Title IV-E Prevention Plans are:

  • At their options, states and tribes can submit plants to receive funding through the Family First Act for prevention services
  • Focused on prevention services
  • Plans spanning five years
  • State and Tribe specific

What services can be provided through a Title IV-E Prevention Plan?

Services that can be provided through a Title IV-E Prevention Plan are:

  • Evidence-based services, meaning they are services that are supported by research, that fall under the following categories: Mental health services, substance abuse prevention and treatment services, and in-home parent skill-based programs
    • Kinship Navigator programs are also eligible for reimbursement through the Family First Act, though they do not appear in a Title IV-E Prevention Plan
  • Are approved by the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse

Who is eligible for prevention services through a Title IV-E Prevention Plan?

Eligibility consists of:

  • A child who is at risk of entering foster care
    • Important note: The Family First Act left it up to the states to determine what qualifies a youth or child as "at risk of entering foster care"
  • Pregnant or parenting youth in foster care
  • The parents (adoptive or biological), guardians or kin caregivers of the above listed children and youth


Important (and exciting!) note: There is not an income-based nor asset test requirement for a child or parent/caregiver to receive services


Prevention services are available for up to one year for those who are eligible

and can be renewed to continue when needed 


Does every state and federally recognized tribe have a Title IV-E Prevention Plan?

Currently, not every state and federally recognized tribe has a Title IV-E Prevention Plan. Funding for prevention services through the Family First Act is optional, meaning that states and federally recognized tribes must choose to create their Title IV-E Prevention Plans to receive funding through the Family First Act. 

See a list of approved and submitted prevention plans for states and federally recognized tribes here. 

You can also view state legislation needed to implement prevention plans, which is tracked by The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), here.