United States 118th Congress Status: Passed Senate 1 R cosponsors

HR 9076 — Supporting America’s Children and Families Act

Last action — Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 118th Congress. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

To reauthorize and modernize part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to strengthen child welfare services, expand the availability of prevention services to better meet the needs of vulnerable families, and for other purposes.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

698 added · 664 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amended version of the bill retains the short title "Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act" and includes references to various aspects of child welfare. However, it adds a section highlighting the importance of recognizing relative and kinship caregivers, and it addresses the needs of incarcerated parents and children in foster care, along with provisions for youth in residential treatment programs. This change emphasizes support for family-based care and the unique challenges faced by specific groups involved in the child welfare system.

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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S.
[118th Congress Public Law 258] [From the U.S.
Government Publishing Office] [H.R.
Government Publishing Office] [[Page 138 STAT.
9076 Referred in Senate (RFS)] <DOC> 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H.
2947]] Public Law 118-258 118th Congress An Act To reauthorize child welfare programs under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act and strengthen the State and tribal child support enforcement program under part D of such title, and for other purposes.
R.
<<NOTE:
9076 _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 19, 2024 Received;
Jan.
read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To reauthorize child welfare programs under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act and strengthen the State and tribal child support enforcement program under part D of such title, and for other purposes.
4, 2025 - [H.R.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.
9076]>> Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE:
SHORT TITLE.
Supporting America's Children and Families Act.>> SECTION 1.
<<NOTE:
42 USC 1305 note.>> SHORT TITLE.
TITLE I--CHILD WELFARE REAUTHORIZATION AND MODERNIZATION SEC.
TITLE I <<NOTE:
Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act.>> --CHILD WELFARE REAUTHORIZATION AND MODERNIZATION SEC.
(a) Short Title.--This title may be cited as the ``Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act''.
(a) <<NOTE:
42 USC 1305 note.>> Short Title.--This title may be cited as the ``Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act''.
SEC.
[[Page 138 STAT.
2948]] SEC.
``(e) Guidance.-- ``(1) In general.--Every 5 years, the Secretary shall issue implementation guidance for sharing information on best practices for-- ``(A) technological changes needed for court proceedings for foster care, guardianship, or adoption to be conducted remotely in a way that maximizes engagement and protects the privacy of participants;
``(e) Guidance.-- ``(1) <<NOTE:
Time period.>> In general.--Every 5 years, the Secretary shall issue implementation guidance for sharing information on best practices for-- [[Page 138 STAT.
2949]] ``(A) technological changes needed for court proceedings for foster care, guardianship, or adoption to be conducted remotely in a way that maximizes engagement and protects the privacy of participants;
``(2) Initial issuance.--The Secretary shall issue initial guidance required by paragraph (1) with preliminary information on best practices not later than October 1, 2025.
``(2) <<NOTE:
Deadline.>> Initial issuance.--The Secretary shall issue initial guidance required by paragraph (1) with preliminary information on best practices not later than October 1, 2025.
629g(f)(1)) is amended by inserting ``, and expand the scope of the evidence-based services that may be approved by the clearinghouse established under section 476(d)'' before the period.
629g(f)(1)) is amended by inserting ``, and expand the scope of the evidence- based services that may be approved by the clearinghouse established under section 476(d)'' before the period.
and (C) by adding at the end the following:
and [[Page 138 STAT.
2950]] (C) by adding at the end the following:
(2) by inserting ``child permanency, reunification, re- entry into care,'' before ``parental recovery'';
(2) by inserting ``child permanency, reunification, re-entry into care,'' before ``parental recovery'';
``(iii) The most appropriate administrative office of the juvenile court or State court overseeing court proceedings involving families who come to the attention of the court due to child abuse or neglect.''.
``(iii) The most appropriate administrative office of the juvenile court or State court overseeing court [[Page 138 STAT.
2951]] proceedings involving families who come to the attention of the court due to child abuse or neglect.''.
629g(f)(2)) is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively SEC.
629g(f)(2)) is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively.
SEC.
``(10) Family resource center.-- ``(A) In general.--The term `family resource center' means a community or school-based hub of support services for families that-- ``(i) utilizes an approach that is multi- generational, strengths-based, and family- centered;
``(10) Family resource center.-- ``(A) <<NOTE:
Definition.>> In general.--The term `family resource center' means a community or school- based hub of support services for families that-- ``(i) utilizes an approach that is multi- generational, strengths-based, and family- centered;
``(B) Special rule.--For purposes of this subpart, an expenditure for a service provided by a family resource center may be treated as an expenditure for any 1 or more of family support services, family preservation services, family reunification services, or adoption promotion and support services as long as the expenditure is related to serving the children and families in the specified category and consistent with the overall purpose of the category.''.
``(B) Special rule.--For purposes of this subpart, an expenditure for a service provided by a family resource center may be treated as an expenditure for any or more of family support services, family preservation services, family reunification services, or adoption promotion and support services as long as the expenditure is related to serving the children and families in the specified category and consistent with the overall purpose of the category.''.
(c) Updating State Plan Requirement.--Section 422(b)(1) (42 U.S.C.
[[Page 138 STAT.
2952]] (c) Updating State Plan Requirement.--Section 422(b)(1) (42 U.S.C.
622(b)(15) is amended-- (1) in the matter preceding clause (i)-- (A) by inserting ``and, if applicable, the State agency responsible for mental health services,'' before ``and in consultation'';
622(b)(15)) is amended-- (1) in the matter preceding clause (i)-- (A) by inserting ``and, if applicable, the State agency responsible for mental health services,'' before ``and in consultation'';
441.
<<NOTE:
42 USC 629k.>> 441.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall reduce the burden of administering this part imposed on the recipients of funds under this part, by-- ``(1) reviewing and revising administrative data collection instruments and forms to eliminate duplication and streamline reporting requirements for the recipients while collecting all data required under this part;
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall reduce the burden of administering this part imposed on the recipients of funds under this part, by-- ``(1) <<NOTE:
``(2) in coordination with activities required under the Paperwork Reduction Act, conducting an analysis of the total number of hours reported by the recipients to comply with paperwork requirements and exploring, in consultation with the recipients, how to reduce the number of hours required for the compliance by at least 15 percent;
Review.
``(3) collecting input from the recipients with respect to fiscal and oversight requirements and making changes to ensure consistency with standards and guidelines for other Federal formula grant programs based on the input;
Revision.
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Data.>> reviewing and revising administrative data collection instruments and forms to eliminate duplication and streamline reporting requirements for the recipients while collecting all data required under this part;
``(2) <<NOTE:
Analysis.>> in coordination with activities required under the Paperwork Reduction Act, conducting an analysis of the total number of hours reported by the recipients to comply with paperwork requirements and exploring, in consultation with the recipients, how to reduce the number of hours required for the compliance by at least 15 percent;
``(3) collecting input from the recipients with respect to fiscal and oversight requirements and making changes to [[Page 138 STAT.
2953]] ensure consistency with standards and guidelines for other Federal formula grant programs based on the input;
PUBLIC ACCESS TO STATE PLANS.
<<NOTE:
42 USC 6291.>> PUBLIC ACCESS TO STATE PLANS.
``(2) produce comparisons and analyses of trends in State plans to inform future technical assistance and policy development;
``(2) <<NOTE:
``(3) make the State plans available on a public website;
Analyses.>> produce comparisons and analyses of trends in State plans to inform future technical assistance and policy development;
and ``(4) include on the website aggregated national summaries of State submissions as the Secretary deems appropriate.''.
``(3) <<NOTE:
(2) Implementation.--Within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall-- (A) comply with section 441 of the Social Security Act, as added by the amendment made by paragraph (1);
Public information.
and (B) notify each recipient of funds under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act of any change made by the Secretary pursuant to such section affecting the recipient.
Web posting.>> make the State plans available on a public website;
and ``(4) <<NOTE:
Summaries.>> include on the website aggregated national summaries of State submissions as the Secretary deems appropriate.''.
(2) <<NOTE:
Deadline.
42 USC 629k note.>> Implementation.-- Within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall-- (A) <<NOTE:
Compliance.>> comply with section 441 of the Social Security Act, as added by the amendment made by paragraph (1);
and (B) <<NOTE:
Notification.>> notify each recipient of funds under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act of any change made by the Secretary pursuant to such section affecting the recipient.
``(a) Reservation of Funds;
``(a) <<NOTE:
Direct Payments.--Out of any amount appropriated pursuant to section 425 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 3 percent for grants to Indian tribes and tribal organizations, which shall be paid directly to Indian tribes and tribal organizations with a plan approved under this subpart, in accordance with section 433(a).''.
Grants.>> Reservation of Funds;
Direct Payments.--Out of any amount appropriated pursuant to section 425 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 3 percent for grants to Indian tribes and tribal organizations, which shall be paid directly to Indian [[Page 138 STAT.
2954]] tribes and tribal organizations with a plan approved under this subpart, in accordance with section 433(a).''.
EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT OF 1978.
<<NOTE:
``(a) In General.--Not later than October 1, 2025, the Secretary, in consultation with Indian tribal organizations and States, shall develop a plan and provide technical assistance supporting effective implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, including specific measures identified in State plans as required by section 422(b)(9) of this Act.
42 USC 628d.>> EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT OF 1978.
The technical assistance plan shall be based on data sufficient to assess State strengths and areas for improvement in implementing Federal standards established under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, including, at a minimum, the following:
``(a) <<NOTE:
Deadline.
Plan.>> In General.--Not later than October 1, 2025, the Secretary, in consultation with Indian tribal organizations and States, shall develop a plan and provide technical assistance supporting effective implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, including specific measures identified in State plans as required by section 422(b)(9) of this Act.
<<NOTE:
Assessment.>> The technical assistance plan shall be based on data sufficient to assess State strengths and areas for improvement in implementing Federal standards established under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, including, at a minimum, the following:
``(b) Interagency Coordination.--On request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Interior shall provide the Secretary with such guidance and assistance as may be necessary to facilitate informing States and public child welfare agencies on how to comply with the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, including specific measures identified in State plans as required by section 422(b)(9) of this Act.
[[Page 138 STAT.
2955]] ``(b) <<NOTE:
Guidance.>> Interagency Coordination.--On request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Interior shall provide the Secretary with such guidance and assistance as may be necessary to facilitate informing States and public child welfare agencies on how to comply with the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, including specific measures identified in State plans as required by section 422(b)(9) of this Act.
``(c) Tribal Authority to Substitute the Federal Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate for Administrative Costs Cap.--For purposes of sections 422(b)(14) and 424(e), an Indian tribal organization may elect to have the weighted average of the indirect cost rates in effect under part 220 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations with respect to the administrative costs of the Indian tribal organization apply in lieu of the percentage specified in each such section.''.
``(c) Tribal Authority to Substitute the Federal Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate for Administrative Costs Cap.--For <<NOTE:
Applicability.>> purposes of sections 422(b)(14) and 424(e), an Indian tribal organization may elect to have the weighted average of the indirect cost rates in effect under part 220 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations with respect to the administrative costs of the Indian tribal organization apply in lieu of the percentage specified in each such section.''.
SEC.
[[Page 138 STAT.
2956]] SEC.
ACCELERATING ACCESS TO FAMILY FIRST PREVENTION SERVICES.
<<NOTE:
Grants.>> ACCELERATING ACCESS TO FAMILY FIRST PREVENTION SERVICES.
``(B) Contents.--The application shall contain the following:
``(B) <<NOTE:
Certifications.>> Contents.--The application shall contain the following:
``(iv) At the option of the eligible entity, a certification from the applicant that the applicant requires an external evaluator secured by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (5), if applicable.
``(iv) At the option of the eligible entity, a certification from the applicant that the applicant requires [[Page 138 STAT.
2957]] an external evaluator secured by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (5), if applicable.
``(6) Reports.-- ``(A) By grant recipients.--Within 1 year after receiving a grant under this subsection, and every year thereafter for the next 5 years, the grant recipient shall submit to the Secretary a written report on-- ``(i) the use of grant funds;
``(6) Reports.-- ``(A) <<NOTE:
Time periods.>> By grant recipients.--Within 1 year after receiving a grant under this subsection, and every year thereafter for the next years, the grant recipient shall submit to the Secretary a written report on-- ``(i) the use of grant funds;
``(B) By the secretary.--The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Finance of the Senate an annual written report on-- ``(i) the grants awarded under this subsection;
``(B) By the secretary.--The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Finance of the Senate an annual written report on-- [[Page 138 STAT.
2958]] ``(i) the grants awarded under this subsection;
and ``(iv) any efforts by the Secretary to support program evaluation and review pursuant to section 471(e) and inclusion of programs in the pre-approved list of services and programs described in section 471(e)(4)(D) or the clearinghouse of practices described in section 476(d)(2).
and ``(iv) any efforts by the Secretary to support program evaluation and review pursuant to section 471(e) and inclusion of programs in the pre- approved list of services and programs described in section 471(e)(4)(D) or the clearinghouse of practices described in section 476(d)(2).
(b) Youth and Family Engagement in Child Welfare Program Planning.--Section 432(b)(1) (42 U.S.C.
(b) Youth and Family Engagement in Child Welfare Program Planning.-- Section 432(b)(1) (42 U.S.C.
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall approve a plan that meets the requirements of subsection (a) only if-- ``(A) the plan was developed jointly by the Secretary and the State, and the State, in developing the plan, consulted with-- ``(i) appropriate public and nonprofit private agencies;
[[Page 138 STAT.
2959]] ``(1) <<NOTE:
Approval.
Plan.>> In general.--The Secretary shall approve a plan that meets the requirements of subsection (a) only if-- ``(A) the plan was developed jointly by the Secretary and the State, and the State, in developing the plan, consulted with-- ``(i) appropriate public and nonprofit private agencies;
and ``(B) the State has made publicly accessible on a website of the State agency a report that outlines how the State has implemented the suggestions of the children and youth referred to in subparagraph (A)(iv).''.
and ``(B) <<NOTE:
Public information.
Web posting.>> the State has made publicly accessible on a website of the State agency a report that outlines how the State has implemented the suggestions of the children and youth referred to in subparagraph (A)(iv).''.
and (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``extended'' and inserting ``kinship'';
and [[Page 138 STAT.
2960]] (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``extended'' and inserting ``kinship'';
``(11) Youth.--The term `youth' means an individual who has not attained 26 years of age.''.
``(11) <<NOTE:
Definition.>> Youth.--The term `youth' means an individual who has not attained 26 years of age.''.
(vii) by moving each provision so redesignated 2 ems to the left;
(vii) by moving each provision so redesignated ems to the left;
``(3) a description of how the entity will directly fund, or provide data to the Secretary for, an evaluation which will publish and submit information to the clearinghouse described in section 476(d)(2) and which is designed to meet the requirements of section 471(e)(4)(C), or a description of how the funds will be used to help the State transition to a program for which the State will seek reimbursement under section 474(a)(7);'';
``(3) <<NOTE:
Evaluation.
Publication.
Reimbursement.>> a description of how the entity will directly fund, or provide data to the Secretary for, an evaluation which will publish and submit information to the clearinghouse described in section 476(d)(2) and which is designed to meet the requirements of section 471(e)(4)(C), or a description of how the funds will be used to help the State transition to a program for which the State will seek reimbursement under section 474(a)(7);'';
``(6) if the entity is a State, local or tribal child welfare agency-- ``(A) documentation of support from a relevant community-based organization with experience serving kinship families when applicable;
``(6) if the entity is a State, local or tribal child welfare agency-- [[Page 138 STAT.
2961]] ``(A) documentation of support from a relevant community-based organization with experience serving kinship families when applicable;
(2) in paragraph (10), by striking the period and inserting ``;
[[Page 138 STAT.
2962]] (2) in paragraph (10), by striking the period and inserting ``;
