Bill Summaries
The Fostering Connections to Success Act (H.R. 6893) - BILL SUMMARY
Unanimously passed by Congress in September, 2008, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act generates significant improvements to the child welfare system, making it possible for children to leave foster care quickly and safely for permanent families. This landmark legisltaion includes provisions that will: support the adoption of children from foster care, especially older children and those with special needs; provide federal foster care funds directly to tribal government; provide federal support for legal guardianship; allow states to seek federal reimbursement for providing support to foster youth to age 21; and encourage siblings being placed together in foster care.
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The Kinship Caregiver Support Act (S. 661 and H.R. 2188) - BILL SUMMARY
The Kinship Caregiver Support Act will enable thousands of children in foster care to leave the system to join permanent loving homes by giving states the option to use federal IV-E funding to support relatives who become legal guardians of children they've been caring for as foster parents. The bill also establishes the Kinship Navigator Program to help relative caregiver learn about and access existing programs and services. Senator bill sponsors Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) continue to gain support in the Senate for this legsilation, and the House bill sponsors Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL) and Tim Johnson (R-IL) also continue to grow support for their bipartisan bill.
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The Invest in Kids Act (H.R. 5466) - BILL SUMMARY
Introduced by Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) this landmark legislation would reform many aspects of the current child welfare system, including: making federal investments in prevention services proven effective at helping children stay with their families safely and reducing the need for removal from their home and being placed in foster care; promoting more permanency options for children in foster care; strengthen adoption incentives for all children in foster care, including children with special needs; and make relative guardianship assistance available when adoption or safe reunification is not possible.
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