Prevention

The  Children’s Commission collaborates closely with child welfare stakeholders on prevention efforts. The Commission and DFPS collaborate on the implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), as required by the federal Administration for Children and Families. FFPSA restructures federal child welfare funding, particularly Title IV-E and Title IV-B of the Social Security Act, which Texas uses to pay for services for children in foster care and their families. FFPSA seeks to reduce entry in foster care, to limit the use of congregate care, and to increase access to substance abuse and mental health services. There are certain training provisions directly impacting the courts and Court Improvement Programs, but beyond that, FFPSA mandates that states seeking Title IV-E funding create and provide more robust prevention services for families in the state’s child welfare system. The Children’s Commission collaborates with Casey Family Programs, DFPS Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) division, and other state and national groups on best practices for implementation of all FFPSA provisions, including the development of IV-E prevention programs and court involvement in encouraging a primary prevention approach.

Please visit the Reports & Resources page for recent publications.