family first act
On February 9, 2018, as a part of the Bipartisan Budget Act (HR. 1892), the Family First Act (FFA) was signed into law. FFA includes historic reforms to help keep children safely with their families and avoid the traumatic experience of entering foster care. In passing the law, Congress recognized that too many children are unnecessarily separated from parents who could provide safe and loving care if given access to needed mental health services, substance abuse treatment or improved parenting skills.
Family Centered Treatment as an evidence-based, and now deemed, supported trauma treatment model of home-based family therapy is well positioned to support families as part of FFA. FCT is categorized as a ‘Family Stabilization Program’ with ‘High’ Child Welfare Relevance by the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare. Likewise, FCT is a SAMHSA funded and National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Trauma Treatment Intervention.
Systematic Independent Reviews
Two separate independent systematic reviews completed by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency on behalf of the Arkansas Department of Human Services and the Stephen Group on behalf of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services found FCT to be Well-Supported. These systematic reviews were completed in accordance with the standards articulated in the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse Handbook of Standards and Procedures.
Nebraska DHS Independent Review Report
Using a systematic approach to the review of multiple studies, FCT was found to have at least two contrasts with non-overlapping samples in studies carried out in usual care or practice settings that achieve a rating of moderate or high on design and execution and demonstrate favorable effects in a target outcome domain. At least one of the contrasts demonstrated a sustained favorable effect of at least 12 months beyond the end of treatment on at least one target outcome. As a result, the intervention has been determined to be well-supported.
what does supported mean?
According to the IV-E Clearinghouse website:
Using the qualifying contrasts [of studies reviewed], reviewers assign one of four ratings to each program or service to characterize the extent of evidence for a particular program or service:
Supported. A program or service is rated as a supported practice if it has at least one contrast in a study carried out in a usual care or practice setting that achieves a rating of moderate or high on design and execution and demonstrates a sustained favorable effect of at least 6 months beyond the end of treatment on at least one target outcome.
acf.hhs.gov indicates, the [FFA] requires that state title IV-E prevention services must be rated promising, supported, or well-supported in accordance with Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) criteria and be approved by HHS. The Children’s Bureau issued ACYF-CB-PI-19-06 to provide instruction on the procedures to claim transitional payments for services and associated costs under the title IV-E prevention program until the Prevention Services Clearinghouse can review and rate the program or service.