On May 1, 2019, Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced legislation that addresses many of the issues that we have heard about from states as they work towards implementing Family First. While this bill might not address all of the concerns being raised, it is a critical and important step to address many of them as we continue to work to address others. Some of the highlights of the Family First Transition and Support Act are the “de-link” from the 1996 AFDC eligibility requirements for children placed in family foster care; a significant increase in flexible funding to help kinship families in crisis; an increase in funding to all states for workforce development, for the first time, research funding for state-directed use, greater flexibility in how much of Family First funding that must be spent on “well-supported” services and important increases in funding for tribal governments and communities.
CWLA joins the Family Focused Treatment Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Children’s Defense Fund, Generations United, Boys Town, Within Our Reach, Children’s Advocacy Institute, Children and Family Futures, National Children’s Alliance, Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, Children’s Home Society of America, and the National Organization of State Associations for Children in support of this legislation to assist all states and tribes with the extra support they need to make Family First work for children and families.
Click here to urge your Members of Congress to Sponsor the Family First Transition and Support Act.
