ACF Announces Expectant Parents Can Now Receive Title IV-E Prevention Services to Address Safety and Well-Being of Their Unborn Child at States' Discretion
The Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that federally-approved evidence-based prevention services now extend to expectant parents. Under an amendment to the Child Welfare Policy Manual, children prior to birth are now recognized as “candidates for foster care” by the Trump Administration, meaning states may receive federal reimbursement for approved Title IV-E prevention services provided to expectant mothers and fathers.
“Parental mental health conditions and substance use disorders are among the most common reasons children enter foster care. Early intervention and support can be the difference between a child growing up in a stable home or spending time in the foster care system,” said ACF Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams. “Extending eligibility for foster care candidacy is common sense to help strengthen families and ensure resources are available to families when they are needed.”
Permitting Title IV-E funds to serve expectant parents will increase access to evidence-based mental health, substance abuse, and parenting services for mothers and fathers. The amendment also furthers ACF’s A Home for Every Child initiative — which aims to improve the ratio of available foster homes to children in need of care — by addressing early safety and well-being concerns of an unborn baby to hopefully prevent that child from later entering foster care.
Importantly, Title IV-E prevention services are available to individuals regardless of income and include many services that are not routinely covered by other payers such as Medicaid. A bipartisan group of at least 29 states have already included or inquired about services in their Title IV-E prevention plan where a target audience is expectant mothers.
“The evidence is clear that creating stable, predictable environments and healthy daily routines for children is essential for their well-being and the prevention of chronic health conditions long-term,” said Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos, Director of National Health Communications for the Office of the Surgeon General. “This program is one of the best ways we can support unborn children and their expectant parents by preparing them before their baby even arrives.”
By supporting families early with evidence-based interventions that teach parenting skills and address mental health and substance use challenges, ACF hopes to strengthen the bonds between parents and children, promote stable family environments, and teach parents about healthy child development.
States have broad latitude under federal law to determine which prevention services to include in their Title IV-E plan and how candidacy is defined. While ACF guidance provides clarification on candidacy of expectant mothers, ultimately states will have to take action to amend their plans to cover this important population.
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