To amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to provide for better protections for children raised in kinship families outside of the foster care system.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · May 23, 2024
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
This bill aims to improve support and protections for the roughly 2.4 million children being raised by relatives or close family friends outside the traditional foster care system, often called kinship or grandfamilies. The legislation amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to ensure these children and their kinship caregivers receive better recognition and services, particularly when caring for children affected by substance misuse or trauma. The bill requires federal advisory boards and clearinghouses to include representation from kinship family organizations and caregivers, and it directs states receiving federal child welfare grants to prioritize kinship placements as the first option when children need out-of-home care. Additionally, the bill mandates that community-based prevention programs provide targeted support and training for kinship caregivers, including services addressing mental health, behavioral challenges, substance use disorders, and trauma effects. The legislation does not specify new federal funding amounts or implementation timelines, but rather modifies existing grant programs to incorporate kinship family needs.
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