Federal Developments Impacting Children, Families, and Communities
Each week, FFTA members receive timely policy updates, resources, and analysis designed to help organizations navigate a rapidly changing child and family serving landscape. Below are a few of the key developments highlighted during October.
Federal Policy Developments Focus on Child Welfare Reporting, Prevention and Family-Based Care
October brought several federal policy developments aimed at reducing administrative burdens, strengthening prevention services, expanding healthcare access for foster youth and improving the availability of family-based placements.
New guidance from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), proposed federal regulatory changes and additional resources for states and providers reflect a continued focus on strengthening child welfare systems and improving outcomes for children and families.
HHS Proposes Changes to Federal Child Welfare Reporting Requirements
ACF released a proposed rule that would streamline or eliminate several federal reporting and assessment requirements under Title IV-B, subparts 1 and 2.
The proposed changes are intended to reduce administrative burdens associated with requirements ACF considers outdated or duplicative, allowing state and Tribal child welfare agencies to direct more time and resources toward prevention, reunification and permanency.
Public comments were due November 4. If finalized, the changes could affect how states meet federal reporting requirements and how information is collected and used to assess child welfare system performance.
States and providers will want to monitor the final rule and any resulting changes to state policies, reporting processes and documentation requirements.
Bipartisan Legislation Would Expand Healthcare Access for Foster Youth
Congressional Foster Youth Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) reintroduced two bipartisan bills intended to improve access to healthcare for current and former foster youth.
The Foster Youth Dental Act of 2026 would expand access to dental services, including additional incentives for providers and opportunities to improve Medicaid enrollment.
The Expanding Coverage for Former Foster Youth Act of 2026 would broaden Medicaid eligibility through age 26 to include additional young adults, including certain youth who exited foster care through kinship guardianship or emancipation before age 18.
Together, the proposals seek to close existing coverage gaps and help young people maintain access to medical, dental and behavioral health services as they transition into adulthood.
ACF Clarifies Title IV-E Prevention Funding and Technology Requirements
ACF issued Information Memorandum IM-26-04, providing clarification on Title IV-E prevention data requirements and the use of child welfare information systems.
The guidance emphasizes that states, Tribes and territories do not need to wait for fully modernized Comprehensive Child Welfare Information Systems (CCWIS) before claiming allowable Title IV-E prevention expenditures.
Agencies may use existing or transitional technology systems to collect and report prevention data, provided applicable federal requirements are met. ACF also reminded agencies that eligible expenditures from prior periods may be claimed within federal filing deadlines.
The clarification provides additional flexibility for states working to expand evidence-based prevention services while addressing technology modernization and implementation challenges.
New Federal Findings Highlight Strategies to Strengthen Foster Home Capacity
The Children's Bureau released an examination of the first 30 Program Improvement Plans developed under ACF's A Home for Every Child initiative, identifying emerging strategies to improve child welfare system capacity and outcomes.
HHS also released findings from Idaho, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Vermont, examining approaches used by states with relatively strong ratios of available foster homes to children in care.
The reports highlight strategies such as targeted foster family recruitment, stronger kinship connections, streamlined licensing, caregiver retention, prevention of unnecessary foster care entries and timely permanency.
The findings reinforce that increasing placement capacity requires more than recruiting additional foster families. States and providers must also address the policies, practices and supports that help families remain engaged and children achieve stability.
New Resources Strengthen Kinship Care and Foster Family Licensing
October also brought several developments focused on improving support for kinship caregivers and reducing barriers to family-based placements.
The Administration for Community Living announced a three-year, $3 million cooperative agreement with Generations United to operate the National Technical Assistance Center for Kinship and Grandfamilies. The center will provide training, technical assistance and resources to strengthen services for grandparents, relatives and other kin caregivers.
The Child Welfare Playbook released recommended foster caregiver licensing standards and an accompanying toolkit designed to help agencies reduce unnecessary administrative barriers, streamline approval processes and strengthen caregiver assessments.
The Children's Bureau also identified opportunities to improve out-of-state child abuse and neglect registry checks, including electronic processing, fewer unnecessary requirements and more centralized procedures.
Together, these resources offer states and providers additional tools to strengthen kinship care, improve licensing efficiency and increase access to stable family-based placements.
Stay Informed
These highlights represent only a portion of the policy developments covered in FFTA's weekly member policy alerts. Members receive regular updates on federal and state policy, funding opportunities, emerging initiatives, legislative developments, and resources impacting children, families, and communities nationwide.
Writer: Treva Johnson, FFTA
