New Peer Support Interventions Added to the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse

Dear Colleagues,

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is committed to strengthening families, preventing unnecessary foster care placements, and supporting parents as they address the challenges associated with substance use disorder. In an effort to expand peer support, ACF announced today the addition of two interventions that include peer support to the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse: Family-Based Recovery and the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). These programs provide states with new opportunities to access federal Title IV-E prevention funding for evidence-based services that support recovery and strengthen families.

A Home for Every Child aims to improve the ratio of foster homes to children in foster care while strengthening prevention efforts that help families stay safely together and reduce the need for foster care. Because parental substance use disorder remains a significant driver of child welfare involvement, peer support interventions can play a critical role in helping parents navigate recovery, strengthen their families, and remain safely connected with their children. By continuing to add evidence-based services to the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse, ACF is giving states more options to access federal reimbursement for proven approaches that support families, prevent unnecessary foster care entries, and help children remain safely at home whenever possible.

The two newly approved interventions are:

• Family-Based Recovery : An intensive in-home clinical treatment model that supports parents of children ages 0—5 who are experiencing substance use disorder. The program incorporates peer support alongside clinical treatment to help parents achieve recovery while maintaining safe, stable environments for their children.
• WRAP : A facilitated peer group program that helps individuals develop recovery strategies, build resilience, and respond effectively to challenges and crises related to mental health and substance use disorders.

These interventions join other Clearinghouse-supported programs that incorporate peer support, including Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) and Parents Anonymous. Together, these options provide states with additional flexibility to design prevention services that meet the needs of families impacted by substance abuse disorder. States that incorporate these interventions into their approved Title IV-E Prevention Program Plans may claim federal reimbursement for eligible services. ACF encourages all Title IV-E agencies to review these newly approved interventions and consider updating their prevention plans to include these interventions and strengthen the prevention services provided to children and families in their jurisdictions. 

To assist jurisdictions in updating their current plans, ACF released pre-reviewed model language (PDF) that may be used to amend their Title IV-E five-year prevention program plans and add approved services rated by the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse. These resources are intended to simplify the plan amendment process. Jurisdictions that use the model language will receive expedited approval, allowing them to more quickly access federal reimbursement for approved peer support interventions.

Iowa recently became the first state to take this step, adopting one of these new peer support interventions and updating its state prevention plan to include these evidence-based approaches. We appreciate Iowa's leadership in expanding access to services that support families affected by addiction and hope its example encourages other states to adopt these peer support interventions and strengthen prevention services for children and families.

We remain committed to identifying and elevating effective prevention strategies that keep children safely with their families whenever possible. 

If you have questions regarding Title IV-E Prevention Program Plan amendments, please contact ivepreventionprogram@acf.hhs.gov. 

Thank you for your continued partnership and dedication.

Sincerely,