REP. DAVIS CELEBRATES HOUSE PASSAGE OF HIS BIPARTISAN BILL TO REFORM CHILD WELFARE TO PROTECT AMERICA’S CHILDREN

Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act encompasses policies from 16 different pieces of legislation from both Republican and Democrat members of the Ways and Means Committee. The bill follows the Committee's extensive, year-long review of the nation's child welfare programs to identify areas where these programs could better serve children and families.

Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL) said, "I am proud to join with Chair LaHood in leading this important bill that will increase guaranteed funding for the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program for the first time since 2006. In addition to providing essential new funding for both state and tribal agencies to strengthen families, this bill includes significant investments and policy updates to improve child safety and well-being. For example, it invests in aiding kinship caregivers in finding needed resources, in evidence-based programs that successfully help parents overcome substance use disorders to safely care for their children, and in independent legal representation to address racial inequities in child welfare. This bill also provides for new demonstration projects to promote meaningful relationships between foster youth and their incarcerated parents, powerful relationships that support both parents and youth."

Key policies included in the Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act:

• Reauthorizes Title IV-B for five years and makes reforms to modernize the program.
• Reduces paperwork and data reporting for state agencies and caseworkers by at least 15 percent.
• Strengthens support systems for the 2.5 million grandparents and relatives providing kinship care for children who would otherwise enter foster care.
• Improves access for Indian tribes by streamlining funding, as well as monitoring state engagement with the Indian Child Welfare Act.
• Addresses the caseworker crises by ensuring caseworkers have access to technology and training that support a strong workforce.
• Improves outcomes for youth transitioning from foster care, including by allowing foster youth up to age 26 to be eligible for services and incorporating lived experience in the state planning of child welfare plans.
• Supports the expansion of evidence-based services to prevent child abuse and neglect and ensures children are not separated from parents solely due to poverty-related neglect.
• Supports adoption services by evaluating the effectiveness of pre- and post-adoption services available under Title IV-B to adopt the more than 65,000 children waiting to be adopted.

The bill is supported by 228 national, state, and local organizations, including: American Academy of Pediatrics; American Psychological Association Services, Inc.; American Public Human Services Association; Bolder Horizon; Child Welfare League of America; Children and Family Futures; Children's Defense Fund; Children's Trust Fund Alliance; Family Focused Treatment Association; FosterClub; Generations United; National Association of Counsel for Children; National Association of Counties; National Association of County Human Services Administrators; National Child Abuse Coalition; National Family Resource Coalition; National Indian Child Welfare Association; Prevent Child Abuse America; Think of Us; Voice for Adoption; and Zero to Three.

A summary of the Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act is available here; a section-by-section of the bill is here.

Representative Davis serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means as the most senior Democrat on the Subcommittee with jurisdiction over child welfare.

Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act encompasses policies from 16 different pieces of legislation from both Republican and Democrat members of the Ways and Means Committee. The bill follows the Committee's extensive, year-long review of the nation's child welfare programs to identify areas where these programs could better serve children and families.

Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL) said, "I am proud to join with Chair LaHood in leading this important bill that will increase guaranteed funding for the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program for the first time since 2006. In addition to providing essential new funding for both state and tribal agencies to strengthen families, this bill includes significant investments and policy updates to improve child safety and well-being. For example, it invests in aiding kinship caregivers in finding needed resources, in evidence-based programs that successfully help parents overcome substance use disorders to safely care for their children, and in independent legal representation to address racial inequities in child welfare. This bill also provides for new demonstration projects to promote meaningful relationships between foster youth and their incarcerated parents, powerful relationships that support both parents and youth."

Key policies included in the Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act:

• Reauthorizes Title IV-B for five years and makes reforms to modernize the program.
• Reduces paperwork and data reporting for state agencies and caseworkers by at least 15 percent.
• Strengthens support systems for the 2.5 million grandparents and relatives providing kinship care for children who would otherwise enter foster care.
• Improves access for Indian tribes by streamlining funding, as well as monitoring state engagement with the Indian Child Welfare Act.
• Addresses the caseworker crises by ensuring caseworkers have access to technology and training that support a strong workforce.
• Improves outcomes for youth transitioning from foster care, including by allowing foster youth up to age 26 to be eligible for services and incorporating lived experience in the state planning of child welfare plans.
• Supports the expansion of evidence-based services to prevent child abuse and neglect and ensures children are not separated from parents solely due to poverty-related neglect.
• Supports adoption services by evaluating the effectiveness of pre- and post-adoption services available under Title IV-B to adopt the more than 65,000 children waiting to be adopted.

The bill is supported by 228 national, state, and local organizations, including: American Academy of Pediatrics; American Psychological Association Services, Inc.; American Public Human Services Association; Bolder Horizon; Child Welfare League of America; Children and Family Futures; Children's Defense Fund; Children's Trust Fund Alliance; Family Focused Treatment Association; FosterClub; Generations United; National Association of Counsel for Children; National Association of Counties; National Association of County Human Services Administrators; National Child Abuse Coalition; National Family Resource Coalition; National Indian Child Welfare Association; Prevent Child Abuse America; Think of Us; Voice for Adoption; and Zero to Three.

A summary of the Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act is available here; a section-by-section of the bill is here.