Related Efforts

The Family First Act requires all group care staff, including those not working directly with children, to complete a fingerprint-based background check before they can work in a group care facility. Effective Jul. 1, 2019, all group care staff must complete the fingerprint-based background check before they can work in a facility.

Email: cabc@dcyf.wa.gov

Family First requires that by no later than Oct. 1, 2027, states will need to use an electronic interstate case-processing system for exchanging data and documents to help expedite the interstate placement of children in foster care, adoption, or guardianship.

DCYF’s goal is to connect to the National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE) system and make changes to our Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS).

Visit the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) for more information on NEICE.

Services for former foster care youth (John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program) were extended to age 23. These services include financial support, housing, employment, education, and counseling. It ensures that youth who age out of foster care receive official documentation indicating they were previously in foster care and adds flexibility to the Education & Training Voucher (ETV) program. The changes regarding documentation went into effect in July 2018. The changes to policies and procedures regarding Chafee went into effect on Oct. 1, 2019.

The Family First Act provides DCYF reimbursement of evidence-based Kinship Navigator programs. These services link relative caregivers to a broad range of services and support to help children safely remain in their care.

DCYF is partnering with the Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (ALTSA) and the University of Washington (UW) to evaluate and further develop Washington State’s current Kinship Navigator program for submission to the Clearinghouse.

The long-term goal of this work is to build program infrastructure and consistency in order to develop a promising practice that will qualify for sustainable federal funding.

Visit the Foster Parenting and Kinship Care site for more information on the Kinship Navigator Program.

The Family First Act requires alignment with the national standards for foster care licensing. The primary purpose of establishing national model standards is to help ensure children in foster care are safe while also establishing a common-sense pathway that enables more relatives and nonrelatives to become licensed foster parents. By eliminating barriers caused by state licensing standards, licensed relatives and nonrelatives can receive ongoing monthly financial assistance and support.

Family First Prevention Services Act Policy and WAC Revisions for the Licensing Requirements for Child Foster Homes took effect Feb. 1, 2020.

The revised policies 5110 Completing Home Studies and 5120 Licensing State Foster Homes reflect the new requirements in the FFPSA regarding immunizations for household members in licensed foster homes.

These policies:

• Allow for medical exemptions for pertussis for both unlicensed and licensed caregivers
• Requires licensed foster parents caring for children under the age of two years and medically fragile children to have documentation of current pertussis and the annual influenza vaccinations for all household members, unless there is a medical exemption
• Requires licensed foster parents to provide documentation that all household member children meet the Recommended Child & Adolescent Immunization Schedule (RCAIS) unless there is a medical exemption for a specific child and vaccination

The Licensing Requirements for Child Foster Homes WAC 110-148 were updated to reflect the new FFPSA requirements.

Here is a summary of the changes:

• All individuals who are at least 16 years old and living on the property (including those not living in the family home) to pass a background check
• Licensee and all household members to have pertussis and influenza immunizations if a child in care is medically fragile unless exempted by a licensed health care provider
• At least one applicant for licensure in the home must have functional literacy and be able to communicate with the child, DCYF, health care providers, and other service providers
• Overcapacity exceptions were established
• Requirements were clarified for a properly operating kitchen
• Recycling disposal service is now required, if available
• Safety requirements for swimming pools were further established
• Evacuation plans are required to be reviewed with children in care and posted in licensed foster homes
• Co-sleeping and bed-sharing with children in care is prohibited
• Smoking in vehicles transporting children is prohibited
• Proof of registration of a vehicle used to transport children is required

DCYF identifies the initial phase of Family First candidates as children who are at imminent risk of entering foster care but can safely remain at home or in a kinship setting.

• House Bill 1900 (2019)
• Session Law 2019 C 172 L 19

Family First candidate groups will phase in over multiple years to increase inclusivity. DYCF understands that all families need support and is committed to extending that support to all populations and communities that would benefit from prevention services.

Family First Candidates

People Being Served By the Following Programs

• CPS Family Assessment Response (FAR)
• CPS Investigation
• CPS Family Voluntary Services (FVS)
• Family Reconciliation Services (FRS)
• State Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR) discharge

Additional Candidates

• Children on trial return home following placement
• Substance Abusing Pregnant Women
• Children experiencing adoption displacement
• Pregnant or parenting Foster Youth
• Pregnant or parenting JR Youth
• Children with developmental disabilities and/or intensive mental health needs

Future Candidates

• Additional families with screened out CPS referrals
• Kinship care families who are not currently involved with DCYF
• Statistical prediction/need for prevention in very high need communities
• Others to be determined

Family First is dedicated to providing services to families that align with the family’s values and are also designed for success. In accordance with the Administration for Children and Families, DCYF chose evidence-based services approved by the Clearinghouse’s well-supported list. The services listed below have undergone an objective and transparent review of the presented evidence.

DCYF chose this initial set of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in part by the contracts DCYF already has in place for prevention and stakeholder and partner feedback and federal guidance.

During implementation planning, it was discovered that additional integration work was needed to meet the federal data requirements for claiming IV-E funding for services accessed by Home Visiting and Juvenile Rehabilitation services. Integrating these systems is a top priority so that DCYF can claim IV-E funding and increase funding capacity for each of the EBPs in the future.

In the approved plan, DCYF identified multiple pathways by which a family can obtain prevention services in Family First. These include CPS-FAR, FVS, additional DCYF programs, and a future community pathway that will be built with community partners in the coming years. Family First is a massive transformation that will take multiple years to implement in Washington fully.

The chart describes the following Family First Prevention Services Pathways:

CPS Family Assessment Response (FAR)

For cases where allegations are considered to be low to moderate risk and non-emergency, the family would be eligible for a FAR assessment versus an investigation. In addition, the child(ren) can remain safely in the home, and the case remains in FAR for ongoing services and prevention planning. This pathway is part of the initial implementation phase of the Family First Prevention Plan.

Family Voluntary Services (FVS)

After a CPS investigation, if the family has significant risk factors and the child(ren) can remain safely in the home, the case is transferred to FVS. FVS will develop a prevention plan, monitor ongoing safety, risk, and progress, and provide services to address the needs of the family. This pathway is part of the initial implementation phase of the Family First Prevention Plan.

Additional DCYF Program

There are multiple programs within DCYF that can provide prevention services and support to families. Children on trial return home following out-of-home placement, Family Reconciliation Services (FRS), youth discharged from state Juvenile Rehabilitation services, and potentially others. DCYF is interested in exploring how Family First prevention services can support these families in these programs. This pathway will be part of future implementation phases for the Family First Prevention Plan.

Community

DCYF is interested in developing a pathway to ensure children and families are supported within their own communities. Families that need concrete supports and services during a crisis often are reported to child protective services, which can result unnecessarily in an investigation that is traumatizing and harmful to those involved. An alternative pathway will be explored in Washington State to support and connect families to critical and stabilizing services to prevent unnecessary future child welfare involvement. This pathway will be part of future implementation phases of the Family First Prevention Plan.