``(1) Base allotment.--From the amount reserved pursuant to section 436(b)(4)(A) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall first allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) that has provided to the Secretary such documentation as may be necessary to verify that the jurisdiction has complied with section 436(b)(4)(B)(ii) during the fiscal year, a base allotment of $100,000, and shall then allot to each of those States an amount determined in paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection, as applicable.
``(1) <<NOTE:
Verification.>> Base allotment.--From the amount reserved pursuant to section 436(b)(4)(A) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall first allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) that has provided to the Secretary such documentation as may be necessary to verify that the jurisdiction has complied with section 436(b)(4)(B)(ii) during the fiscal year, a base allotment of $100,000, and shall then allot to each of those States an amount determined in paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection, as applicable.
``(3) Other states.--From the amount reserved pursuant to section 436(b)(4)(A) for any fiscal year that remains after applying paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) not specified in subsection (b) of this section to which a base allotment was made under paragraph (1) of this subsection an amount equal to such remaining amount multiplied by the supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits percentage of the State (as defined in subsection (c)(2) of this section) for the fiscal year, except that in applying subsection (c)(2)(A) of this section, `subsection (e)(3)' shall be substituted for `such paragraph (1)'.''.
``(3) <<NOTE:
Applicability.>> Other states.--From the amount reserved pursuant to section 436(b)(4)(A) for any fiscal year that remains after applying paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) not specified in subsection (b) of this section to which a base allotment was made under paragraph (1) of this subsection an amount equal to such remaining amount multiplied by the supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits percentage of the State (as defined in subsection (c)(2) of this section) for the fiscal year, except that in applying subsection (c)(2)(A) of this section, `subsection (e)(3)' shall be substituted for `such paragraph (1)'.''.
``(i) In general.--A State to which an amount is paid from amounts reserved under subparagraph (A) shall use the amount to improve the quality of monthly caseworker visits with children who are in foster care under the responsibility of the State, with an emphasis on-- ``(I) reducing caseload ratios and the administrative burden on caseworkers, to improve caseworker decision making on the safety, permanency, and well-being of foster children and on activities designed to increase retention, recruitment, and training of caseworkers;
``(i) In general.--A State to which an amount is paid from amounts reserved under subparagraph (A) shall use the amount to improve the quality of monthly caseworker visits with children who are in [[Page 138 STAT.
2963]] foster care under the responsibility of the State, with an emphasis on-- ``(I) reducing caseload ratios and the administrative burden on caseworkers, to improve caseworker decision making on the safety, permanency, and well-being of foster children and on activities designed to increase retention, recruitment, and training of caseworkers;
and ``(B) the Secretary determines that a planning grant would assist the recipient and improve the effectiveness of the demonstration grant.
and ``(B) <<NOTE:
Determination.>> the Secretary determines that a planning grant would assist the recipient and improve the effectiveness of the demonstration grant.
``(A) The State child welfare agency responsible for the administration of the State plans under this part.
[[Page 138 STAT.
2964]] ``(A) The State child welfare agency responsible for the administration of the State plans under this part.
``(1) A summary of the program, including how the program will support a meaningful relationship between a covered foster child and an incarcerated parent of the child.
``(1) <<NOTE:
Summary.>> A summary of the program, including how the program will support a meaningful relationship between a covered foster child and an incarcerated parent of the child.
``(3) A framework for identifying-- ``(A) each covered foster child eligible for services under the program, including, to the extent practicable, coordination of data between relevant State child welfare agencies and court systems;
``(3) <<NOTE:
Framework.>> A framework for identifying-- ``(A) each covered foster child eligible for services under the program, including, to the extent practicable, coordination of data between relevant State child welfare agencies and court systems;
``(5) Assurances that the applicant will participate fully in the evaluation described in subsection (f)(2) and shall maintain records for the program, including demographic information disaggregated by relevant characteristics with respect to covered foster children and incarcerated parents who participate in the program.
``(5) <<NOTE:
Records.>> Assurances that the applicant will participate fully in the evaluation described in subsection (f)(2) and shall maintain records for the program, including demographic information disaggregated by relevant characteristics with respect to covered foster children and incarcerated parents who participate in the program.
``(ii) regular sharing of information and responses to requests for information between caseworkers and incarcerated parents with respect to the case information of a child, any changes to a case, permanency plans, requirements to maintain parental rights, and any efforts to terminate parental rights;
``(ii) regular sharing of information and responses to requests for information between caseworkers and [[Page 138 STAT.
2965]] incarcerated parents with respect to the case information of a child, any changes to a case, permanency plans, requirements to maintain parental rights, and any efforts to terminate parental rights;
``(2) Enhanced visitation.-- ``(A) Grantees shall facilitate weekly communication and, for at least 9 days each year, in- person visitation between a covered foster child and any incarcerated parent of the child.
``(2) Enhanced visitation.-- ``(A) <<NOTE:
Time periods.>> Grantees shall facilitate weekly communication and, for at least 9 days each year, in-person visitation between a covered foster child and any incarcerated parent of the child.
``(ii) adopt developmentally appropriate visitation policies and procedures such as those described in paragraph (1)(B);
``(ii) <<NOTE:
Policies.
Procedures.>> adopt developmentally appropriate visitation policies and procedures such as those described in paragraph (1)(B);
``(iv) to the extent practicable, integrate appropriate parenting education to help prepare and process visits;
[[Page 138 STAT.
2966]] ``(iv) to the extent practicable, integrate appropriate parenting education to help prepare and process visits;
``(f) Technical Assistance, Evaluations, and Reports.-- ``(1) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical assistance with respect to grants under this section, including by-- ``(A) assisting grantees in understanding best practices in promoting meaningful relationships between incarcerated parents and their children as well as consulting with appropriate stakeholders when developing their programs;
``(f) Technical Assistance, Evaluations, and Reports.-- ``(1) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical assistance with respect to grants under this section, including by-- ``(A) <<NOTE:
``(B) assisting grantees with establishing and analyzing implementation and performance indicators;
Consultation.>> assisting grantees in understanding best practices in promoting meaningful relationships between incarcerated parents and their children as well as consulting with appropriate stakeholders when developing their programs;
``(B) <<NOTE:
Analysis.>> assisting grantees with establishing and analyzing implementation and performance indicators;
``(II) disaggregated data on covered foster children and incarcerated parents;
[[Page 138 STAT.
2967]] ``(II) disaggregated data on covered foster children and incarcerated parents;
and ``(ii) recommendations for refinements to grant requirements to improve program outcomes.
and ``(ii) <<NOTE:
``(g) Authority of Secretary With Respect to Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations.-- ``(1) Waiver or modification of requirements.--In making a grant to an Indian tribe or tribal organization under this section, the Secretary may waive the matching requirement of subsection (e) or modify an application requirement imposed by or under subsection (c) if the Secretary determines that the waiver or modification is appropriate to the needs, culture, and circumstances of the Indian tribe or tribal organization.
Recommenda- tions.>> recommendations for refinements to grant requirements to improve program outcomes.
``(g) Authority of Secretary With Respect to Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations.-- ``(1) <<NOTE:
Determination.>> Waiver or modification of requirements.--In making a grant to an Indian tribe or tribal organization under this section, the Secretary may waive the matching requirement of subsection (e) or modify an application requirement imposed by or under subsection (c) if the Secretary determines that the waiver or modification is appropriate to the needs, culture, and circumstances of the Indian tribe or tribal organization.
``(h) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary not more than $35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to carry out this section.
``(h) <<NOTE:
Time periods.>> Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary not more than $35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to carry out this section.
SEC.
[[Page 138 STAT.
2968]] SEC.
GUIDANCE TO STATES ON IMPROVING DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING FOR YOUTH IN RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS.
<<NOTE:
Within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Education, the Administration for Children and Families, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Administration for Community Living, the Department of Justice, and other relevant policy experts, as determined by the Secretary, shall issue and disseminate, or update and revise, as applicable, guidance to State agencies in administering State plans approved under parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act on the following:
42 USC 622 note.>> GUIDANCE TO STATES ON IMPROVING DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING FOR YOUTH IN RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS.
(1) Best practices for Federal and State agencies to collect data and share information related to the well-being of youth residing in residential treatment facilities, including those facilities operating in multiple States or serving out- of-state youth.
Within <<NOTE:
Determination.
Update.
Revision.>> 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Education, the Administration for Children and Families, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Administration for Community Living, the Department of Justice, and other relevant policy experts, as determined by the Secretary, shall issue and disseminate, or update and revise, as applicable, guidance to State agencies in administering State plans approved under parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act on the following:
(1) Best practices for Federal and State agencies to collect data and share information related to the well-being of youth residing in residential treatment facilities, including those facilities operating in multiple States or serving out-of-state youth.
(B) Section 433(e) (42 U.S.C.
[[Page 138 STAT.
2969]] (B) Section 433(e) (42 U.S.C.
629g(c)) is amended in each of paragraphs (1) through (3) is amended by striking ``436(b)(2)'' and inserting ``436(b)(1)''.
629g(c)) <<NOTE:
42 USC 629h.>> is amended in each of paragraphs (1) through (3) is amended by striking ``436(b)(2)'' and inserting ``436(b)(1)''.
(b) Information.--The Secretary shall include in the report information, to the extent available through the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System and other data sources, regarding the incidence of adoption disruption and dissolution affecting children described in subsection (a) and factors associated with such circumstances, including-- (1) whether affected individuals received pre- or post- legal adoption services;
(b) Information.--The Secretary shall include in the report information, to the extent available through the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System and other data sources, regarding the incidence of adoption disruption and dissolution affecting children described in subsection (a) and factors associated with such circumstances, including-- (1) whether affected individuals received pre- or post-legal adoption services;
(c) Post-adoption Services and Guardianship.--The Secretary shall include in the report-- (1) a summary of post-adoption services and guardianship in each State that are available to families that adopted children from foster care and the extent to which the services are evidence-based or evidence-informed.
(c) <<NOTE:
Summaries.>> Post-adoption Services and Guardianship.-- The Secretary shall include in the report-- (1) a summary of post-adoption services and guardianship in each State that are available to families that adopted children from foster care and the extent to which the services are evidence-based or evidence-informed.
EFFECTIVE DATE.
<<NOTE:
(a) In General.--The amendments made by this title shall take effect on October 1, 2025, and shall apply to payments under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date.
42 USC 622 note.>> EFFECTIVE DATE.
(b) Delay Permitted if State Legislation Required.--If the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines that State legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) is required in order for a State plan developed pursuant to part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to meet the additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by this title, the plan shall not be regarded as failing to meet any of the additional requirements before the 1st day of the 1st calendar quarter beginning after the first regular session of the State legislature that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(a) <<NOTE:
For purposes of the preceding sentence, if the State has a 2- year legislative session, each year of the session is deemed to be a separate regular session of the State legislature.
Applicability.
(c) Application to Programs Operated by Indian Tribal Organizations.--In the case of an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium that the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines requires time to take action necessary to comply with the additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by this Act (whether the tribe, organization, or tribal consortium has a plan under section 479B of the Social Security Act or a cooperative agreement or contract entered into with a State), the Secretary shall provide the tribe, organization, or tribal consortium with such additional time as the Secretary determines is necessary for the tribe, organization, or tribal consortium to take the action to comply with the additional requirements before being regarded as failing to comply with the requirements.
Time periods.>> In General.--The amendments made by this title shall take effect on October 1, 2025, and shall apply to payments under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date.
TITLE II--STRENGTHENING STATE AND TRIBAL CHILD SUPPORT SEC.
(b) <<NOTE:
Determination.>> Delay Permitted if State Legislation Required.--If the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines that State legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) is required in order for a State plan developed pursuant to part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to meet the additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by this title, the plan shall not be regarded as failing to meet any of the additional requirements before the 1st day of the 1st calendar quarter beginning [[Page 138 STAT.
2970]] after the first regular session of the State legislature that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, if the State has a 2-year legislative session, each year of the session is deemed to be a separate regular session of the State legislature.
(c) Application to Programs Operated by Indian Tribal Organizations.
<<NOTE:
Determination.
Compliance.>> --In the case of an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium that the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines requires time to take action necessary to comply with the additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by this Act (whether the tribe, organization, or tribal consortium has a plan under section 479B of the Social Security Act or a cooperative agreement or contract entered into with a State), the Secretary shall provide the tribe, organization, or tribal consortium with such additional time as the Secretary determines is necessary for the tribe, organization, or tribal consortium to take the action to comply with the additional requirements before being regarded as failing to comply with the requirements.
TITLE II <<NOTE:
Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act.>> --STRENGTHENING STATE AND TRIBAL CHILD SUPPORT SEC.
SHORT TITLE.
<<NOTE:
42 USC 1305 note.>> SHORT TITLE.
(2) Amendments to the internal revenue code.-- (A) Section 6103(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``any local child support enforcement agency'' and inserting ``any tribal or local child support enforcement agency''.
(2) Amendments to the internal revenue code.-- (A) Section 6103(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 <<NOTE:
26 USC 6103.>> is amended by striking ``any local child support enforcement agency'' and inserting ``any tribal or local child support enforcement agency''.
(IV) by striking the colon and all that follows in subparagraph (B) and inserting a period;
[[Page 138 STAT.
2971]] (IV) by striking the colon and all that follows in subparagraph (B) and inserting a period;
``(C) State, tribal, or local child support enforcement agency.--For purposes of this paragraph, the term `State, tribal, or local child support enforcement agency' has the same meaning as when used in paragraph (6)(D).'';
``(C) State, tribal, or local child support enforcement agency.
<<NOTE:
Definition.>> --For purposes of this paragraph, the term `State, tribal, or local child support enforcement agency' has the same meaning as when used in paragraph (6)(D).'';
(D) Section 6103(p)(4) of such Code is amended-- (i) by striking ``subsection (l)(10), (13)(A), (13)(B), (13)(C), (13)(D)(i), (16), (18), (19), or (20), or any entity'' in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) and inserting ``subsection (l)(6), (8), (10), (13)(A), (13)(B), (13)(C), (13)(D)(i), (16), (18), (19), or (20), or any Indian tribe or tribal organization receiving a grant under section 455(f) of the Social Security Act, or any entity'';
(D) Section 6103(p)(4) of such Code is amended-- [[Page 138 STAT.
2972]] (i) by striking ``subsection (l)(10), (13)(A), (13)(B), (13)(C), (13)(D)(i), (16), (18), (19), or (20), or any entity'' in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) and inserting ``subsection (l)(6), (8), (10), (13)(A), (13)(B), (13)(C), (13)(D)(i), (16), (18), (19), or (20), or any Indian tribe or tribal organization receiving a grant under section 455(f) of the Social Security Act, or any entity'';
(E) Section 6103(p)(9) of such Code is amended by striking ``or local'' and inserting ``tribal, or local''.
(E) Section 6103(p)(9) of such Code <<NOTE:
26 USC 6402.>> is amended by striking ``or local'' and inserting ``tribal, or local''.
Passed the House of Representatives September 18, 2024.
Approved January 4, 2025.
Attest:
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R.
KEVIN F.
9076:
MCCUMBER, Clerk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOUSE REPORTS:
No.
118-679 (Comm.
on Ways and Means).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol.
170 (2024):
Sept.
17, 18, considered and passed House.
Dec.
20, considered and passed Senate.
<all>
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What Congress says this changes

