Panel approves bill to align Family First Prevention funds with programs that generate them

The Senate Health & Human Services Committee voted to send House Bill 10-75 to the Appropriations Committee after sponsors described the measure as a targeted update to ensure federal prevention dollars follow the services that generate them.

Sponsor testimony said that under current practice federal Family First Prevention Services Act funds flow into a single Child Abuse Prevention Trust Fund regardless of which department’s program generated the dollars. The bill would direct funds back into the trust fund when produced by Department of Early Childhood programs, but would allow funds generated by state or county child-welfare programs to be reinvested locally to sustain prevention activities.

Senators and advocates said the change would give counties greater clarity and predictability for reinvesting federal reimbursement into local child-welfare programs. Kevin Neiman of Colorado Counties Inc. told the committee the bill had local government buy-in, and sponsors said the bill maintains long-term investment in prevention while strengthening supports at the county level.

Committee members asked whether the bill expands Department of Early Childhood programs; staff replied that the bill reallocates existing federal monies and does not grow programs. The committee recorded a roll call and referred the bill unanimously to Appropriations.