Congress is currently considering the Family First Prevention Services Act (H.R. 5456). California’s counties have serious concerns about the bill and oppose it as currently drafted. CWDA is asking the House and Senate to avoid rushing the vote on this bill so we can work to amend it in a way that aligns with the bipartisan efforts already underway in California to reform and reduce the use of congregate care.  

The below letters from the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) and CWDA delineate those issues.

California and its counties are working tirelessly to implement the state’s bipartisan Continuum of Care Reforms (CCR) enacted last year. The federal provisions were crafted using California’s landmark initiatives as a model. Unfortunately, the bill as written will, at best, disrupt the state’s massive and collaborative effort with counties and California children’s organizations to launch very similar reforms the federal government intends to implement nationally.

CWDA Letters

• CWDA Supports Amendments by State of California and State of New York - Letter to the Honorable Barbara Boxer and the Honorable Dianne Feinstein, July 5, 2016
• Read CWDA's June 14, 2016 letter.
• Read CWDA's January 19, 2016 letter.

Joint Letters​

• CWDA-CSAC Thank You Letter to Senators Boxer and Feinstein, August 24, 2016
• Letter to the Honorable Dianne Feinstein and the Honorable Barbara Boxer, June 29, 2016 From the California Department of Social Services, Chief Probation Officers of California, CWDA and CSAC

Letters from Other California Officials & Organizations

• Speaker Anthony Rendon, July 7, 2016
• Alameda County Board of Supervisors, July 5, 2016
• Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to to the Honorable Dianne Feinstein, June 28, 2016
• Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to to the Honorable Barbara Boxer, June 28, 2016
• California State Association of Counties (CSAC), June 20, 2016

Letters from Other States & State Organizations

• Washington State Department of Social & Health Services, July 8, 2016
• Association of Minnesota Counties, June 28, 2016
• North Carolina Association of County Departments of Social Services, June 27, 2016
• New York Public Welfare Association, June 23, 2016

Webinar

• Why is California Concerned about the Family First Prevention Services Act - CWDA & Coalition Partners – August 25, 2016
• New York State Briefing for Child Welfare Stakeholders and County Government Officials – August 31, 2016

Policy Memo

• Family First Act’s Negative Impacts on Eligiblity for Federal Benefits for Certain Children - California Coalition Memo
• Family First Prevention Services Act of 2016: New York State’s Position