H. Rept. 118-679

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CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

 In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows.

 Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

 In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

 SOCIAL SECURITY ACT

 * * * * * * *
TITLE IV--GRANTS TO STATES FOR AID AND SERVICES TO NEEDY FAMILIES WITH 
CHILDREN AND FOR CHILD-WELFARE SERVICES

 * * * * * * *

 PART B--CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES

Subpart 1--Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program

 * * * * * * *

 STATE PLANS FOR CHILD WELFARE SERVICES

 Sec. 422. (a) In order to be eligible for payment under this 
subpart, a State must have a plan for child welfare services 
which has been developed jointly by the Secretary and the State 
agency designated pursuant to subsection (b)(1), and which 
meets the requirements of subsection (b).
 (b) Each plan for child welfare services under this subpart 
shall--
 [(1) provide that (A) the individual or agency that 
 administers or supervises the administration of the 
 State's services program under subtitle 1 of title XX 
 will administer or supervise the administration of the 
 plan (except as otherwise provided in section 103(d) of 
 the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980), 
 and (B) to the extent that child welfare services are 
 furnished by the staff of the State agency or local 
 agency administering the plan, a single organizational 
 unit in such State or local agency, as the case may be, 
 will be responsible for furnishing such child welfare 
 services;]
 (1) provide that a State agency will administer or 
 supervise the administration of the plan under this 
 subpart;
 (2) provide for coordination between the services 
 provided for children under the plan and the services 
 and assistance provided under subtitle 1 of title XX, 
 under the State program funded under part A, under the 
 State plan approved under subpart 2 of this part, under 
 the State plan approved under the State plan approved 
 under part E, and under other State programs having a 
 relationship to the program under this subpart, with a 
 view to provision of welfare and related services which 
 will best promote the welfare of such children and 
 their families;
 (3) include a description of the services and 
 activities which the State will fund under the State 
 program carried out pursuant to this subpart, and how 
 the services and activities will achieve the purpose of 
 this subpart;
 (4) contain a description of--
 (A) the steps the State will take to provide 
 child welfare services statewide and to expand 
 and strengthen the range of existing services 
 and develop and implement services to improve 
 child outcomes; [and]
 (B) the child welfare services staff 
 development and training plans of the State; 
 and
 (C) the steps that the State will take to 
 ensure that, with respect to any judicial 
 proceeding involving a child and in which there 
 is an allegation of child abuse or neglect, 
 including a proceeding on dependency, adoption, 
 guardianship, or termination of parental 
 rights, information about available independent 
 legal representation is provided to--
 (i) the child, as appropriate; and
 (ii) any individual who is a parent 
 or guardian, or has legal custody, of 
 the child;
 (5) provide, in the development of services for 
 children, for utilization of the facilities and 
 experience of voluntary agencies in accordance with 
 State and local programs and arrangements, as 
 authorized by the State;
 (6) provide that the agency administering or 
 supervising the administration of the plan will furnish 
 such reports, containing such information, and 
 participate in such evaluations, as the Secretary may 
 require;
 (7) provide for the diligent recruitment of potential 
 foster and adoptive families that reflect the ethnic 
 and racial diversity of children in the State for whom 
 foster and adoptive homes are needed;
 (8) provide assurances that the State--
 (A) is operating, to the satisfaction of the 
 Secretary--
 (i) a statewide information system 
 from which can be readily determined 
 the status, demographic 
 characteristics, location, and goals 
 for the placement of every child who is 
 (or, within the immediately preceding 
 12 months, has been) in foster care;
 (ii) a case review system (as defined 
 in section 475(5) and in accordance 
 with the requirements of section 475A) 
 for each child receiving foster care 
 under the supervision of the State;
 (iii) a service program designed to 
 help children--
 (I) where safe and 
 appropriate, return to families 
 from which they have been 
 removed; or
 (II) be placed for adoption, 
 with a legal guardian, or if 
 adoption or legal guardianship 
 is determined not to be 
 appropriate for a child, in 
 some other planned, permanent 
 living arrangement, subject to 
 the requirements of sections 
 475(5)(C) and 475A(a), which 
 may include a residential 
 educational program; and
 (iv) a preplacement preventive 
 services program designed to help 
 children at risk of foster care 
 placement remain safely with their 
 families; and
 (B) has in effect policies and administrative 
 and judicial procedures for children abandoned 
 at or shortly after birth (including policies 
 and procedures providing for legal 
 representation of the children) which enable 
 permanent decisions to be made expeditiously 
 with respect to the placement of the children;
 (9) contain a description, developed after 
 consultation with tribal organizations (as defined in 
 section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
 Education Assistance Act) in the State, of the specific 
 measures taken by the State to comply with the Indian 
 Child Welfare [Act;] Act of 1978, including how the 
 State will ensure timely notice to Indian tribes of 
 State custody proceedings involving Indian children, 
 foster care or adoptive placements of Indian children, 
 and case recordkeeping as such matters relate to 
 transfers of jurisdiction, termination of parental 
 rights, and active efforts;
 (10) contain assurances that the State shall make 
 effective use of cross-jurisdictional resources 
 (including through contracts for the purchase of 
 services), and shall eliminate legal barriers, to 
 facilitate timely adoptive or permanent placements for 
 waiting children;
 (11) contain a description of the activities that the 
 State has undertaken for children adopted from other 
 countries, including the provision of adoption and 
 post-adoption services;
 (12) provide that the State shall collect and report 
 information on children who are adopted from other 
 countries and who enter into State custody as a result 
 of the disruption of a placement for adoption or the 
 dissolution of an adoption, including the number of 
 children, the agencies who handled the placement or 
 adoption, the plans for the child, and the reasons for 
 the disruption or dissolution;
 (13) demonstrate substantial, ongoing, and meaningful 
 collaboration with State courts in the development and 
 implementation of the State plan under subpart 1, the 
 State plan approved under subpart 2, and the State plan 
 approved under part E, and in the development and 
 implementation of any program improvement plan required 
 under section 1123A;
 (14) not later than October 1, 2007, include 
 assurances that not more than 10 percent of the 
 expenditures of the State with respect to activities 
 funded from amounts provided under this subpart will be 
 for administrative costs;
 (15)(A) provides that the State will develop, in 
 coordination and collaboration with the State agency 
 referred to in paragraph (1) and the State agency 
 responsible for administering the State plan approved 
 under title XIX, and, if applicable, the State agency 
 responsible for mental health services, and in 
 consultation with pediatricians, mental health 
 providers, other experts in health care, and experts in 
 and recipients of child welfare services, a plan for 
 the ongoing oversight and coordination of health care 
 services for any child in a foster care placement, 
 which shall ensure a coordinated strategy to identify 
 and respond to the health care needs of children in 
 foster care placements, including mental health and 
 dental health needs, and shall include an outline of--
 (i) a schedule for initial and 
 follow-up health screenings that meet 
 reasonable standards of medical 
 practice;
 (ii) how health needs identified 
 through screenings will be monitored 
 and treated, including a list of 
 services provided to support the 
 physical and emotional trauma 
 associated with a child's maltreatment 
 and removal from home;
 (iii) how medical information for 
 children in care will be updated and 
 appropriately shared, which may include 
 the development and implementation of 
 an electronic health record;
 (iv) steps to ensure continuity of 
 health care and mental health services, 
 which may include the establishment of 
 a medical home for every child in care;
 (v) the oversight of prescription 
 medicines, including protocols for the 
 appropriate use and monitoring of 
 psychotropic medications, informed 
 consent of youth, and compliance with 
 professional practice guidelines;
 (vi) how the State actively consults 
 with and involves physicians, licensed 
 mental health providers, or other 
 appropriate medical or non-medical 
 professionals in assessing the health 
 and well-being of children in foster 
 care and in determining appropriate 
 medical treatment for the children;
 (vii) the procedures and protocols 
 the State has established to ensure 
 that children in foster care placements 
 are not inappropriately diagnosed with 
 mental illness, other emotional or 
 behavioral disorders, medically fragile 
 conditions, or developmental 
 disabilities, and placed in settings 
 that are not foster family homes as a 
 result of the inappropriate diagnoses; 
 and
 (viii) steps to ensure that the 
 components of the transition plan 
 development process required under 
 section 475(5)(H) that relate to the 
 health care needs of children aging out 
 of foster care, including the 
 requirements to include options for 
 health insurance, information about a 
 health care power of attorney, health 
 care proxy, or other similar document 
 recognized under State law, and to 
 provide the child with the option to 
 execute such a document, are met; and
 (B) subparagraph (A) shall not be construed to reduce 
 or limit the responsibility of the State agency 
 responsible for administering the State plan approved 
 under title XIX to administer and provide care and 
 services for children with respect to whom services are 
 provided under the State plan developed pursuant to 
 this subpart;
 (16) provide that, not later than 1 year after the 
 date of the enactment of this paragraph, the State 
 shall have in place procedures providing for how the 
 State programs assisted under this subpart, subpart 2 
 of this part, or part E would respond to a disaster, in 
 accordance with criteria established by the Secretary 
 which should include how a State would--
 (A) identify, locate, and continue 
 availability of services for children under 
 State care or supervision who are displaced or 
 adversely affected by a disaster;
 (B) respond, as appropriate, to new child 
 welfare cases in areas adversely affected by a 
 disaster, and provide services in those cases;
 (C) remain in communication with caseworkers 
 and other essential child welfare personnel who 
 are displaced because of a disaster;
 (D) preserve essential program records; and
 (E) coordinate services and share information 
 with other States;
 (17) not later than October 1, 2007, describe the 
 State standards for the content and frequency of 
 caseworker visits for children who are in foster care 
 under the responsibility of the State, which, at a 
 minimum, ensure that the children are visited on a 
 monthly basis and that the caseworker visits are well-
 planned and focused on issues pertinent to case 
 planning and service delivery to ensure the safety, 
 permanency, and well-being of the children, and include 
 a description of how the State may offer virtual 
 caseworker visits to youth in care who have attained 
 the age of 18 years and provided informed consent for 
 virtual visits;
 (18) include a description of the activities that the 
 State has undertaken to reduce the length of time 
 children who have not attained 5 years of age are 
 without a permanent family, and the activities the 
 State undertakes to address the developmental needs of 
 all vulnerable children under 5 years of age who 
 receive benefits or services under this part or part E; 
 and
 (19) document steps taken to track and prevent child 
 maltreatment deaths by including--
 (A) a description of the steps the State is 
 taking to compile complete and accurate 
 information on the deaths required by Federal 
 law to be reported by the State agency referred 
 to in paragraph (1), including gathering 
 relevant information on the deaths from the 
 relevant organizations in the State including 
 entities such as State vital statistics 
 department, child death review teams, law 
 enforcement agencies, offices of medical 
 examiners, or coroners; and
 (B) a description of the steps the State is 
 taking to develop and implement a 
 comprehensive, statewide plan to prevent the 
 fatalities that involves and engages relevant 
 public and private agency partners, including 
 those in public health, law enforcement, and 
 the courts.
 (c) Definitions.--In this subpart:
 (1) Administrative costs.--The term ``administrative 
 costs'' means costs for the following, but only to the 
 extent incurred in administering the State plan 
 developed pursuant to this subpart: procurement, 
 payroll management, personnel functions (other than the 
 portion of the salaries of supervisors attributable to 
 time spent directly supervising the provision of 
 services by caseworkers), management, maintenance and 
 operation of space and property, data processing and 
 computer services, accounting, budgeting, auditing, and 
 travel expenses (except those related to the provision 
 of services by caseworkers or the oversight of programs 
 funded under this subpart).
 (2) Other terms.--For definitions of other terms used 
 in this part, see section 475.

