reform the Child Welfare System: Youth & Alumni Priorities on Preventing Unnecessary Removal of Children from their Families Advocacy Tools, Real Story, Presentation/Webinar, Constituent Engagement Prevention
Federal
Other
10/22/19
New Child Welfare Policy Manual Q&A Updates: Allowable Administrative and Training Costs Program Instructions Prevention
Federal
Federal HHS/ACYF/CB
10/22/19
Helping the Children of the Opioid Crisis: Supporting Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children Constituent Engagement, Guidance Kinship
Federal
Tribal
Generations United
10/22/19
Nebraska Family First Workgroup Website State Teams Overview / General
Nebraska
Other
10/17/19
Implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act - a Guide Implementation Strategies Adoption Assistance, Child Fatalities, Courts, Evidence-Based Practice, Interstate Placement / NEICE, Juvenile Justice, Kinship, Older Youth / Chafee, Pregnant & Parenting, Prevention, QRTP / Congregate Care
Federal
Youth Villages
American Academy of Pediatrics
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Children's Defense Fund
FosterClub
Generations United
10/04/19
Family Voices United: A Podcast on Supporting Kinship Families Advocacy Tools, Constituent Engagement Kinship
Federal
Children's Trust Fund Alliance
Birth Parent National Network
FosterClub
Generations United
Other
10/02/19
Historic Opportunity for Reform in Child Welfare: Prevention Advocacy Tools, Constituent Engagement Prevention
Federal
Other
10/01/19
Nebraska's Five-Year Title IV-E Prevention Plan State Teams, Implementation Strategies Prevention
Nebraska
Other
10/01/19
Family First Core Messaging Advocacy Tools Overview / General
Federal
Children's Trust Fund Alliance
American Bar Association
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Birth Parent National Network
Casey Family Programs
FosterClub
Generations United
09/30/19
Safely Preventing the Unnecessary Entry of Children into Foster Care through Meaningful Initial Hearings Presentation/Webinar Courts, Prevention
Federal
Tribal
Federal HHS/ACYF/CB
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Casey Family Programs
09/24/19
Defining Candidacy: Guiding Questions State Teams, Constituent Engagement Prevention
Oregon
Other
09/23/19
Qualified Residential Treatment Program Assessments: Guiding Questions State Teams, Constituent Engagement QRTP / Congregate Care
Oregon
Other
09/23/19
Pivot to Prevention: Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families State Teams, Presentation/Webinar Prevention
Rhode Island
Other
09/23/19
Arkansas Title IV-E 5 Year Prevention Plan State Teams, Implementation Strategies Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention
Arkansas
Other
09/23/19
Qualified Residential Treatment Programs Q&A from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Guidance QRTP / Congregate Care
Federal
Other
09/20/19
Next Programs and Services Planned for Systemic Review by the Clearinghouse News Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention
Federal
Other
09/08/19
Utah submits Family First Act Prevention plan ahead of Oct. 1 start date (Press release) News Overview / General
Utah
Other
09/08/19
Utah Title IV-E 5-Year Prevention Plan State Teams, Implementation Strategies Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention
Utah
Other
08/30/19
Family First Act can fund needed services and supports for older youth in foster care Data / Research Prevention
Federal
Child Trends
08/28/19
Questions on Medicaid program expenditures and prevention services requirements Program Instructions Prevention
Federal
Federal HHS/ACYF/CB
08/28/19
Kentucky Title IV-E Prevention Plan State Teams, Implementation Strategies Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention
Kentucky
Other
08/23/19
Technical Bulletin on Title IV-E Prevention Program Data Elements Program Instructions Prevention
Federal
Federal HHS/ACYF/CB
08/19/19
txdvioawpf01
sfy39587stp17
sfy39587stp16