The federal Family First Prevention Services Act exemplifies legislation that, as discussed last week, ignores insights from the quality improvement body of knowledge.
The Act provides new funding for services to reduce foster care placements – a laudable intent, but this creates corresponding financial incentives to keep children in unsafe situations too long.
It also ends federal reimbursement for mid-level facilities like group homes, which for some children are the best option.
Congress has ignored the quality principle of setting high expectations for results and letting managers and staff determine how to achieve them.
Now we’ll need new vigilance so children aren’t left at home just to maximize revenues, and states will have to pay for service gaps the bill creates so they can still help children whose placements are defunded.