 ALLOTMENTS TO STATES

 Sec. 423. (a) In General.--
 (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), [the sum 
 appropriated pursuant to section 425 for each fiscal 
 year] for each fiscal year, the sum appropriated 
 pursuant to section 425 remaining after applying 
 section 428(a) shall be allotted by the Secretary for 
 use by cooperating State public welfare agencies which 
 have plans developed jointly by the State agency and 
 the Secretary as follows: The Secretary shall first 
 allot $70,000 to each State, and shall then allot to 
 each State an amount which bears the same ratio to the 
 remainder of such sum as the product of (1) the 
 population of the State under the age of twenty-one and 
 (2) the allotment percentage of the State (as 
 determined under this section) bears to the sum of the 
 corresponding products of all the States.
 (2) Grants to states to enhance collaboration between 
 state child welfare and juvenile justice systems.--For 
 each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 2023 for 
 which the amount appropriated under section 425 for the 
 fiscal year exceeds $270,000,000--
 (A) the Secretary shall reserve from such 
 excess amount such sums as are necessary for 
 making grants under section 429A for such 
 fiscal year, not to exceed $10,000,000; and
 (B) the remainder to be applied under 
 paragraph (1) for purposes of making allotments 
 to States for such fiscal year shall be 
 determined after the Secretary first allots 
 $70,000 to each State under such paragraph and 
 reserves such sums under subparagraph (A) of 
 this paragraph.
 (b) Determination of State Allotment Percentages.--The 
``allotment percentage'' for any State shall be 100 per percent 
less the State percentage; and the State percentage shall be 
the percentage which bears the same ratio to 50 per percent as 
the per capita income of such State bears to the per capita 
income of the United States; except that (1) the allotment 
percentage shall in no case be less than 30 per percent or more 
than 70 per percent, and (2) the allotment percentage shall be 
70 per percent in the case of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 
Guam, and American Samoa.
 (c) Promulgation of State Allotment Percentages.--The 
allotment percentage for each State shall be promulgated by the 
Secretary between October 1 and November 30 of each even-
numbered year, on the basis of the average per capita income of 
each State and of the United States for the three most recent 
calendar years for which satisfactory data are available from 
the Department of Commerce. Such promulgation shall be 
conclusive for each of the two fiscal years in the period 
beginning October 1 next succeeding such promulgation.
 (d) United States Defined.--For purposes of this section, the 
term ``United States'' means the 50 States and the District of 
Columbia.
 (e) Reallotment of Funds.--
 (1) In general.--The amount of any allotment to a 
 State for a fiscal year under the preceding provisions 
 of this section which the State certifies to the 
 Secretary will not be required for carrying out the 
 State plan developed as provided in section 422 shall 
 be available for reallotment from time to time, on such 
 dates as the Secretary may fix, to other States which 
 the Secretary determines--
 (A) need sums in excess of the amounts 
 allotted to such other States under the 
 preceding provisions of this section, in 
 carrying out their State plans so developed; 
 and
 (B) will be able to so use such excess sums 
 during the fiscal year.
 (2) Considerations.--The Secretary shall make the 
 reallotments on the basis of the State plans so 
 developed, after taking into consideration--
 (A) the population under 21 years of age;
 (B) the per capita income of each of such 
 other States as compared with the population 
 under 21 years of age; and
 (C) the per capita income of all such other 
 States with respect to which such a 
 determination by the Secretary has been made.
 (3) Amounts reallotted to a state deemed part of 
 state allotment.--Any amount so reallotted to a State 
 is deemed part of the allotment of the State under this 
 section.

 PAYMENT TO STATES

 Sec. 424. (a) From the sums appropriated therefor and the 
allotment under this subpart, subject to the conditions set 
forth in this section, the Secretary shall from time to time 
pay to each State that has a plan developed in accordance with 
section 422 an amount equal to 75 percent of the total sum 
expended under the plan (including the cost of administration 
of the plan) in meeting the costs of State, district, county, 
or other local child welfare services.
 (b) The method of computing and making payments under this 
section shall be as follows:
 (1) The Secretary shall, prior to the beginning of 
 each period for which a payment is to be made, estimate 
 the amount to be paid to the State for such period 
 under the provisions of this section.
 (2) From the allotment available therefor, the 
 Secretary shall pay the amount so estimated, reduced or 
 increased, as the case may be, by any sum (not 
 previously adjusted under this section) by which he 
 finds that his estimate of the amount to be paid the 
 State for any prior period under this section was 
 greater or less than the amount which should have been 
 paid to the State for such prior period under this 
 section.
 (c) Limitation on Use of Federal Funds for Child Care, Foster 
Care Maintenance Payments, or Adoption Assistance Payments.--
The total amount of Federal payments under this subpart for a 
fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2007, that may be 
used by a State for expenditures for child care, foster care 
maintenance payments, or adoption assistance payments shall not 
exceed the total amount of such payments for fiscal year 2005 
that were so used by the State.
 (d) Limitation on Use by States of Non-Federal Funds for 
Foster Care Maintenance Payments To Match Federal Funds.--For 
any fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2007, State 
expenditures of non-Federal funds for foster care maintenance 
payments shall not be considered to be expenditures under the 
State plan developed under this subpart for the fiscal year to 
the extent that the total of such expenditures for the fiscal 
year exceeds the total of such expenditures under the State 
plan developed under this subpart for fiscal year 2005.
 (e) Limitation on Reimbursement for Administrative Costs.--A 
payment may not be made to a State under this section with 
respect to expenditures during a fiscal year for administrative 
costs, to the extent that the total amount of the expenditures 
exceeds 10 percent of the total expenditures of the State 
during the fiscal year for activities funded from amounts 
provided under this subpart.
 (f)[(1)(A)] Each State shall take such steps as are necessary 
to ensure that the total number of visits made by caseworkers 
on a monthly basis to children in foster care under the 
responsibility of the State during a fiscal year is not less 
than 90 percent (or, in the case of fiscal year 2015 or 
thereafter, 95 percent) of the total number of such visits that 
would occur during the fiscal year if each such child were so 
visited once every month while in such care.
 [(B) If the Secretary determines that a State has failed to 
comply with subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, then the 
percentage that would otherwise apply for purposes of 
subsection (a) for the fiscal year shall be reduced by--
 [(i) 1, if the number of full percentage points by 
 which the State fell short of the percentage specified 
 in subparagraph (A) is less than 10;
 [(ii) 3, if the number of full percentage points by 
 which the State fell short, as described in clause (i), 
 is not less than 10 and less than 20; or
 [(iii) 5, if the number of full percentage points by 
 which the State fell short, as described in clause (i), 
 is not less than 20.]
 [(2)(A) Each State shall take such steps as are necessary to 
ensure that not less than 50 percent of the total number of 
visits made by caseworkers to children in foster care under the 
responsibility of the State during a fiscal year occur in the 
residence of the child involved.
 [(B) If the Secretary determines that a State has failed to 
comply with subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, then the 
percentage that would otherwise apply for purposes of 
subsection (a) for the fiscal year shall be reduced by--
 [(i) 1, if the number of full percentage points by 
 which the State fell short of the percentage specified 
 in subparagraph (A) is less than 10;
 [(ii) 3, if the number of full percentage points by 
 which the State fell short, as described in clause (i), 
 is not less than 10 and less than 20; or
 [(iii) 5, if the number of full percentage points by 
 which the State fell short, as described in clause (i), 
 is not less than 20.]

 LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

 Sec. 425. To carry out this subpart (other than sections 426, 
427, and 429), there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary not more than $325,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
[2017 through 2023] 2025 through 2029.

 * * * * * * *

SEC. 427. [FAMILY CONNECTION GRANTS] KINSHIP NAVIGATORS.

 (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
may make matching grants to State, local, or tribal child 
welfare agencies, private nonprofit organizations that have 
experience in working with foster children or children in 
kinship care arrangements, and institutions of higher education 
(as defined under section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), for the purpose of [helping] 
administering programs to help children who are in, or at risk 
of entering, foster care reconnect with family members through 
the implementation [of--]
 [(1) a kinship] of a kinship navigator program to 
 assist kinship caregivers in learning about, finding, 
 and using programs and services to meet the needs of 
 the children they are raising and their own needs, and 
 to promote effective partnerships among public and 
 private agencies to ensure kinship caregiver families 
 are served, which program--
 [(A)] (1) shall be coordinated with other State or 
 local agencies that promote service coordination or 
 provide information and referral services, including 
 the entities that provide 2-1-1 or 3-1-1 information 
 systems where available, to avoid duplication or 
 fragmentation of services to kinship care families;
 [(B)] (2) shall be planned and operated in 
 consultation with kinship caregivers and organizations 
 representing them, youth raised by kinship caregivers, 
 relevant government agencies, and relevant community-
 based or faith-based organizations;
 [(C)] (3) shall establish information and referral 
 systems that link (via toll-free access) kinship 
 caregivers, kinship support group facilitators, and 
 kinship service providers to--
 [(i)] (A) each other;
 [(ii)] (B) eligibility and enrollment 
 information for Federal, State, and local 
 benefits;
 [(iii)] (C) relevant training to assist 
 kinship caregivers in caregiving and in 
 obtaining benefits and services; [and]
 [(iv)] (D) relevant legal assistance and help 
 in obtaining legal services; and
 (E) connections to individualized assistance, 
 as needed;
 [(D)] (4) shall provide outreach to kinship care 
 families, including by establishing, distributing, and 
 updating a kinship care website, or other relevant 
 guides or outreach materials;
 [(E)] (5) shall promote partnerships between public 
 and private agencies, including schools, community 
 based or faith-based organizations, and relevant 
 government agencies, to increase their knowledge of the 
 needs of kinship care families and other individuals 
 who are willing and able to be foster parents for 
 children in foster care under the responsibility of the 
 State who are themselves parents to promote better 
 services for those families;
 [(F)] (6) may establish and support a kinship care 
 ombudsman with authority to intervene and help kinship 
 caregivers access services; and
 [(G)] (7) may support any other activities designed 
 to assist kinship caregivers in obtaining benefits and 
 services to improve their [caregiving;] caregiving.
 [(2) intensive family-finding efforts that utilize 
 search technology to find biological family members for 
 children in the child welfare system, and once 
 identified, work to reestablish relationships and 
 explore ways to find a permanent family placement for 
 the children;
 [(3) family group decision-making meetings for 
 children in the child welfare system, that--
 [(A) enable families to make decisions and 
 develop plans that nurture children and protect 
 them from abuse and neglect, and
 [(B) when appropriate, shall address domestic 
 violence issues in a safe manner and facilitate 
 connecting children exposed to domestic 
 violence to appropriate services, including 
 reconnection with the abused parent when 
 appropriate; or
 [(4) residential family treatment programs that--
 [(A) enable parents and their children to 
 live in a safe environment for a period of not 
 less than 6 months; and
 [(B) provide, on-site or by referral, 
 substance abuse treatment services, children's 
 early intervention services, family counseling, 
 medical, and mental health services, nursery 
 and pre-school, and other services that are 
 designed to provide comprehensive treatment 
 that supports the family.]
 (b) Applications.--An entity desiring to receive a matching 
grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require, including--
 (1) a description of how the grant will be used to 
 implement [1 or more of] the activities described in 
 subsection (a);
 (2) a description of the types of children and 
 families to be served, including how the children and 
 families will be identified and recruited, and an 
 initial projection of the number of children and 
 families to be served;
 (3) a description of how the entity will directly 
 fund, or provide data to the Secretary for, an 
 evaluation which will publish and submit information to 
 the clearinghouse described in section 476(d)(2) and 
 which is designed to meet the requirements of section 
 471(e)(4)(C), or a description of how the funds will be 
 used to help the State transition to a program for 
 which the State will seek reimbursement under section 
 474(a)(7);
 [(3)] (4) if the entity is a private organization--
 (A) documentation of support from the 
 relevant local or State child welfare agency; 
 or
 (B) a description of how the organization 
 plans to coordinate its services and activities 
 with those offered by the relevant local or 
 State child welfare agency; [and]
 [(4)] (5) an assurance that the entity will cooperate 
 fully with any evaluation provided for by the Secretary 
 under this section[.]; and
 (6) if the entity is a State, local or tribal child 
 welfare agency--
 (A) documentation of support from a relevant 
 community-based organization with experience 
 serving kinship families when applicable; or
 (B) a description of how the organization 
 plans to coordinate its services and activities 
 with those offered by the relevant community-
 based organizations.
 (c) Limitations.--
 (1) Grant duration.--The Secretary may award a grant 
 under this section for a period of not less than 1 year 
 and not more than 3 years.
 (2) Number of new grantees per year.--The Secretary 
 may not award a grant under this section to more than 
 30 new grantees each fiscal year.
 [(d) Federal Contribution.--The amount of a grant payment to 
be made to a grantee under this section during each year in the 
grant period shall be the following percentage of the total 
expenditures proposed to be made by the grantee in the 
application approved by the Secretary under this section:
 [(1) 75 percent, if the payment is for the 1st or 2nd 
 year of the grant period.
 [(2) 50 percent, if the payment is for the 3rd year 
 of the grant period.]
 (d) Federal Share.--An entity to which a grant is made under 
this section may use the grant to pay not more than 75 percent 
of the cost of the activities to be carried out by the entity 
pursuant to this section.
 (e) Form of Grantee Contribution.--A grantee under this 
section may provide not more than 50 percent of the amount 
which the grantee is required to expend to carry out the 
activities for which a grant is awarded under this section in 
kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or 
services.
 (f) Use of Grant.--A grantee under this section shall use the 
grant in accordance with the approved application for the 
grant.
 [(g) Reservations of Funds.--]
 [(1) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall reserve 3 
 percent of the funds made available under subsection 
 (h) for each fiscal year for the conduct of a rigorous 
 evaluation of the activities funded with grants under 
 this section.]
 [(2) Technical assistance.--The Secretary may 
 reserve] (g) Reservation of Funds for Technical 
 Assistance._The Secretary may reserve 2 percent of the 
 funds made available under [subsection (h)] section 
 437(b)(6) for each fiscal year to provide technical 
 assistance to recipients of grants under this section.
 [(h) Appropriation.--Out of any money in the Treasury of the 
United States not otherwise appropriated, there are 
appropriated to the Secretary for purposes of making grants 
under this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 
through 2014.]

 PAYMENTS TO INDIAN TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS

 Sec. 428. [(a) The Secretary may, in appropriate cases (as 
determined by the Secretary) make payments under this subpart 
directly to an Indian tribal organization within any State 
which has a plan for child welfare services approved under this 
subpart. Such payments shall be made in such manner and in such 
amounts as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
 [(b) Amounts paid under subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
a part of the allotment (as determined under section 423) for 
the State in which such Indian tribal organization is located.]
 (a) Reservation of Funds; Direct Payments.--Out of any amount 
appropriated pursuant to section 425 for a fiscal year, the 
Secretary shall reserve 3 percent for grants to Indian tribes 
and tribal organizations, which shall be paid directly to 
Indian tribes and tribal organizations with a plan approved 
under this subpart, in accordance with section 433(a).
 (b) Authority to Streamline Reporting Requirements.--The 
Secretary shall, in consultation with the affected Indian 
tribes, modify any reporting requirement imposed by or under 
this part on an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal 
consortium if the total of the amounts allotted to the Indian 
tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium under this 
part for the fiscal year is not more than $50,000, and in a 
manner that limits the administrative burden on any tribe to 
which not more than $50,000 is allotted under this subpart for 
the fiscal year.
 (c) Tribal Authority to Substitute the Federal Negotiated 
Indirect Cost Rate for Administrative Costs Cap.--For purposes 
of sections 422(b)(14) and 424(e), an Indian tribal 
organization may elect to have the weighted average of the 
indirect cost rates in effect under part 220 of title 2, Code 
of Federal Regulations with respect to the administrative costs 
of the Indian tribal organization apply in lieu of the 
percentage specified in each such section.
 [(c)] (d) For purposes of this section, the terms ``Indian 
tribe'' and ``tribal organization'' shall have the meanings 
given such terms by subsections (e) and (l) of section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
U.S.C. [450b] 5304), respectively.

