Information Memorandum (IM) from the Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau  summarizing the Family First Prevention Services Act.  

To notify states that the Children’s Bureau is disbursing funding provided under section 437(g) of the Act as an increase in the title IV-B subpart 2 Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program allocation to support an electronic interstate case-processing system to expedite interstate placements of children in foster, guardianship or adoptive homes, and to provide an example of such an electronic interstate system.

On February 4, 2019, the Children’s Bureau released final National Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards (National Model), as required by the Family First Prevention Services Act.  The Children’s Bureau used the NARA Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards (NARA Model) as the “main source” for its proposed National Model, and then accorded it “considerable deference” in deciding whether to modify the proposed National Model.  See Generations United's FAQ on the National Model, the NARA Model and the Family First Reporting Requirements (2019).

This Information Memorandum provides information on best practices, resources, and recommendations for using foster care as a support for families to mitigate the trauma of removal, expedite safe and successful reunification, and improve parent and child well-being outcomes.  It emphasizes the importance of kinship placements and the need to  build and support relationships between resource families and parents to facilitate improved engagement of parents, promote timely reunification, build protective capacities in parents, and strengthen overall child and family well-being, while ensuring child safety.