Puerto Rico Becomes the First Territory in the Nation with a Family First Prevention Plan Approved by the Children's Bureau

Today, a federal official joined leaders in Puerto Rico to announce the approval of a five-year child welfare prevention plan that aligns with the Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First). Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) Commissioner Rebecca Jones Gaston joined Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi, Department of Family Secretary Ciení Rodríguez Troche and Administration of Families and Children Administrator Glenda Gerena Ríos in a signing ceremony of Puerto Rico's prevention plan. Puerto Rico is the first U.S. territory to have an approved plan in place.

"I congratulate Puerto Rico for being the first U.S. territory to have a completed and approved prevention plan," said Commissioner Jones Gaston, who traveled to Puerto Rico representing the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Puerto Rico has taken the opportunity provided by Family First to use the Title IV-E child welfare prevention program to expand the available services in their communities. This will advance an improved way of serving children and families before involvement in foster care."

The Puerto Rico Department of the Family (PR-DF) Administration for Families and Children (ADFAN) has committed to use Family First funds to create a child welfare system that facilitates access to resources that provide family-centered services, in collaboration with various sectors through integrated plans that promote family preservation and strengthening, with a trained workforce and the necessary fiscal and technological resources.

"The approval of Puerto Rico's Title IV-E prevention plan is part of the agency's efforts to transform the social welfare system," said Administrator Glenda Gerena-Rios. "This represents an optimization of services through a trauma-informed and high-quality approach to meet the needs of children and their families. With this achievement, Puerto Rico positions itself at the forefront of protecting and ensuring the well-being of children."

Puerto Rico has taken the opportunity provided by Family First to use the title IV-E prevention program to expand the service array in their communities and envision and advance a vastly improved way of serving children and families. As part of the ADFAN's vision of keeping families in their home of origin, Puerto Rico's five-year plan includes mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services and in-home parent skill-based programs: Motivational Interviewing; Brief-Strategic Family Therapy; and Functional Family Therapy.

"This achievement is something we feel very proud of," said Ciení Rodríguez-Troche, the secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of the Family. "We are showing again that when we work together toward a shared goal, amazing things can happen. This approval means the end of one road and the beginning of a new journey for our agency, but also to the families we intend to serve. We deeply appreciate the continued support and guidance of ACF and the Children's Bureau in this endeavor."

To learn more about the Family First initiative, visit:
Title IV-E Prevention Program | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)

To see the status of approved and/or submitted Family First plans, visit:
Status of Submitted Title IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plans | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)

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