Implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) done in concert with expanding and improving community-based care provides Texas with the opportunity to become a model of successful child welfare reform for the nation.
Key points:
- The upcoming implementation deadline for the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) will require the 87th Legislature to make critical decisions impacting the future of the state’s child welfare system.
- Texas lawmakers must take care to preserve and advance successful reforms already achieved through community-based care, which have improved outcomes for at-risk children and their families.
- Challenges associated with FFPSA implementation along with a projected budget shortfall due to the COVID-19 pandemic and unanswered questions about how the new law will operate should cause Texas lawmakers to proceed with caution.
- Regardless of how the 87th Legislature chooses to achieve FFPSA compliance, it should be done in a fiscally responsible manner that prioritizes the expansion and improvement of community-based care.