H.R. 6307 would amend parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act to assist children in foster care in developing or maintaining connections to family, community, support, health care, and school.
Detailed Summary
<b>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)</b>
Fostering Connections to Success Act - (Sec. 2) Amends Part E (Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to give state plans the option of providing for the state to enter into agreements to provide kinship guardianship assistance payments to grandparents and other relatives who have assumed legal guardianship of children for whom they have cared as foster parents and for whom they have committed to care on a permanent basis.
(Sec. 3) Amends SSA title IV part B (Child and Family Services) to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make matching grants to state, local, or tribal child welfare agencies, and experienced private nonprofit organizations to help children in, or at risk of entering, foster care to reconnect with family members.
(Sec. 4) Requires the applicable state agency, within 30 days after placing a child in foster care, to attempt to: (1) locate and notify any of the child's adult family members of the child's removal from parental custody; and (2) explain the options for participating in the child's care and placement.
(Sec. 5) Gives states the option of covering under part E certain children in foster care, and certain children in an adoptive or guardianship placement, after attaining age 18.
(Sec. 6) Provides for short-term training for child welfare agencies and prospective relative guardians.
Phases in increased expenditures for such training.
(Sec. 7) Allows an Indian tribe to receive direct federal SSA title IV part E funds if specified requirements are met.
Authorizes an Indian tribe to receive a portion of a state plan allotment as part of an agreement to operate the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program.
(Sec. 8) Requires each state child welfare services plan to provide that the state will develop a plan for the ongoing oversight and coordination of health care services for any child in a foster care placement.
(Sec. 9) Requires case plans under SSA title B or E to include a plan for ensuring the educational stability of the child while in foster care.
Requires the state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide assurances that each child who has attained the minimum age for compulsory school attendance under state law, and with respect to whom there is eligibility for a payment under the state plan, is a full-time elementary or secondary school student or has completed secondary school.
(Sec. 10) Provides for joint placement of siblings in the same foster care, kinship guardianship, or adoptive placement unless it would be contrary to the safety or well being of any of the siblings.
(Sec. 11) Revises the adoption incentives payment program, extending it for five years through FY2013, and providing for an increase in incentive payments for special needs adoptions and older child adoptions among other changes.
(Sec. 12) Requires the state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide that the state will inform any individual who is adopting, or considering adopting, a child in foster care of the individual's potential eligibility for a federal tax credit.
(Sec. 13) Revises the formula for federal payments to the District of Columbia for foster care and adoption assistance to make the principal factor in the formula a payment of 70% of the total amount expended during a quarter as foster care maintenance and adoption assistance payments (thus modifying the District of Columbia foster care matching rate to conform with the Medicaid matching rate).
(Sec. 14) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the collection of unemployment compensation debts resulting from fraud.
(Sec. 15) Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to invest U.S. operating cash in repurchase agreements with acceptable parties.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 6/25/2008: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
J.F.
Scrap it all, let it sunset. It has been terribly abused over the last 3 decades. Enough of family meddling by the government no nothings! Scrap it now!
Kandice
Sounds good on paper, but doesn't everything? I think it should be scrapped. They hace contolled innocent families for too long. This bill isn't going to change anything,let it sunset!!! Give us back control over our children.
Jen
No More family Meddling!! Give us control over our children
Mel
This is NOT family meddling - read the bill more closely.
This bill will help kids who are in the foster care system. These are children who have been seriously abused! They are in the system through NO fault of their own. States have huge problems finding family placements for these children, which leaves many to grow up in institutional settings. This bill would help the family members of these children afford to take them in.
Also, it would help kids who turn 18 in the system. Generally, these kids are tossed out on the street and abandoned when they reach that age. This would allow states to keep them in care until they turn 21...which is much closer to what most young adults experience.
sharmen ryan
no taking children
sharmen
give children back
Rena
For those of you judging this bill that have not had the experience of having to raise your grandchildren alone on a fixed income need to realize that help is desperately needed.
Please walk a mile in their shoes before you choose to judge this opportunity to help as negative.
Mark
This bill will help keep kids out of foster care and with their extended families -- that's a good thing for all of you who don't even read bills before you spout what some right-winger tells you to say.
It also provides funding to tribes to help tribes provide services to their people.
mom to 3
I agree with Mark.In a perfect world all parents could care for their kids but this world is far from perfect. I am an adoptive mom to 3 Native kids. If this funding would have been available to my kids extended birth families they may have been able to stay in their natural families.One of my adoptive kids is an extended family member of mine and we are fromt he same tribe. As an ex foster parent I have witnessed the sheer numbers of kids who need homes. Bluntly said,Take away this chance and you are taking away from the kids.