PRINTER'S NO. 2285

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

438

Session of

2019

INTRODUCED BY TOOHIL, BOBACK, MILLARD, JOHNSON-HARRELL,

SCHLOSSBERG, BERNSTINE, YOUNGBLOOD AND CALTAGIRONE,

JUNE 27, 2019

Social Security Act.

WHEREAS, On February 9, 2018, the President of the United

States signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-

123, 132 Stat. 232), designated as the Family First Prevention

Services Act and otherwise known as "Family First"; and

WHEREAS, One of the major areas of change under Family First

is the way states can spend funds under Part E of Title IV of

the Social Security Act (49 Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. § 670 et seq.),

specifically, rather than using funds to help with the costs of

foster care, funds may be used for prevention services which

that children who cannot be safely maintained in their own homes

are placed in the least restrictive, most family-like settings,

or in qualified residential treatment programs appropriate to

their special needs; and

WHEREAS, Family First invites the states to further leverage

Federal and state funding streams, including child welfare

funding under Part E of Title IV of the Social Security Act,

evidence-based home visiting and Medicaid, particularly for

families affected by substance abuse disorders or mental health

conditions; and

critical prevention funding upon approval of a state plan by HHS

at the start of the Federal fiscal year 2020, which begins on

October 1, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Funding under Family First for fiscal year 2020

through 2026 will be eligible for up to a 50% reimbursement from

the Federal Government under Part E of Title IV of the Social

Security Act; and

WHEREAS, Two states, Arkansas and Colorado, have enacted

Family First implementation legislation in anticipation of

submitting a plan to HHS, and up to 21 other states are reported

later to October 1, 2020; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint

State Government Commission to conduct a study of the fiscal

impact of a timely and expeditious, versus a delayed,

implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act on

the Commonwealth's funding under Part E of Title IV of the

Social Security Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission, in consultation with the

Department of Human Services, the Child Welfare Steering Council

in the department and the Children and Youth Committee of the

in that act to attain Federal funding under Part E of Title IV

of the Social Security Act to support trauma-informed and

evidence-based mental health and substance abuse prevention and

treatment services, in-home parent skill-based services for

eligible children and their parents and caregivers and other

programs on foster grandparenting and kinship; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission be directed to make a

recommendation on whether the Commonwealth should take immediate

action to apply for family-based residential treatment

opportunities which can be leveraged separate from the

whether Pennsylvania's Kinship Navigator Program meets Title IV-

E Prevention Services Clearinghouse criteria for Federal funding

eligibility; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission be directed to provide a

recommendation as to whether the Commonwealth should take

immediate action to apply for family-based residential treatment

opportunities which can be leveraged separate from the

Commonwealth's decision to fully opt into the Family First

Prevention Services Act program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission be directed to issue, by