Skip to main content
H.R. 253 115th Congress House

Family First Prevention Services Act of 2017

Official title: To amend parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act to invest in funding prevention and family services to help keep children safe and supported at h… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act to invest in funding prevention and family services to help keep children safe and supported at home, to ensure that children in foster care are placed in the least restrictive, most family-like, and appropriate settings, and for other purposes.

Introduced: April 3, 2017 Introduced by: Vern Buchanan Republican · Florida See on congress.gov
Families Adoption and foster careAppropriationsChild healthChild safety and welfare
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Congressional oversightDrug trafficking and controlled substancesDrug, alcohol, tobacco useFamily relationshipsFamily servicesGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHealth programs administration and fundingHealth promotion and preventive careIntergovernmental relationsJuvenile crime and gang violenceMental healthPoverty and welfare assistanceSocial work, volunteer service, charitable organizationsState and local government operations
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 13, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
Jan 4, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Jan 4, 2017
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action January 13, 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Family First Prevention Services Act of 2017

This bill amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct) regarding, among other matters: (1) mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services and in-home parenting skill-based programs, (2) foster care maintenance payments for children with parents in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for substance abuse, and (3) payments for evidence-based kinship navigator programs.

Part B of title IV (Child and Family Services) of the SSAct is amended regarding, among other matters: (1) time limits for family reunification services for children in foster care or returning home, (2) grants for the development of an electronic interstate case-processing system to expedite the interstate placement of children in foster care or guardianship or for adoption, and (3) targeted grants to increase the well-being of children affected by substance abuse.

The bill appropriates certain funding to Department of Health and Human Services for FY2018 for competitive grants to states, Indian tribes, or tribal consortia to support the recruitment and retention of high-quality foster families.

The bill amends part B of title IV of the SSAct to reauthorize through FY2021: (1) the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program, (2) promotion of safe and stable families program, (3) funding reservations for monthly caseworker visits and regional partnership grants, and (4) funding for state courts.

Part E of title IV of the SSAct is amended to: (1) revise the John H. Chaffee Foster Care Independence Program and related provisions, and (2) reauthorize adoption and legal guardianship incentive programs through FY2021.

The Government Accountability Office shall study the extent to which states comply with certain SSAct requirements relating to the effects of phasing out the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program income eligibility requirements for adoption assistance payments.

 Related & companion bills 5
  • HR 1892 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018
  • HR 2866 Reducing Unnecessary Barriers for Relative Foster Parents Act
  • HR 2742 Modernizing the Interstate Placement of Children in Foster Care Act
  • HR 2847 Improving Services for Older Youth in Foster Care Act
  • HR 2834 Partnership Grants to Strengthen Families Affected by Parental Substance Abuse Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 5
All 5 Democratic 3
D
Gonzalez, Vicente
Texas · Apr 25, 2017
 D
Sewell, Terri A.
Alabama · Apr 3, 2017
 D
Soto, Darren
Florida · Mar 29, 2017
Meehan, Patrick
· Jan 11, 2017
LEVIN, SANDER
· Jan 4, 2017
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 253: Family First Prevention Services Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-253/
MLA
"H.R. 253: Family First Prevention Services Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-253/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 253, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-253/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 253: Family First Prevention Services Act of 2017](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-253/)
Report a problem