On Monday, March 14th, 2022, the Prevention Services Clearinghouse announced ratings for several new programs and services that had been considered for eligibility for funding under the Family First Prevention Services Act.
Three programs were accepted to the clearinghouse as “promising”:
- GenerationPMTO – Individual;
- Families and Schools Together® – Elementary School Level;
- Community Reinforcement Approach + Vouchers
One program, Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14, was rated as “supported.”
Two programs, GenerationPMTO – Group, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, received “well-supported” ratings, indicating a strong evidence base for these services.
Several programs were reviewed and concluded to not currently meet criteria for including in the clearinghouse:
- Strengthening Families Program – Birth to Three
- Strengthening Families Program – 3-5
- Strengthening Families Program – 6-11
- Strengthening Families Program – 12-16
- Familias Fuertes
- Families and Schools Together® – Early Childhood Education Level
- Families and Schools Together® – Middle School Level
- Families and Schools Together® – High School Level
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Anxious Children
While this announcement indicates progress in approving additional prevention programs and services that can be funded under Title IV-E, it is necessary for Congress to continue to support the research and evaluation of potential programs. Currently, too few programs have been able to meet the standards necessary for inclusion in the Clearinghouse, and in particular, programs that have been proven effective with people and communities of color are lacking.