 * * * * * * *

SEC. 429B. EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT OF 
 1978.

 (a) In General.--Not later than October 1, 2025, the 
Secretary, in consultation with Indian tribal organizations and 
States, shall develop a plan and provide technical assistance 
supporting effective implementation of the Indian Child Welfare 
Act of 1978, including specific measures identified in State 
plans as required by section 422(b)(9) of this Act. The 
technical assistance plan shall be based on data sufficient to 
assess State strengths and areas for improvement in 
implementing Federal standards established under the Indian 
Child Welfare Act of 1978, including, at a minimum, the 
following:
 (1) Timely identification of Indian children and 
 extended family members.
 (2) Timely tribal notice of State child custody 
 proceedings involving an Indian child.
 (3) Reports of cases in which a transfer of 
 jurisdiction (as defined under the Indian Child Welfare 
 Act of 1978) was granted or was not granted, and 
 reasons specified for denial in cases where transfer 
 was denied.
 (4) In cases in which a State court orders a foster 
 care placement of an Indian child, whether requirements 
 for active efforts to prevent the breakup of the Indian 
 family, testimony of a qualified expert witness, and 
 evidentiary standards were met.
 (5) Whether an Indian child was placed in a placement 
 that is required to be preferred under the Indian Child 
 Welfare Act of 1978, and if not, the reasons specified.
 (6) In cases in which a State court orders the 
 termination of parental rights to an Indian child, 
 whether requirements for active efforts to prevent the 
 breakup of the Indian family, testimony of a qualified 
 expert witness, and evidentiary standards were met.
 (b) Interagency Coordination.--On request of the Secretary, 
the Secretary of the Interior shall provide the Secretary with 
such guidance and assistance as may be necessary to facilitate 
informing States and public child welfare agencies on how to 
comply with the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, including 
specific measures identified in State plans as required by 
section 422(b)(9) of this Act.
 (c) Biennial Reports to Congress.--The Secretary shall 
biennially submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the 
Senate a written report on how--
 (1) the States are complying with the Indian Child 
 Welfare Act of 1978 and section 422(b)(9) of this Act, 
 as informed by data collected under this section; and
 (2) the Secretary is assisting States and Indian 
 tribes to improve implementation of Federal standards 
 established under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.

Subpart 2--Marylee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program

 * * * * * * *

SEC. 431. DEFINITIONS.

 (a) In General.--As used in this subpart:
 (1) Family preservation services.--The term ``family 
 preservation services'' means services for [children] 
 children, youth, and families designed to help families 
 (including [adoptive and extended] kinship and adoptive 
 families) at risk or in crisis, including--
 (A) service programs designed to help 
 children--
 (i) where safe and appropriate, 
 return to families from which they have 
 been removed; or
 (ii) be placed for adoption, with a 
 legal guardian, or, if adoption or 
 legal guardianship is determined not to 
 be safe and appropriate for a child, in 
 some other planned, permanent living 
 arrangement;
 (B) preplacement preventive services 
 programs, such as intensive family preservation 
 programs, designed to help children at risk of 
 foster care placement remain safely with their 
 families;
 (C) service programs designed to provide 
 followup care to families to whom a child has 
 been returned after a foster care placement;
 (D) respite care of children to provide 
 temporary relief for [parents and other 
 caregivers (including foster parents)] parents, 
 kinship caregivers, and foster parents;
 (E) services designed to improve parenting 
 skills (by reinforcing parents' confidence in 
 their strengths, and helping them to identify 
 where improvement is needed and to obtain 
 assistance in improving those skills) with 
 respect to matters such as child development, 
 family budgeting, coping with stress, health, 
 and nutrition; [and]
 (F) infant safe haven programs to provide a 
 way for a parent to safely relinquish a newborn 
 infant at a safe haven designated pursuant to a 
 State law[.]; 
 (G)(i) peer-to-peer mentoring and support 
 programs with demonstrated experience fostering 
 constructive relationships between children and 
 families and mentors with relevant lived 
 experience or interactions with the child 
 welfare system; and
 (ii) for purposes of this subpart, an 
 expenditure for a service described in clause 
 (i) may be treated as an expenditure for any 1 
 or more of family support services, family 
 preservation services, family reunification 
 services, or adoption promotion and support 
 services, as long as the expenditure is related 
 to serving the children and families in the 
 specified category and consistent with the 
 overall purpose of the category; and
 (H)(i) services providing nonrecurring short 
 term benefits (including supports related to 
 housing instability, utilities, transportation, 
 and food assistance, among other basic needs) 
 that address immediate needs related to a 
 specific crisis, situation, or event affecting 
 the ability of a child to remain in a home 
 established for the child that is not intended 
 to meet an ongoing need; and
 (ii) for purposes of this subpart, an 
 expenditure for a service described in clause 
 (i) may be treated as an expenditure for any 1 
 or more of family support services, family 
 preservation services, family reunification 
 services, or adoption promotion and support 
 services as long as the expenditure is related 
 to serving the children and families in the 
 specified category and consistent with the 
 overall purpose of the category.
 (2) Family support services.--
 (A) In general.--The term ``family support 
 services'' means community-based services, 
 including services provided by family resource 
 centers, designed to carry out the purposes 
 described in subparagraph (B).
 (B) Purposes described.--The purposes 
 described in this subparagraph are the 
 following:
 (i) To promote the safety and well-
 being of [children] children, youth, 
 and families.
 (ii) To increase the strength and 
 stability of families (including 
 adoptive, foster, and [extended] 
 kinship families).
 (iii) To support and retain foster 
 families so they can provide quality 
 family-based settings for children in 
 foster care.
 (iv) To increase parents' confidence 
 and competence in their parenting 
 abilities.
 (v) To afford children a safe, 
 stable, and supportive family 
 environment.
 (vi) To strengthen parental 
 relationships and promote healthy 
 marriages.
 (vii) To enhance child development, 
 including through mentoring [(as 
 defined in section 439(b)(2))].
 (3) State agency.--The term ``State agency'' means 
 the State agency responsible for administering the 
 program under subpart 1.
 (4) State.--The term ``State'' includes an Indian 
 tribe or tribal organization, in addition to the 
 meaning given such term for purposes of subpart 1.
 (5) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the 
 meaning given the term in section [428(c)] 428(d).
 (6) Tribal organization.--The term ``tribal 
 organization'' has the meaning given the term in 
 section [428(c)] 428(d).
 (7) Family reunification services.--
 (A) In general.--The term ``family 
 reunification services'' means the services and 
 activities described in subparagraph (B) that 
 are provided to a child that is removed from 
 the child's home and placed with kinship 
 caregivers or in a foster family home or a 
 child care institution or a child who has been 
 returned home and to the parents or primary 
 caregiver of such a child, in order to 
 facilitate the reunification of the child 
 safely and appropriately within a timely 
 fashion and to ensure the strength and 
 stability of the reunification. In the case of 
 a child who has been returned home, the 
 services and activities shall only be provided 
 during the 15-month period that begins on the 
 date that the child returns home.
 (B) Services and activities described.--The 
 services and activities described in this 
 subparagraph are the following:
 (i) Individual, group, and family 
 counseling.
 (ii) Inpatient, residential, or 
 outpatient substance abuse treatment 
 services.
 (iii) Mental health services.
 (iv) Assistance to address domestic 
 violence.
 (v) Services designed to provide 
 temporary child care and therapeutic 
 services for families, including crisis 
 nurseries.
 (vi) Peer-to-peer mentoring and 
 support groups for parents and primary 
 caregivers.
 (vii) Services and activities 
 designed to facilitate access to and 
 visitation of children by parents and 
 siblings.
 (viii) Transportation to or from any 
 of the services and activities 
 described in this subparagraph.
 (8) Adoption promotion and support services.--The 
 term ``adoption promotion and support services'' means 
 services and activities designed to encourage more 
 adoptions out of the foster care system, when adoptions 
 promote the best interests of children, including such 
 activities as pre- and post-adoptive services and 
 activities designed to expedite the adoption process 
 and support adoptive families.
 (9) Non-federal funds.--The term ``non-Federal 
 funds'' means State funds, or at the option of a State, 
 State and local funds.
 (10) Family resource center.--
 (A) In general.--The term ``family resource 
 center'' means a community or school-based hub 
 of support services for families that--
 (i) utilizes an approach that is 
 multi-generational, strengths-based, 
 and family-centered;
 (ii) reflects, and is responsive to, 
 community needs and interests;
 (iii) provides support at no or low 
 cost for participants; and
 (iv) builds communities of peer 
 support for families, including kinship 
 families, to develop social connections 
 that reduce isolation and stress.
 (B) Special rule.--For purposes of this 
 subpart, an expenditure for a service provided 
 by a family resource center may be treated as 
 an expenditure for any 1 or more of family 
 support services, family preservation services, 
 family reunification services, or adoption 
 promotion and support services as long as the 
 expenditure is related to serving the children 
 and families in the specified category and 
 consistent with the overall purpose of the 
 category.
 (11) Youth.--The term ``youth'' means an individual 
 who has not attained 26 years of age.
 (12) Mentoring.--The term ``mentoring'' means a 
 structured, managed program in which children are 
 appropriately matched with screened and trained adult 
 volunteers for one on-one relationships, involving 
 meetings and activities on a regular basis, intended to 
 meet, in part, the child's need for involvement with a 
 caring and supportive adult who provides a positive 
 role model.
 (b) Other Terms.--For other definitions of other terms used 
in this subpart, see section 475.
 (c) Use of Technology.--
 (1) Use of portal.--The services referred to in 
 subsection (a) may include the means of access to and 
 use of an electronic or digital portal to facilitate 
 the provision of community support to care for and meet 
 specific needs of families and children.
 (2) Limitation.--Such a portal shall not retain or 
 share personally identifiable information about a 
 beneficiary without consent or for any purpose other 
 than referral.

SEC. 432. STATE PLANS.

