1 Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Bill Summary and - - PDF document

1 Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Bill Summary and Timeline Overview of Legislative Activity Bill Summary (H.R. 253 - FFPSA of 2017) Excerpt from Govtrack.com This bill amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct) regarding, among other matters: (1) mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services and in-home parenting skill-based programs, (2) foster care maintenance payments for children with parents in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for substance abuse, (3) payments for evidence-based kinship navigator programs. Part B of title IV (Child and Family Services) of the SSAct is amended regarding, among other matters: (1) time limits for family reunification services for children in foster care/returning home, (2) grants for the development of an electronic interstate case-processing system to expedite the interstate placement of children in foster care or guardianship/adoption, (3) targeted grants to increase the well-being of children affected by substance abuse. The bill appropriates certain funding to Department of Health and Human Services for FY2018 for competitive grants to states, Indian tribes, or tribal consortia to support the recruitment and retention of high-quality foster families. The bill amends part B of title IV of the SSAct to reauthorize through FY2021: (1) the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program, (2) promotion of safe and stable families program, (3) funding reservations for monthly caseworker visits and regional partnership grants, (4) funding for state courts. Part E of title IV of the SSAct is amended to: (1) revise the John H. Chaffee Foster Care Independence Program and related provisions, (2) reauthorize adoption and legal guardianship incentive programs through FY2021.

2 The Government Accountability Office shall study the extent to which states comply with certain SSAct requirements relating to the effects of phasing out the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program income eligibility requirements for adoption assistance payments. Timeline Overview of Legislative Activity November 2016 Draft Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) produced by Senate Finance Committee staff June 2016 House passes H.R. 5456 FFPSA of 2016 November 2016 FFPSA language added to H.R. 6 The 21st Century CURES Act December 2016 FFPSA language removed from the CURES Act; S. 3065/H.R. 5456 FFPSA of 2016 fails to pass the U.S. Senate January 2017 H.R. 253 introduced in the U.S. House (House-passed version of H.R. 5456) May 2017 Informal discussion of the Family First of Prevention Services Act of 2017 being introduced in the U.S. Senate in a version similar to the FFPSA insertion into the CURES Act June 2017 U.S. House passes five bills, which are cost-neutral, have bipartisan support, and include language identical to or very similar to FFPSA. (Excerpt from Child Welfare and Mental Health Coalition June update provided by Children’s Defense Fund) H.R. 2742 – Modernizing the Interstate Placement of Children in Foster Care Act. Rep. Walorski (R-IN)/Rep. Davis (D-IL) to modernize the interstate placement of children in foster care by requiring states to use an electronic interstate case processing system that reduces wait times for interstate foster care placements, adoptions and guardianships. H.R. 2857 – Supporting Families in Substance Abuse Treatment Act.

• Rep. Noem (R-SD)/Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), allows family foster care

maintenance payments for children placed with a parent in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for substance abuse. H.R. 2834 – Partnership Grants to Strengthen Families Affected by Parental Substance Abuse Act. Rep. Davis (D-IL)/Rep. Noem (R-SD), reauthorizes the regional partnership grants to strengthen families affected by parental substance abuse.

3 H.R. 2847 – Improving Services for Older Youth in Foster Care

• Act. Rep. Faso (R-NY)/Rep. Reed (R-NY)/Rep. Bass (D-CA), extends the

Chaffee Foster Care Independence Program for older youth from age 21 to age 23. H.R. 2866 – Reducing Barriers for Relative Foster Parents. Rep. Smucker (R-PA)/Rep. Sewell (D-AL) to review and improve licensing standards for placement in a relative family foster home. The intent of the bill is to address inappropriate barriers to licensing relatives as foster parents. On the Horizon Current flexibility in the Title IV-E Waiver Demonstrations will expire in 2019 Prepared by the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities as background for an update to the National Council for Behavioral Health Board of Directors and Public Policy Advisory Committee, August 2017. Contact: Marlo Nash Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Mobilization 202-429-0270 mnash@alliance1.org