Caring for Foster Children and Those Who Care for Them

Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Ranking Subcommittee Member Jerry Weller (R-IL) introduced new legislation today to improve the lives of foster children.

Called the Fostering Connections to Success Act, the legislation targets specific deficiencies in the system and offers positive solutions to meet some of the most important needs affecting foster children in America today, including extending federal foster care payments up to 21 years old, providing federal support for relatives caring for foster children, increasing access to foster care and adoption services to Native American tribes, and improving the oversight of the health and education needs of children in foster care. Many of the same provisions were included in an even more comprehensive child welfare bill introduced by McDermott earlier in the year.

"I'm pleased to say that Jerry Weller and I have put together a bill on a bi-partisan basis whose only goal is improving the lives of foster kids," McDermott said. "Kids not politics came first, second, third and that's the way we ought to be doing business on behalf of the American people, especially our most vulnerable citizens. This bill provides real help for children in foster care, especially those now pushed out of the system on their 18th birthday and those who want to live with relatives. "

Rep. Weller said: "Studies have shown again and again that young people with a stable home environment often do better in school, and become more productive members of society when they reach working age," Weller said. "Our bill is aimed at providing solid footing for these young people and the people who care for them."

McDermott explained that this new bill was drafted to increase the chance to have a bill passed in the House and Senate and signed into law before the end of the year, which is the end of the 110th Congress. The Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman said the larger, more comprehensive legislation may need more hearings than there is time on a practical basis before the end of the year. He added that the needs of foster children, state programs and caring relatives are only increasing and he is willing to offer an alternative proposal that might take less time to enact.

McDermott said the difficult economic condition has only increased the urgency to act and this legislation will begin to lay the foundation for Congress to address the remaining priorities at a later date. He noted that the Fostering Connections to Success Act is paid for with tax money recovered from people who fraudulently received UI payments and improved management of the government's short-term operating cash.

"Together with Rep. Weller, we have proposed legislation that takes a big step in the right direction," McDermott said. "Since Rep. Weller is leaving Congress at the end of this year, I hope that we can rally Members from both parties to take action as a final honor to my distinguished Ranking Republican Member who shares my deep concern for improving the lives of foster children."

A bill number has not been assigned as yet. An overview of the provisions contained in the legislation is included below.

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Fostering Connections to Success Act

Key Legislative Provisions

1. Helping Relatives Care For Foster Children – At State option, continue federal assistance to relatives assuming legal guardianship of eligible children for whom they have cared as foster parents. Authorize Family Connection Grants to increase involvement of relatives as caregivers and help them navigate public programs. Require notification of close relatives when children are placed in foster care.

2. Extending Assistance to Foster Youth Up to the Age of 21 – Extend federal foster care payments up to the age of 19, 20 or 21 (at State option) for children living in supervised settings. Require youth receiving such assistance to be in school, work, or related activity. Also, extend adoption assistance and guardianship payments up to age 19, 20, or 21 (at State option) for children adopted or entering guardianship after attaining the age of 16.

3. Expanding Training Funds – Expand coverage of federal funds for the training of child welfare workers to include private agencies approved by the State.

4. Improving Oversight of Health Care – Require oversight plan for the health care needs of foster children -- accounting for the assessment and treatment of health conditions, continuity of care, medical records, and prescription drugs.

5. Promoting Educational Stability – Require plan for ensuring the educational stability of children in foster care and mandate assurance of school attendance.

6. Increasing Aid for Tribal Foster Care – Provide direct federal foster care and adoption funding to tribal governments for children in their care.

7. Encouraging Sibling Placement – Require reasonable efforts to place siblings together when removed from their homes.

8. Extending and Improving Adoption Incentives – Improve the Adoption Incentives Program for children adopted out of foster care, including updated base year and increased bonuses for special needs and older child adoptions.

9. Promoting the Adoption Tax Credit – Require efforts to inform prospective adoptive parents of foster children of potential eligibility for the credit.

10. Fixing Reimbursement in DC – Modify foster care rate for the District of Columbia to equal Medicaid rate.