Federal Foster Care Prevention Funding Expanded To Include Services For Expectant Parents

The federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced on September 29, 2026, that states can now receive federal reimbursement through Title IV-E foster care prevention funding for approved mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and parenting services provided to expectant mothers and fathers. Under an amendment to the federal Child Welfare Policy Manual, children before birth are now recognized as candidates for foster care, allowing states to provide federally funded prevention services to parents before their children are born. States seeking to offer these services must amend their Title IV-E prevention plans to include expectant parents.

States . . .