The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is accelerating state and tribal use of seven evidence-based in-home services/home visiting programs as part of its drive to achieve a foster home-to-child ratio greater than 1:1 in every state.

The ratio is a key metric for the A Home for Every Child initiative, a major administration child welfare priority.

“To achieve this goal, it is imperative that effective prevention services are leveraged whenever possible to improve child and family outcomes,” Ryan Hanlon, associate commissioner of the Children’s Bureau/ACF, wrote in a “Dear Colleagues” announcement.

The programs are Familas Unidas, Family Check-Up, Healthy Families America, Homebuilders Intensive Family Preservation and Reunification Services, Intercept and Parents As Teachers. All were evaluated as “well-supported” by the Title IV-E Intervention Services Clearinghouse, created through the Family First Prevention Services Act, and are listed as in-home, skill-based programs.

In the announcement, Hanlon released pre-reviewed model language that states and tribes can use to amend their IV-E five-year prevention program plans to add one or more of the seven fast-tracked models. The language will help streamline review and enable faster program implementation.

“I strongly encourage states and tribes to consider how these home visiting models can be integrated into their prevention continuums and to use this sample language to expand access to evidence-based services for families,” Hanlon said. He said those with questions can reach out directly to the Children’s Bureau at ivepreventionprogram@ach.hhs.gov.

“ACF’s fast-track process creates an incredible opportunity for jurisdictions to bring proven, impactful programs to children and families,” said Catherine Smith, chief strategy officer at Youth Villages.

States and tribes have had the option to leverage Title IV-E prevention funding for in-home, parenting-skills-based programs, and some included one or more of these programs in their necessary five-year plans.

“We have been supporting states with developing and amending their prevention plans for years, and there is no question that streamlining the approval process for these programs will have an immediate positive impact in keeping children in their homes and with their families,” Smith said. “Our team is ready to provide technical assistance to any state seeking to add Intercept to its prevention plan utilizing this fast-track process.”

Begun in 2006, Youth Villages’ Intercept program is an intensive in-home service that has been proven to prevent foster care entry and accelerate reunification when out-of-home placement is necessary. The program has helped more than 80,000 children and families in 21 states through direct Youth Villages services and partnerships with public agencies and implementing providers.

For more information on Intercept or for technical assistance with state IV-E plans, email bpp@youthvillages.org.

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