We are grateful to the Children’s Defense Fund for preparing summaries of the Family First Prevention Services Act, which was signed into law on February 9, 2018 as part of Division E in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (H.R. 1892).
The Family First Act is a landmark bill that focuses on the importance of children growing up in families. The legislation introduces historic reforms to help keep children safely with their families and avoid the traumatic experience of entering foster care. It also includes provisions to help ensure children are placed in the least restrictive, most family-like setting appropriate to their special needs when foster care is needed.
See here for a short summary.
See here for a detailed summary.
See here for an implementation timeline.
See here for the law language.