 (a) Plan Requirements.--A State plan meets the requirements 
of this subsection if the plan--
 (1) provides that the State agency shall administer, 
 or supervise the administration of, the State program 
 under this subpart;
 (2)(A)(i) sets forth the goals intended to be 
 accomplished under the plan by the end of the 5th 
 fiscal year in which the plan is in operation in the 
 State, and (ii) is updated periodically to set forth 
 the goals intended to be accomplished under the plan by 
 the end of each 5th fiscal year thereafter;
 (B) describes the methods to be used in measuring 
 progress toward accomplishment of the goals;
 (C) contains assurances that the State--
 (i) after the end of each of the 1st 4 fiscal 
 years covered by a set of goals, will perform 
 an interim review of progress toward 
 accomplishment of the goals, and on the basis 
 of the interim review will revise the statement 
 of goals in the plan, if necessary, to reflect 
 changed circumstances; and
 (ii) after the end of the last fiscal year 
 covered by a set of goals, will perform a final 
 review of progress toward accomplishment of the 
 goals, and on the basis of the final review (I) 
 will prepare, transmit to the Secretary, and 
 make available to the public a final report on 
 progress toward accomplishment of the goals, 
 and (II) will develop (in consultation with the 
 entities required to be consulted pursuant to 
 subsection (b)) and add to the plan a statement 
 of the goals intended to be accomplished by the 
 end of the 5th succeeding fiscal year;
 (3) provides for coordination, to the extent feasible 
 and appropriate, of the provision of services under the 
 plan and the provision of services or benefits under 
 other Federal or federally assisted programs serving 
 the same populations;
 (4) contains assurances that not more than 10 percent 
 of expenditures under the plan for any fiscal year with 
 respect to which the State is eligible for payment 
 under section 434 for the fiscal year shall be for 
 administrative costs, and that the remaining 
 expenditures shall be for programs of family 
 preservation services, community-based family support 
 services, family reunification services, and adoption 
 promotion and support services, with significant 
 portions of such expenditures for each such program;
 (5) contains assurances that the State will--
 (A) annually prepare, furnish to the 
 Secretary, and make available to the public a 
 description (including separate descriptions 
 with respect to family preservation services, 
 community-based family support services, family 
 reunification services, and adoption promotion 
 and support services) of--
 (i) the service programs to be made 
 available under the plan in the 
 immediately succeeding fiscal year;
 (ii) the populations which the 
 programs will serve; and
 (iii) the geographic areas in the 
 State in which the services will be 
 available; and
 (B) perform the activities described in 
 subparagraph (A)--
 (i) in the case of the 1st fiscal 
 year under the plan, at the time the 
 State submits its initial plan; and
 (ii) in the case of each succeeding 
 fiscal year, by the end of the 3rd 
 quarter of the immediately preceding 
 fiscal year;
 (6) provides for such methods of administration as 
 the Secretary finds to be necessary for the proper and 
 efficient operation of the plan;
 (7)(A) contains assurances that Federal funds 
 provided to the State under this subpart will not be 
 used to supplant Federal or non-Federal funds for 
 existing services and activities which promote the 
 purposes of this subpart; and
 (B) provides that the State will furnish reports to 
 the Secretary, at such times, in such format, and 
 containing such information as the Secretary may 
 require, that demonstrate the State's compliance with 
 the prohibition contained in subparagraph (A);
 (8)(A) provides that the State agency will furnish 
 such reports, containing such information, and 
 participate in such evaluations, as the Secretary may 
 require; and
 (B) provides that, not later than June 30 of each 
 year, the State will submit to the Secretary--
 (i) copies of form CFS-101 (including all 
 parts and any successor forms) that report on 
 planned child and family services expenditures 
 by the agency for the immediately succeeding 
 fiscal year; and
 (ii) copies of form CFS-101 (including all 
 parts and any successor forms) that provide, 
 with respect to the programs authorized under 
 this subpart and subpart 1 and, at State 
 option, other programs included on such forms, 
 for the most recent preceding fiscal year for 
 which reporting of actual expenditures is 
 complete--
 (I) the numbers of families and of 
 children served by the State agency;
 (II) the population served by the 
 State agency;
 (III) the geographic areas served by 
 the State agency; and
 (IV) the actual expenditures of funds 
 provided to the State agency;
 (9) contains assurances that in administering and 
 conducting service programs under the plan, the safety 
 of the children to be served shall be of paramount 
 concern; [and]
 (10) describes how the State identifies which 
 populations are at the greatest risk of maltreatment 
 and how services are targeted to the populations[.]; 
 and
 (11) provides a description of policies in place, 
 including training for employees, to address child 
 welfare reports and investigations of neglect 
 concerning the living arrangements or subsistence needs 
 of a child with the goal to prevent the separation of a 
 child from a parent of the child solely due to poverty, 
 to ensure access to services described in section 
 431(a)(1)(H).
 (b) Approval of Plans.--
 [(1) In general.--The Secretary shall approve a plan 
 that meets the requirements of subsection (a) only if 
 the plan was developed jointly by the Secretary and the 
 State, after consultation by the State agency with 
 appropriate public and nonprofit private agencies and 
 community-based organizations with experience in 
 administering programs of services for children and 
 families (including family preservation, family 
 support, family reunification, and adoption promotion 
 and support services).]
 (1) In general.--The Secretary shall approve a plan 
 that meets the requirements of subsection (a) only if--
 (A) the plan was developed jointly by the 
 Secretary and the State, and the State, in 
 developing the plan, consulted with--
 (i) appropriate public and nonprofit 
 private agencies;
 (ii) community-based organizations 
 involved in providing services for 
 children and families in the areas of 
 family preservation, family support, 
 family reunification, foster care, 
 kinship, and adoption promotion and 
 support;
 (iii) parents with child welfare 
 experience, foster parents, adoptive 
 parents, and kinship caregivers; and
 (iv) children, youth, and young 
 adults with experience in the child 
 welfare system, including State boards 
 and councils comprised of youth with 
 lived experience who represent the 
 diversity of children in the State to 
 whom the plan would apply; and
 (B) the State has made publicly accessible on 
 a website of the State agency a report that 
 outlines how the State has implemented the 
 suggestions of the children and youth referred 
 to in subparagraph (A)(iv).
 (2) Plans of indian tribes or tribal consortia.--
 (A) Exemption from inappropriate 
 requirements.--The Secretary may exempt a plan 
 submitted by an Indian tribe or tribal 
 consortium from the requirements of subsection 
 (a)(4) of this section to the extent that the 
 Secretary determines those requirements would 
 be inappropriate to apply to the Indian tribe 
 or tribal consortium, taking into account the 
 resources, needs, and other circumstances of 
 the Indian tribe or tribal consortium.
 (B) Special rule.--Notwithstanding 
 subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the 
 Secretary may not approve a plan of an Indian 
 tribe or tribal consortium under this subpart 
 to which (but for this subparagraph) an 
 allotment of less than $10,000 would be made 
 under [section 433(a)] sections 433(a) and 
 437(c)(1) combined if allotments were made 
 under [section 433(a)] such sections to all 
 Indian tribes and tribal consortia with plans 
 approved under this subpart with the same or 
 larger numbers of children.
 (c) Annual Submission of State Reports to Congress.--
 (1) In general.--The Secretary shall compile the 
 reports required under subsection (a)(8)(B) and, not 
 later than September 30 of each year, submit such 
 compilation to the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
 House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance 
 of the Senate.
 (2) Information to be included.--The compilation 
 shall include the individual State reports and tables 
 that synthesize State information into national totals 
 for each element required to be included in the 
 reports, including planned and actual spending by 
 service category for the program authorized under this 
 subpart and planned spending by service category for 
 the program authorized under subpart 1.
 (3) Public accessibility.--Not later than September 
 30 of each year, the Secretary shall publish the 
 compilation on the website of the Department of Health 
 and Human Services in a location easily accessible by 
 the public.

SEC. 433. ALLOTMENTS TO STATES.

 (a) Indian Tribes or Tribal Consortia.--From the amount 
reserved pursuant to section [436(b)(3)] 436(b)(2) for any 
fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each Indian tribe 
with a plan approved under this subpart an amount that bears 
the same ratio to such reserved amount as the number of 
children in the Indian tribe bears to the total number of 
children in all Indian tribes with State plans so approved, as 
determined by the Secretary on the basis of the most current 
and reliable information available to the Secretary. If a 
consortium of Indian tribes submits a plan approved under this 
subpart, the Secretary shall allot to the consortium an amount 
equal to the sum of the allotments determined for each Indian 
tribe that is part of the consortium.
 (b) Territories.--From the amount described in section 436(a) 
for any fiscal year that remains after applying section 436(b) 
for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each of the 
jurisdictions of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the 
Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa an amount 
determined in the same manner as the allotment to each of such 
jurisdictions is determined under section 423.
 (c) Other States.--
 (1) In general.--From the amount described in section 
 436(a) for any fiscal year that remains after applying 
 section 436(b) and subsection (b) of this section for 
 the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each 
 State (other than an Indian tribe) which is not 
 specified in subsection (b) of this section an amount 
 equal to such remaining amount multiplied by the 
 supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits 
 percentage of the State for the fiscal year.
 (2) Supplemental nutrition assistance program 
 benefits percentage defined.--
 (A) In general.--As used in paragraph (1) of 
 this subsection, the term ``supplemental 
 nutrition assistance program benefits 
 percentage'' means, with respect to a State and 
 a fiscal year, the average monthly number of 
 children receiving supplemental nutrition 
 assistance program benefits in the State for 
 months in the 3 fiscal years referred to in 
 subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, as 
 determined from sample surveys made under 
 section 16(c) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
 2008, expressed as a percentage of the average 
 monthly number of children receiving 
 supplemental nutrition assistance program 
 benefits in the States described in such 
 paragraph (1) for months in such 3 fiscal 
 years, as so determined.
 (B) Fiscal years used in calculation.--For 
 purposes of the calculation pursuant to 
 subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall use data 
 for the 3 most recent fiscal years, preceding 
 the fiscal year for which the State's allotment 
 is calculated under this subsection, for which 
 such data are available to the Secretary.
 (d) Reallotments.--The amount of any allotment to a State 
under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section for any 
fiscal year that the State certifies to the Secretary will not 
be required for carrying out the State plan under section 432 
shall be available for reallotment using the allotment 
methodology specified in subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this 
section. Any amount so reallotted to a State is deemed part of 
the allotment of the State under the preceding provisions of 
this section.
 (e) Allotment of Funds Reserved To Support Monthly Caseworker 
Visits.--
 [(1) Territories.--From the amount reserved pursuant 
 to section 436(b)(4)(A) for any fiscal year, the 
 Secretary shall allot to each jurisdiction specified in 
 subsection (b) of this section, that has provided to 
 the Secretary such documentation as may be necessary to 
 verify that the jurisdiction has complied with section 
 436(b)(4)(B)(ii) during the fiscal year, an amount 
 determined in the same manner as the allotment to each 
 of such jurisdictions is determined under section 423 
 (without regard to the initial allotment of $70,000 to 
 each State).
 [(2) Other states.--From the amount reserved pursuant 
 to section 436(b)(4)(A) for any fiscal year that 
 remains after applying paragraph (1) of this subsection 
 for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each 
 State (other than an Indian tribe) not specified in 
 subsection (b) of this section, that has provided to 
 the Secretary such documentation as may be necessary to 
 verify that the State has complied with section 
 436(b)(4)(B)(ii) during the fiscal year, an amount 
 equal to such remaining amount multiplied by the 
 supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits 
 percentage of the State (as defined in subsection 
 (c)(2) of this section) for the fiscal year, except 
 that in applying subsection (c)(2)(A) of this section, 
 ``subsection (e)(2)'' shall be substituted for ``such 
 paragraph (1)''.]
 (1) Base allotment.--From the amount reserved 
 pursuant to section 436(b)(3)(A) for any fiscal year, 
 the Secretary shall first allot to each State (other 
 than an Indian tribe) that has provided to the 
 Secretary such documentation as may be necessary to 
 verify that the jurisdiction has complied with section 
 436(b)(4)(B)(ii) during the fiscal year, a base 
 allotment of $100,000, and shall then allot to each of 
 those States an amount determined in paragraph (2) or 
 (3) of this subsection, as applicable.
 (2) Territories.--From the amount reserved pursuant 
 to section 436(b)(3)(A) for any fiscal year that 
 remains after applying paragraph (1) of this subsection 
 for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each 
 jurisdiction specified in subsection (b) of this 
 section to which a base allotment is made under such 
 paragraph (1) an amount determined in the same manner 
 as the allotment to each of such jurisdictions is 
 determined under section 423 (without regard to the 
 initial allotment of $70,000 to each State).
 (3) Other states.--From the amount reserved pursuant 
 to section 436(b)(3)(A) for any fiscal year that 
 remains after applying paragraphs (1) and (2) of this 
 subsection for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
 allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) not 
 specified in subsection (b) of this section to which a 
 base allotment was made under paragraph (1) of this 
 subsection an amount equal to such remaining amount 
 multiplied by the supplemental nutrition assistance 
 program benefits percentage of the State (as defined in 
 subsection (c)(2) of this section) for the fiscal year, 
 except that in applying subsection (c)(2)(A) of this 
 section, ``subsection (e)(3)'' shall be substituted for 
 ``such paragraph (1)''.

SEC. 434. PAYMENTS TO STATES.

 (a) Entitlement.--Each State that has a plan approved under 
section 432 shall, subject to subsection (d), be entitled to 
payment of the sum of--
 (1) the lesser of--
 (A) 75 percent of the total expenditures by 
 the State for activities under the plan during 
 the fiscal year or the immediately succeeding 
 fiscal year; or
 (B) the allotment of the State under 
 subsection (a), (b), or (c) of section 433, 
 whichever is applicable, for the fiscal year; 
 and
 (2) the lesser of--
 (A) 75 percent of the total expenditures by 
 the State in accordance with section 
 [436(b)(4)(B)] 436(b)(3)(B) during the fiscal 
 year or the immediately succeeding fiscal year; 
 or
 (B) the allotment of the State under section 
 433(e) for the fiscal year.
 (b) Prohibitions.--
 (1) No use of other federal funds for state match.--
 Each State receiving an amount paid under subsection 
 (a) may not expend any Federal funds to meet the costs 
 of services under the State plan under section 432 not 
 covered by the amount so paid.
 (2) Availability of funds.--A State may not expend 
 any amount paid under subsection (a) for any fiscal 
 year after the end of the immediately succeeding fiscal 
 year.
 (c) Direct Payments to Tribal Organizations of Indian Tribes 
or Tribal Consortia.--The Secretary shall pay any amount to 
which an Indian tribe or tribal consortium is entitled under 
this section directly to the tribal organization of the Indian 
tribe or in the case of a payment to a tribal consortium, such 
tribal organizations of, or entity established by, the Indian 
tribes that are part of the consortium as the consortium shall 
designate.
 (d) Limitation on Reimbursement for Administrative Costs.--
The Secretary shall not make a payment to a State under this 
section with respect to expenditures for administrative costs 
during a fiscal year, to the extent that the total amount of 
the expenditures exceeds 10 percent of the total expenditures 
of the State during the fiscal year under the State plan 
approved under section 432.

SEC. 435. EVALUATIONS; RESEARCH; TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

