Feds Finally Putting Families First
This article discusses the issue of not having preventative services for families in crisis, but instead providing services for children only after they have been placed in foster care. It is pointed out that there has not been funding for preventative care, even though policy and practice have been shifting to investment in family support and preventive services for more than 20 years. Title IV-E of the Social Security Act provides states with funding for children after being placed in the foster care system.
A new piece of legislation has been developed to address the issue of not having funding for preventative care, with the goal of focusing on the family and not solely on the child when possible. New York is one of the few states who have been given Federal waivers to Title IV-E. The waivers are temporary, but have helped New York City decrease the number of youth in foster care and keep children safe at home with their families. Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Ron Wyden are proposing that Title IV-E be changed to include funding for early intervention and services. If the proposal is established, Title IV-E will provide children and families who are struggling with funding for preventative services in the home. The goals mentioned in the article are to reduce the amount of youth removed from their homes and placed in foster care, keep children safe, strengthen families, reduce taxpayer costs, and provide youth with services early on that include family members to help them succeed.
Do you have any thoughts about the issues this article presents?
I think that preventive services are extremely important. I feel by waiting until something happens, and only implementing services to children and families at this time is not as effective as preventive services. this being said i understand that funding is very crucial, and hard to get. I feel this article makes some good points, and are working towards great goals.
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