FFPSA Prevention Services Plan Update
Minnesota’s Five Year Prevention Services Plan is in the final stages of development. Once the plan is fully developed, it will undergo a review process and then will be submitted to the United States Health and Human Services Children’s Bureau for approval. Following an engagement and consultation process, the department is including services that are rated as well-supported for initial plan submission. The two initial services include Motivational Interviewing and Parents as Teachers.
Kinship Navigator Programs
Kinship navigator program is also in development, and consistent with FFPSA, will assist kinship caregivers with locating and utilizing programs and services to support them. FFPSA does not require a child met the definition of a candidate for foster care to be eligible for kinship navigator services. Together with our partners, department staff will determine the scope of the population served. Children and families are eligible for services regardless of a child’s Title IV-E status. County agencies and tribes participating in the American Indian Child Welfare Initiative (Initiative) may be eligible to submit claims for 50% federal reimbursement for allowable kinship navigator costs. However, kinship navigator programs are required to meet the criteria of promising, supported or well-supported as approved by the Title IV-E Family First Prevention Services Clearinghouse.
As a first step, Department staff have partnered with Lutheran Social Services (LSS) of Minnesota because they are providing services that most closely align with the Clearinghouse kinship navigator required service components. LSS is expected to develop, enhance, and provide services for a kinship navigator program in preparation for evaluation and submission for review in the Five Year Prevention Services Plan. Additional agencies are providing kinship services but none that are providing as comprehensive of a program that are prepared for evaluation and Clearinghouse submission as LSS.
Recently, Ohio’s Kinship Supports Intervention/Protect OHIO program was rated as promising, and is the only kinship navigator program that has received an approved evidence based rating by the Clearinghouse. Department staff are reviewing the recently approved Ohio program and will continue to review programs as they are approved by the Clearinghouse to establish a Title IV-E kinship navigator program. At this time, there are no existing kinship navigator programs, as defined by the Title IV-E Clearinghouse, in Minnesota.
Additional FFPSA resources
- FFPSA County Link webpage
- Children’s Bureau webpage for status of submitted Title IV-E Prevention plans
- Administration on Children, Youth and Families program instruction: Kinship Navigator and temporary flexibilities ACYF-CB-PI-21-05 (hhs.gov)
Questions
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