 (a) Evaluations.--
 (1) In general.--The Secretary shall evaluate and 
 report to the Congress biennially on the effectiveness 
 of the programs carried out pursuant to this subpart in 
 accomplishing the purposes of this subpart, and may 
 evaluate any other Federal, State, or local program, 
 regardless of whether federally assisted, that is 
 designed to achieve the same purposes as the program 
 under this subpart, in accordance with criteria 
 established in accordance with paragraph (2).
 (2) Criteria to be used.--In developing the criteria 
 to be used in evaluations under paragraph (1), the 
 Secretary shall consult with appropriate parties, such 
 as--
 (A) State agencies administering programs 
 under this part and part E;
 (B) persons administering child and family 
 services programs (including family 
 preservation and family support programs) for 
 private, nonprofit organizations with an 
 interest in child welfare including community-
 based partners with expertise in preventing 
 unnecessary child welfare system involvement; 
 and
 (C) other persons with recognized expertise 
 in the evaluation of child and family services 
 programs (including family preservation and 
 family support programs) or other related 
 programs.
 (3) Timing of report.--Beginning in 2003, the 
 Secretary shall submit the biennial report required by 
 this subsection not later than April 1 of every other 
 year, and shall include in each such report the funding 
 level, the status of ongoing evaluations, findings to 
 date, and the nature of any technical assistance 
 provided to States under subsection (d).
 (b) Coordination of Evaluations.--The Secretary shall develop 
procedures to coordinate evaluations under this section, to the 
extent feasible, with evaluations by the States of the 
effectiveness of programs under this subpart.
 [(c) Evaluation, Research, and Technical Assistance With 
Respect to Targeted Program Resources.--Of the amount reserved 
under section 436(b)(1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
use not less than--
 [(1) $1,000,000 for evaluations, research, and 
 providing technical assistance with respect to 
 supporting monthly caseworker visits with children who 
 are in foster care under the responsibility of the 
 State, in accordance with section 436(b)(4)(B)(i); and
 [(2) $1,000,000 for evaluations, research, and 
 providing technical assistance with respect to grants 
 under section 437(f).]
 (c) Evaluation, Research, and Technical Assistance With 
Respect to Targeted Program Resources.--Of the amount reserved 
under section 437(b)(1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
use not less than--
 (1) $1,000,000 for technical assistance to grantees 
 under section 437(f) and to support design of local 
 site evaluations with the goal of publishing and 
 submitting evaluation findings to the clearinghouse 
 established under section 476(d), or to award grants to 
 allow current or former grantees under section 437(f) 
 to analyze, publish, and submit to the clearinghouse 
 data collected during past grants; and
 (2) $1,000,000 for technical assistance required 
 under section 429B of this Act to support effective 
 implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 
 and to support development of associated State plan 
 measures described pursuant to section 422(b)(9) of 
 this Act.
 (d) Technical Assistance.--To the extent funds are available 
therefor, the Secretary shall provide technical assistance that 
helps States and Indian tribes or tribal consortia to--
 (1) develop research-based protocols for identifying 
 families at risk of abuse and neglect of use in the 
 field;
 (2) develop treatment models that address the needs 
 of families at risk, particularly families with 
 substance abuse issues;
 (3) implement programs with well-articulated theories 
 of how the intervention will result in desired changes 
 among families at risk;
 (4) establish mechanisms to ensure that service 
 provision matches the treatment model; [and]
 (5) establish mechanisms to ensure that postadoption 
 services meet the needs of the individual families and 
 develop models to reduce the disruption rates of 
 adoption[.]; and
 (6) use grants under section 437(f) in coordination 
 with other Federal funds to better serve families in 
 the child welfare system that are affected by a 
 substance use disorder.
 (e) Family Recovery and Reunification Program Replication 
Project.--
 (1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to 
 provide resources to the Secretary to support the 
 conduct and evaluation of a family recovery and 
 reunification program replication project (referred to 
 in this subsection as the ``project'') and to determine 
 the extent to which such programs may be appropriate 
 for use at different intervention points (such as when 
 a child is at risk of entering foster care or when a 
 child is living with a guardian while a parent is in 
 treatment). The family recovery and reunification 
 program conducted under the project shall use a 
 recovery coach model that is designed to help reunify 
 families and protect children by working with parents 
 or guardians with a substance use disorder who have 
 temporarily lost custody of their children.
 (2) Program components.--The family recovery and 
 reunification program conducted under the project shall 
 adhere closely to the elements and protocol determined 
 to be most effective in other recovery coaching 
 programs that have been rigorously evaluated and shown 
 to increase family reunification and protect children 
 and, consistent with such elements and protocol, shall 
 provide such items and services as--
 (A) assessments to evaluate the needs of the 
 parent or guardian;
 (B) assistance in receiving the appropriate 
 benefits to aid the parent or guardian in 
 recovery;
 (C) services to assist the parent or guardian 
 in prioritizing issues identified in 
 assessments, establishing goals for resolving 
 such issues that are consistent with the goals 
 of the treatment provider, child welfare 
 agency, courts, and other agencies involved 
 with the parent or guardian or their children, 
 and making a coordinated plan for achieving 
 such goals;
 (D) home visiting services coordinated with 
 the child welfare agency and treatment provider 
 involved with the parent or guardian or their 
 children;
 (E) case management services to remove 
 barriers for the parent or guardian to 
 participate and continue in treatment, as well 
 as to re-engage a parent or guardian who is not 
 participating or progressing in treatment;
 (F) access to services needed to monitor the 
 parent's or guardian's compliance with program 
 requirements;
 (G) frequent reporting between the treatment 
 provider, child welfare agency, courts, and 
 other agencies involved with the parent or 
 guardian or their children to ensure 
 appropriate information on the parent's or 
 guardian's status is available to inform 
 decision-making; and
 (H) assessments and recommendations provided 
 by a recovery coach to the child welfare 
 caseworker responsible for documenting the 
 parent's or guardian's progress in treatment 
 and recovery as well as the status of other 
 areas identified in the treatment plan for the 
 parent or guardian, including a recommendation 
 regarding the expected safety of the child if 
 the child is returned to the custody of the 
 parent or guardian that can be used by the 
 caseworker and a court to make permanency 
 decisions regarding the child.
 (3) Responsibilities of the secretary.--
 (A) In general.--The Secretary shall, through 
 a grant or contract with 1 or more entities, 
 conduct and evaluate the family recovery and 
 reunification program under the project.
 (B) Requirements.--In identifying 1 or more 
 entities to conduct the evaluation of the 
 family recovery and reunification program, the 
 Secretary shall--
 (i) determine that the area or areas 
 in which the program will be conducted 
 have sufficient substance use disorder 
 treatment providers and other resources 
 (other than those provided with funds 
 made available to carry out the 
 project) to successfully conduct the 
 program;
 (ii) determine that the area or areas 
 in which the program will be conducted 
 have enough potential program 
 participants, and will serve a 
 sufficient number of parents or 
 guardians and their children, so as to 
 allow for the formation of a control 
 group, evaluation results to be 
 adequately powered, and preliminary 
 results of the evaluation to be 
 available within 4 years of the 
 program's implementation;
 (iii) provide the entity or entities 
 with technical assistance for the 
 program design, including by working 
 with 1 or more entities that are or 
 have been involved in recovery coaching 
 programs that have been rigorously 
 evaluated and shown to increase family 
 reunification and protect children so 
 as to make sure the program conducted 
 under the project adheres closely to 
 the elements and protocol determined to 
 be most effective in such other 
 recovery coaching programs;
 (iv) assist the entity or entities in 
 securing adequate coaching, treatment, 
 child welfare, court, and other 
 resources needed to successfully 
 conduct the family recovery and 
 reunification program under the 
 project; and
 (v) ensure the entity or entities 
 will be able to monitor the impacts of 
 the program in the area or areas in 
 which it is conducted for at least 5 
 years after parents or guardians and 
 their children are randomly assigned to 
 participate in the program or to be 
 part of the program's control group.
 (4) Evaluation requirements.--
 (A) In general.--The Secretary, in 
 consultation with the entity or entities 
 conducting the family recovery and 
 reunification program under the project, shall 
 conduct an evaluation to determine whether the 
 program has been implemented effectively and 
 resulted in improvements for children and 
 families. The evaluation shall have 3 
 components: a pilot phase, an impact study, and 
 an implementation study.
 (B) Pilot phase.--The pilot phase component 
 of the evaluation shall consist of the 
 Secretary providing technical assistance to the 
 entity or entities conducting the family 
 recovery and reunification program under the 
 project to ensure--
 (i) the program's implementation 
 adheres closely to the elements and 
 protocol determined to be most 
 effective in other recovery coaching 
 programs that have been rigorously 
 evaluated and shown to increase family 
 reunification and protect children; and
 (ii) random assignment of parents or 
 guardians and their children to be 
 participants in the program or to be 
 part of the program's control group is 
 being carried out.
 (C) Impact study.--The impact study component 
 of the evaluation shall determine the impacts 
 of the family recovery and reunification 
 program conducted under the project on the 
 parents and guardians and their children 
 participating in the program. The impact study 
 component shall--
 (i) be conducted using an 
 experimental design that uses a random 
 assignment research methodology;
 (ii) consistent with previous studies 
 of other recovery coaching programs 
 that have been rigorously evaluated and 
 shown to increase family reunification 
 and protect children, measure outcomes 
 for parents and guardians and their 
 children over multiple time periods, 
 including for a period of 5 years; and
 (iii) include measurements of family 
 stability and parent, guardian, and 
 child safety for program participants 
 and the program control group that are 
 consistent with measurements of such 
 factors for participants and control 
 groups from previous studies of other 
 recovery coaching programs so as to 
 allow results of the impact study to be 
 compared with the results of such prior 
 studies, including with respect to 
 comparisons between program 
 participants and the program control 
 group regarding--
 (I) safe family 
 reunification;
 (II) time to reunification;
 (III) permanency (such as 
 through measures of 
 reunification, adoption, or 
 placement with guardians);
 (IV) safety (such as through 
 measures of subsequent 
 maltreatment);
 (V) parental or guardian 
 treatment persistence and 
 engagement;
 (VI) parental or guardian 
 substance use;
 (VII) juvenile delinquency;
 (VIII) cost; and
 (IX) other measurements 
 agreed upon by the Secretary 
 and the entity or entities 
 operating the family recovery 
 and reunification program under 
 the project.
 (D) Implementation study.--The implementation 
 study component of the evaluation shall be 
 conducted concurrently with the conduct of the 
 impact study component and shall include, in 
 addition to such other information as the 
 Secretary may determine, descriptions and 
 analyses of--
 (i) the adherence of the family 
 recovery and reunification program 
 conducted under the project to other 
 recovery coaching programs that have 
 been rigorously evaluated and shown to 
 increase family reunification and 
 protect children; and
 (ii) the difference in services 
 received or proposed to be received by 
 the program participants and the 
 program control group.
 (E) Report.--The Secretary shall publish on 
 an internet website maintained by the Secretary 
 the following information:
 (i) A report on the pilot phase 
 component of the evaluation.
 (ii) A report on the impact study 
 component of the evaluation.
 (iii) A report on the implementation 
 study component of the evaluation.
 (iv) A report that includes--
 (I) analyses of the extent to 
 which the program has resulted 
 in increased reunifications, 
 increased permanency, case 
 closures, net savings to the 
 State or States involved 
 (taking into account both costs 
 borne by States and the Federal 
 government), or other outcomes, 
 or if the program did not 
 produce such outcomes, an 
 analysis of why the replication 
 of the program did not yield 
 such results;
 (II) if, based on such 
 analyses, the Secretary 
 determines the program should 
 be replicated, a replication 
 plan; and
 (III) such recommendations 
 for legislation and 
 administrative action as the 
 Secretary determines 
 appropriate.
 (5) Appropriation.--In addition to any amounts 
 otherwise made available to carry out this subpart, out 
 of any money in the Treasury of the United States not 
 otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated 
 $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 to carry out the 
 project, which shall remain available through fiscal 
 year 2026.
 (f) Prevention Services Evaluation Partnerships.--
 (1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to 
 authorize the Secretary to make competitive grants to 
 support the timely evaluation of--
 (A) services and programs described in 
 section 471(e); or
 (B) kinship navigator programs described in 
 section 474(a)(7).
 (2) Grants.--In accordance with applications approved 
 under this subsection, the Secretary may make grants, 
 on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry 
 out projects designed to evaluate a service or program 
 provided by the eligible entity, or an entity in 
 partnership with the eligible entity, with respect to 
 the requirements for a promising practice, supported 
 practice, or well-supported practice described in 
 section 471(e)(4)(C).
 (3) Applications.--
 (A) In general.--An eligible entity may apply 
 to the Secretary for a grant under this 
 subsection to carry out a project that meets 
 the following requirements:
 (i) The project is designed in 
 accordance with paragraph (2).
 (ii) The project is to be carried out 
 by the applicant in partnership with--
 (I) a State agency that 
 administers, or supervises the 
 administration of, the State 
 plan approved under part E, or 
 an agency administering the 
 plan under the supervision of 
 the State agency; and
 (II) if the applicant is 
 unable or unwilling to do so, 
 at least 1 external evaluator 
 to carry out the evaluation of 
 the service or program provided 
 by the applicant.
 (B) Contents.--The application shall contain 
 the following:
 (i) A description of the project, 
 including--
 (I) a statement explaining 
 why a grant is necessary to 
 carry out the project; and
 (II) the amount of grant 
 funds that would be disbursed 
 to each entity described in 
 subparagraph (A)(ii) in 
 partnership with the applicant.
 (ii) A certification from each entity 
 described in subparagraph (A)(ii) that 
 provides assurances that the individual 
 or entity is in partnership with the 
 applicant and will fulfill the 
 responsibilities of the entity 
 specified in the description provided 
 pursuant to clause (i) of this 
 subparagraph.
 (iii) A certification from the 
 applicant that provides assurances that 
 the applicant intends to comply with 
 subparagraph (A)(ii)(II), if 
 applicable.
 (iv) At the option of the eligible 
 entity, a certification from the 
 applicant that the applicant requires 
 an external evaluator secured by the 
 Secretary pursuant to paragraph (5), if 
 applicable.
 (4) Priorities.--In approving applications under this 
 subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize the 
 following:
 (A) Addressing, with respect to the 
 clearinghouse of practices described in section 
 476(d)(2), deficiencies or gaps identified by 
 the Secretary in consultation with--
 (i) States, political subdivisions of 
 a State, and tribal communities 
 carrying out, or receiving the benefits 
 of, a service or program; and
 (ii) child welfare experts, including 
 individuals with lived experience.
 (B) Maximizing the number of evidence-based 
 services or programs to be included in the 
 clearinghouse of practices described in section 
 476(d)(2).
 (C) Timely completion of evaluations and the 
 production of evidence.
 (D) Supporting services or programs that are 
 based on, or are adaptations to new population 
 settings of, a service or program with reliable 
 evidence about the benefits and risks of the 
 service or program.
 (5) Availability of external evaluators.--
 (A) In general.--Before accepting 
 applications under this subsection, the 
 Secretary shall make reasonable efforts to 
 identify at least 1 entity to serve as an 
 external evaluator for any eligible entity that 
 includes a certification under paragraph 
 (3)(B)(iv) with an application under this 
 subsection.
 (B) No effect on consideration of 
 application.--The Secretary may not consider 
 whether an eligible entity is in partnership 
 with an external evaluator described in 
 paragraph (A) in approving an application under 
 this subsection submitted by the eligible 
 entity.
 (6) Reports.--
 (A) By grant recipients.--Within 1 year after 
 receiving a grant under this subsection, and 
 every year thereafter for the next 5 years, the 
 grant recipient shall submit to the Secretary a 
 written report on--
 (i) the use of grant funds;
 (ii) whether the program or service 
 evaluated by the project meets a 
 requirement specified in section 
 471(e)(4)(C), including information 
 about--
 (I) how the program or 
 service is being carried out in 
 accordance with standards 
 specified in the requirement;
 (II) any outcomes of the 
 program or service; and
 (III) any outcome with 
 respect to which the service or 
 program compares favorably to a 
 comparison practice; and
 (iii) whether the Secretary has 
 included the program or service in an 
 update to the clearinghouse of 
 practices described in section 
 476(d)(2).
 (B) By the secretary.--The Secretary shall 
 submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of 
 the House of Representatives and to the 
 Committee on Finance of the Senate an annual 
 written report on--
 (i) the grants awarded under this 
 subsection;
 (ii) the programs funded by the 
 grants;
 (iii) any technical assistance 
 provided by the Secretary in carrying 
 out this subsection, including with 
 respect to the efforts to secure 
 external evaluators pursuant to 
 paragraph (5); and
 (iv) any efforts by the Secretary to 
 support program evaluation and review 
 pursuant to section 471(e) and 
 inclusion of programs in the pre-
 approved list of services and programs 
 described in section 471(e)(4)(D) or 
 the clearinghouse of practices 
 described in section 476(d)(2).
 (7) Funding.--
 (A) Limitations.--Of the amounts available to 
 carry out this subsection, the Secretary may 
 use not more than 5 percent to provide 
 technical assistance.
 (B) Carryover.--Amounts made available to 
 carry out this subsection shall remain 
 available until expended.
 (8) Definitions.--In this subsection:
 (A) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible 
 entity'' means any of the following providing a 
 service or program or, in the sole 
 determination of the Secretary, able to provide 
 a service or program if awarded a grant under 
 this subsection:
 (i) A State, a political subdivision 
 of a State, or an agency or department 
 of a State or political subdivision of 
 a State.
 (ii) An entity described in 
 subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 
 426(a)(1).
 (iii) An Indian tribe or tribal 
 organization.
 (B) External evaluator.--The term ``external 
 evaluator'' means an entity with the ability 
 and willingness to evaluate a service or 
 program pursuant to paragraph (2) that is not 
 provided by the entity.
 (C) Service or program.--The term ``service 
 or program''--
 (i) means a service or program 
 described in section 471(e); and
 (ii) includes a kinship navigator 
 program described in section 474(a)(7).

