December 2018 I Issue 10 I Volume 2

Family First is Being Embraced by DHS

The Family First Prevention and Services Act (Family First) is federal legislation will restructure how the federal government spends money on child welfare to improve outcomes for children. It will prevent the need for removal through evidence-based family preservation services.

Key components of Family First will include foster care prevention services such as mental health and substance abuse treatment services, in-home and parent skill-based programs that include parent education, and individual and family counseling. It will also include kinship navigator programs, which are designed to provide support to relatives and fictive kin when the child cannot be safely maintained in the home.

A Family First webpage has been set up, with FAQs, resources and other information. This will be updated as we implement Family First. We plan to have a robust communications strategy to keep DHS staff, legislators and stakeholders informed. This will include keeping you updated through internal staff news, pushing press releases announcing progress, and regular meetings with legislators and stakeholders. Watch for updates over the coming months.

DHS is pleased to announce it has been awarded strategic support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) related to the implementation of Family First. Over the coming year, AECF is committed to providing on-the-ground and intensive consulting services to DHS to support our efforts to implement Family First. Specifically, AECF will provide assistance in assessing current practice, policies and contracting, and will provide recommendations on how to prioritize focused strategic improvements. AECF will use robust data analysis to understand the needs of families served by DHS and how to align foster care prevention services to meet those needs.

Additionally, AECF will support DHS in developing financial strategies and prevention model selection that will support DHS’ commitments to providing high-quality, effective and efficient services to children and families.

It’s an exciting time to serve as the director of DHS. The Children’s Board has issued their strategic plan with recommendations for creating a children’s mental health system in Iowa. I am confident that we will develop a system that will be a model for the country. We are also gearing up for Family First, the federal legislation that will radically change the way we ensure child welfare. We are just beginning to take the first steps to roll these out, but already I am encouraged by the support being offered by legislators, stakeholders and advocates. I very much look forward to the coming year and all the progress we will make in helping to better serve the children of Iowa.

- Jerry Foxhoven   

Every day at DHS, we work to improve the lives of our fellow Iowans. As an agency it is important to keep focused on our mission; to help Iowans achieve healthy, safe, stable, and self-sufficient lives through the programs and services we provide. If you know of a staff member or success story that exemplifies this mission, please email bfresho@dhs.state.ia.us or mhighla@dhs.state.ia.us to include it in our DHS newsletter.

For questions about Inside DHS please contact bfresho@dhs.state.ia.us.