The Opportunities in Title IV-B Reauthorization
By Mike Leach
Child Welfare Director Perspectives
Child Welfare Wonk invites insights from bipartisan former state child welfare leaders on the biggest ideas shaping the field today.
Our contributors surface how former state child welfare leaders think through high-stakes policy moments.
These aren’t endorsements; they’re strategic intelligence.
Looking at leadership across political and geographic contexts, you get to see the kind of thinking that shapes decisions before they’re public.
So, how are leaders thinking about what we’ve broken down in our Title IV-B Explainer?
The Opportunities in Title IV-B Reauthorization
By Mike Leach
Title IV-B has always been the program that lets states focus on the work that doesn’t always show up in a federal review but matters deeply to families; prevention, reunification, supporting kin, and stabilizing the workforce.
Title IV-B funds give states flexibility to build community partnerships and invest in front-end services.
For states already prioritizing those approaches, the reauthorization brings more consistency and helps insulate the work from leadership changes.
What Deserves More Attention
There are a few aspects of this reauthorization worth emphasizing.
Poverty≠Neglect
The bill’s language around poverty alone not being sufficient cause for neglect is big. If states take that seriously, it could shift how we respond to families in need and reduce unnecessary removals.
Youth Input and Mental Health
Second, the new requirements around mental health and youth voice in state plan development could reshape how we build plans and teams.
Overhyping of Virtual Caseworker Visits
Allowing these is helpful but not transformational. This should have already been going on, even if agencies weren’t able to count it as a visit.
Is it a Boxchecker?
If states treat this like another compliance exercise and respond by layering on more forms, checklists, or one-off trainings, it’ll add bureaucracy without improving outcomes.
Reducing Administrative Burden
The reauthorization requires HHS to reduce administrative burden by 15% and simplify reporting.
That’s a clear opening to step back, cut duplication, and build systems that work better for staff and families.
Where I’d Put the Dollars
If I were sitting in the director’s chair now, I’d be looking to use the expanded IV-B funds to:
Invest in family resource centers;
Provide real support for kinship caregivers;
Build up legal advocacy statewide.;
Invest in tools that ease documentation burdens (such as AI case documentation); and
Mental health and safety culture support
Most of what’s in the law isn’t new work, but things agencies were already trying to do: legal advocacy, addressing poverty, involving youth, and supporting mental health
This reauthorization just gives it backing, funding, and some structure.
If you’ve got the right leadership in place, you can use these changes to support your people, not burden them.
The Real Question
The real question is whether states will build around values and culture, or just respond to mandates.
That’s the difference between better systems and more red tape.
Michael Leach is a values-driven leader known for his authentic approach and focus on improving child welfare and social service systems.
He served as Deputy Commissioner in TN and State Director of South Carolina DSS, and now works with states and nonprofits through Leach Consulting Group.