Family First Act: Why Outcomes Oriented Contracting Should Be Part of The Plan

"In 2018, Congress passed one of the most substantial changes in U.S. child welfare policy in decades. The Family First Prevention Services Act provides states with the opportunity to access federal dollars to prevent children from coming into foster care. States can draw down these unlimited federal funds to support a specific set of evidence-based policies, including home visiting services, services to help parents address substance abuse and mental illness, and kinship navigation services designed to support placement of children with extended families."

The Chronicle of Social Change recently published a piece by Third Sector Director, Debra Solomon, which discusses how child welfare agencies across the U.S. can best utilize this funding source "to translate this substantial investment of funding into better outcomes for children and communities." In this piece, Debra gives an introduction to how agencies should approach their strategy to accessing and implementing this funding, including compliance with federal law, engaging with their communities, and understanding what works through evidence.