Family First Act: Why Outcomes Oriented Contracting Should Be Part of The Plan

"In 2018, Congress passed one of the most substantial changes in U.S. child welfare policy in decades. The Family First Prevention Services Act provides states with the opportunity to access federal dollars to prevent children from coming into foster care. States can draw down these unlimited federal funds to support a specific set of evidence-based [...]

"Since Family First was first enacted by Congress in February 2018, states have begun the important work to remake their systems and make a real, positive difference in the lives of children surviving abuse and neglect. Now with the added tools and funding available through FFTA, if developed well, these new systems will help thousands [...]

In a recent piece in CommonWealth Magazine, Third Sector Director, H. Kay Howard, argues for more funding in the form of a pay for success model to ensure better post-secondary outcomes for Massachusetts students.

The recent Stanford Social Innovation Review article “Social Impact Bonds: More Than One Approach” highlights the work of Santa Clara’s Project Welcome Home and Los Angeles County’s Just-in-Reach project, both of which Third Sector has been deeply engaged.  The article discusses how social impact bonds differ between projects and geographies, and how those differences impact implementation. More specifically, it points to Project Welcome Home as a great example of multiple funders working at difference risk levels and roles. And among the authors’ recommendations, they suggest that in the design of Pay for

Associate John Perovich and Analyst Jake Moy have been featured in Rooflines, the blog of Shelterforce, a publication of the National Housing Institute. Their piece, "Paying for Success in Permanent Supportive Housing" explores how the innovative contracting model can construct effective housing solutions for chronically homeless individuals. "Interest in the PFS model is growing. A [...]

Third Sector Co-President & General Counsel, John Grossman, is interviewed by CommonWealth Magazine on the promise of Pay for Success and the Massachusetts Juvenile Justice Initiative. Man in the middle: John Grossman brings government, providers, and money together for pay-for-success projects "JOHN GROSSMAN calls himself an intermediary. It’s an unusual job description, but it’s one that [...]