SEC. 436. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; RESERVATION OF CERTAIN 
 AMOUNTS.

 (a) Authorization.--In addition to any amount otherwise made 
available to carry out this subpart, there are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this subpart $345,000,000 for [each 
of fiscal years 2017 through 2023] fiscal year 2025 and 
$420,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029.
 (b) Reservation of Certain Amounts.--From the amount 
specified in subsection (a) for a fiscal year, the Secretary 
shall reserve amounts as follows:
 [(1) Evaluation, research, training, and technical 
 assistance.--The Secretary shall reserve $6,000,000 for 
 expenditure by the Secretary--
 [(A) for research, training, and technical 
 assistance costs related to the program under 
 this subpart; and
 [(B) for evaluation of State programs based 
 on the plans approved under section 432 and 
 funded under this subpart, and any other 
 Federal, State, or local program, regardless of 
 whether federally assisted, that is designed to 
 achieve the same purposes as the State 
 programs.]
 [(2)] (1) State court improvements.--The Secretary 
 shall reserve $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2025 and 
 $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding 
 fiscal year for grants under section 438.
 [(3)] (2) Indian tribes or tribal consortia.--[After 
 applying paragraphs (4) and (5) (but before applying 
 paragraphs (1) or (2)), the] The Secretary shall 
 reserve 3 percent for allotment to Indian tribes or 
 tribal consortia in accordance with section 433(a).
 [(4)] (3) Support for monthly caseworker visits.--
 (A) Reservation.--The Secretary shall reserve 
 for allotment in accordance with section 433(e) 
 $20,000,000 for [each of fiscal years 2017 
 through 2023] fiscal year 2025 and $26,000,000 
 for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding fiscal 
 year.
 (B) Use of funds.--
 [(i) In general.--A State to which an 
 amount is paid from amounts reserved 
 under subparagraph (A) shall use the 
 amount to improve the quality of 
 monthly caseworker visits with children 
 who are in foster care under the 
 responsibility of the State, with an 
 emphasis on improving caseworker 
 decision making on the safety, 
 permanency, and well-being of foster 
 children and on activities designed to 
 increase retention, recruitment, and 
 training of caseworkers.]
 (i) In general.--A State to which an 
 amount is paid from amounts reserved 
 under subparagraph (A) shall use the 
 amount to improve the quality of 
 monthly caseworker visits with children 
 who are in foster care under the 
 responsibility of the State, with an 
 emphasis on--
 (I) reducing caseload ratios 
 and the administrative burden 
 on caseworkers, to improve 
 caseworker decision making on 
 the safety, permanency, and 
 well-being of foster children 
 and on activities designed to 
 increase retention, 
 recruitment, and training of 
 caseworkers;
 (II) implementing technology 
 solutions to streamline 
 caseworker duties and modernize 
 systems, ensuring improved 
 efficiency and effectiveness in 
 child welfare services;
 (III) improving caseworker 
 safety;
 (IV) mental health resources 
 to support caseworker well-
 being, including peer-to-peer 
 support programs; and
 (V) recruitment campaigns 
 aimed at attracting qualified 
 caseworker candidates.
 (ii) Nonsupplantation.--A State to 
 which an amount is paid from amounts 
 reserved pursuant to subparagraph (A) 
 shall not use the amount to supplant 
 any Federal funds paid to the State 
 under part E that could be used as 
 described in clause (i).
 [(5)] (4) Regional partnership grants.--The Secretary 
 shall reserve for awarding grants under section 437(f) 
 $20,000,000 for [each of fiscal years 2017 through 
 2023] fiscal year 2025 and $30,000,000 for fiscal year 
 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year.
 (c) Support for Foster Family Homes.--Out of any money in the 
Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there 
are appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal year 2018, 
$8,000,000 for the Secretary to make competitive grants to 
States, Indian tribes, or tribal consortia to support the 
recruitment and retention of high-quality foster families to 
increase their capacity to place more children in family 
settings, focused on States, Indian tribes, or tribal consortia 
with the highest percentage of children in non-family settings. 
The amount appropriated under this subparagraph shall remain 
available through fiscal year 2022.

SEC. 437. DISCRETIONARY AND TARGETED GRANTS.

 (a) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--In 
addition to any amount appropriated pursuant to section 436, 
there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
section $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years [2017 through 
2023] 2025 through 2029.
 (b) Reservation of Certain Amounts.--From the amount (if any) 
appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) for a fiscal year, the 
Secretary shall reserve amounts as follows:
 (1) Evaluation, research, training, and technical 
 assistance.--The Secretary shall reserve 3.3 percent 
 for expenditure by the Secretary for the activities 
 described in section [436(b)(1)] 435.
 (2) State court improvements.--The Secretary shall 
 reserve 3.3 percent for grants under section 438.
 (3) Indian tribes or tribal consortia.--The Secretary 
 shall reserve 3 percent for allotment to Indian tribes 
 or tribal consortia in accordance with subsection 
 (c)(1).
 (4) Improving the interstate placement of children.--
 The Secretary shall reserve $5,000,000 of the amount 
 made available for fiscal year 2018 for grants under 
 subsection (g), and the amount so reserved shall remain 
 available through fiscal year 2022.
 (5) Preventive services evaluation partnerships.--The 
 Secretary shall reserve $5,000,000 for grants under 
 section 435(f) for each of fiscal years 2026 through 
 2029.
 (6) Kinship navigators.--The Secretary shall reserve 
 $10,000,000 for grants under section 427 for each of 
 fiscal years 2026 through 2029.
 (c) Allotments.--
 (1) Indian tribes or tribal consortia.--From the 
 amount (if any) reserved pursuant to subsection (b)(3) 
 for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each 
 Indian tribe with a plan approved under this subpart an 
 amount that bears the same ratio to such reserved 
 amount as the number of children in the Indian tribe 
 bears to the total number of children in all Indian 
 tribes with State plans so approved, as determined by 
 the Secretary on the basis of the most current and 
 reliable information available to the Secretary. If a 
 consortium of Indian tribes applies and is approved for 
 a grant under this section, the Secretary shall allot 
 to the consortium an amount equal to the sum of the 
 allotments determined for each Indian tribe that is 
 part of the consortium.
 (2) Territories.--From the amount (if any) 
 appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) for any fiscal 
 year that remains after applying subection (b) for the 
 fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each of the 
 jurisdictions of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, 
 the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa an 
 amount determined in the same manner as the allotment 
 to each of such jurisdictions is determined under 
 section 423.
 (3) Other states.--From the amount (if any) 
 appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) for any fiscal 
 year that remains after applying subsection (b) and 
 paragraph (2) of this subsection for the fiscal year, 
 the Secretary shall allot to each State (other than an 
 Indian tribe) which is not specified in paragraph (2) 
 of this subsection an amount equal to such remaining 
 amount multiplied by the supplemental nutrition 
 assistance program benefits percentage (as defined in 
 section 433(c)(2)) of the State for the fiscal year.
 (d) Grants.--The Secretary may make a grant to a State which 
has a plan approved under this subpart in an amount equal to 
the lesser of--
 (1) 75 percent of the total expenditures by the State 
 for activities under the plan during the fiscal year or 
 the immediately succeeding fiscal year; or
 (2) the allotment of the State under subsection (c) 
 for the fiscal year.
 (e) Applicability of Certain Rules.--The rules of subsections 
(b) and (c) of section 434 shall apply in like manner to the 
amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a).
 (f) Targeted Grants To Implement IV-E Prevention Services, 
and Improve the Well-Being of, and Improve Permanency Outcomes 
for, Children and Families Affected by Heroin, Opioids, and 
Other Substance Abuse.--
 (1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to 
 authorize the Secretary to make competitive grants to 
 regional partnerships to provide, through interagency 
 collaboration and integration of programs and services, 
 services and activities that are designed to increase 
 the well-being of, improve permanency outcomes for, and 
 enhance the safety of children who are in an out-of-
 home placement or are at risk of being placed in an 
 out-of-home placement as a result of a parent's or 
 caretaker's substance abuse, and expand the scope of 
 the evidence-based services that may be approved by the 
 clearinghouse established under section 476(d).
 (2) Regional partnership defined.--In this 
 subsection, the term ``regional partnership'' means a 
 collaborative agreement (which may be established on an 
 interstate, State, or intrastate basis) entered into by 
 the following:
 (A) Mandatory partners for all partnership 
 grants.--
 (i) The State child welfare agency 
 that is responsible for the 
 administration of the State plan under 
 this part and part E.
 (ii) The State agency responsible for 
 administering the substance abuse 
 prevention and treatment block grant 
 provided under subpart II of part B of 
 title XIX of the Public Health Service 
 Act.
 (iii) The most appropriate 
 administrative office of the juvenile 
 court or State court overseeing court 
 proceedings involving families who come 
 to the attention of the court due to 
 child abuse or neglect.
 [(B) Mandatory partners for partnership 
 grants proposing to serve children in out-of-
 home placements.--If the partnership proposes 
 to serve children in out-of-home placements, 
 the Juvenile Court or Administrative Office of 
 the Court that is most appropriate to oversee 
 the administration of court programs in the 
 region to address the population of families 
 who come to the attention of the court due to 
 child abuse or neglect.]
 [(C)] (B) Optional partners.--At the option 
 of the partnership, any of the following:
 (i) An Indian tribe or tribal 
 consortium.
 (ii) Nonprofit child welfare service 
 providers.
 (iii) For-profit child welfare 
 service providers.
 (iv) Community health service 
 providers, including substance abuse 
 treatment providers.
 (v) Community mental health 
 providers.
 (vi) Local law enforcement agencies.
 (vii) School personnel.
 (viii) Tribal child welfare agencies 
 (or a consortia of the agencies).
 (ix) State or local agencies that 
 administer Federal health care, 
 housing, family support, or other 
 related programs.
 [(ix)] (x) Any other providers, 
 agencies, personnel, officials, or 
 entities that are related to the 
 provision of child and family services 
 under a State plan approved under this 
 subpart.
 [(D)] (C) Exception for regional partnerships 
 where the lead applicant is an indian tribe or 
 tribal consortia.--If an Indian tribe or tribal 
 consortium enters into a regional partnership 
 for purposes of this subsection, the Indian 
 tribe or tribal consortium--
 (i) may (but is not required to) 
 include the State child welfare agency 
 as a partner in the collaborative 
 agreement; and
 (ii) may not enter into a 
 collaborative agreement only with 
 tribal child welfare agencies (or a 
 consortium of the agencies)[; and].
 [(iii) if the condition described in 
 paragraph (2)(B) applies, may include 
 tribal court organizations in lieu of 
 other judicial partners.]
 (3) Authority to award grants.--
 (A) In general.--[In addition to amounts 
 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
 section, the] The Secretary shall award grants 
 under this subsection, from the amounts 
 reserved for each of fiscal years [2017 through 
 2023] 2025 through 2029 under section 
 [436(b)(5)] 436(b)(4), to regional partnerships 
 that satisfy the requirements of this 
 subsection, in amounts that are not less than 
 $250,000 and not more than $1,000,000 per grant 
 per fiscal year.
 (B) Required minimum period of approval; 
 planning.--
 (i) In general.--A grant shall be 
 awarded under this subsection for a 
 period of not less than 2, and not more 
 than 5, fiscal years, subject to 
 clauses (ii) and (iii).
 (ii) Extension of grant.--On 
 application of the grantee, the 
 Secretary may extend for not more than 
 2 fiscal years the period for which a 
 grant is awarded under this subsection.
 [(iii) Sufficient planning.--A]
 (iii) Sufficient planning.--
 (I) In general.--A grant 
 awarded under this subsection 
 shall be disbursed in two 
 phases: a planning phase (not 
 to exceed 2 years) and an 
 implementation phase. The total 
 disbursement to a grantee for 
 the planning phase [may not 
 exceed $250,000, and] may not 
 exceed the total anticipated 
 funding for the implementation 
 phase.
 (II) Exception.--The 
 Secretary, on a case-by-case 
 basis, may waive the planning 
 phase for a partnership that 
 demonstrates that the 
 partnership has engaged in 
 sufficient planning before 
 submitting an application for a 
 grant under this subsection.
 (C) Multiple grants allowed.--This subsection 
 shall not be interpreted to prevent a grantee 
 from applying for, or being awarded, separate 
 grants under this subsection.
 (D) Limitation on payment for a fiscal 
 year.--No payment shall be made under 
 subparagraph (A) or (C) for a fiscal year until 
 the Secretary determines that the eligible 
 partnership has made sufficient progress in 
 meeting the goals of the grant and that the 
 members of the eligible partnership are 
 coordinating to a reasonable degree with the 
 other members of the eligible partnership.
 (4) Application requirements.--To be eligible for a 
 grant under this subsection, a regional partnership 
 shall submit to the Secretary a written application 
 containing the following:
 (A) Recent evidence demonstrating that 
 substance abuse has had a substantial impact on 
 the number of out-of-home placements for 
 children, or the number of children who are at 
 risk of being placed in an out-of-home 
 placement, in the partnership region.
 (B) A description of the goals and outcomes 
 to be achieved during the funding period for 
 the grant that will--
 (i) enhance the well-being of 
 children, parents, and families 
 receiving services or taking part in 
 activities conducted with funds 
 provided under the grant;
 (ii) lead to safe, permanent 
 caregiving relationships for the 
 children;
 (iii) improve the substance abuse 
 treatment outcomes for parents 
 including retention in treatment and 
 successful completion of treatment;
 (iv) facilitate the implementation, 
 delivery, and effectiveness of 
 prevention services and programs under 
 section 471(e); and
 (v) decrease the number of out-of-
 home placements for children, increase 
 reunification rates for children who 
 have been placed in out-of-home care, 
 or decrease the number of children who 
 are at risk of being placed in an out-
 of-home placement, in the partnership 
 region.
 (C) A description of the joint activities to 
 be funded in whole or in part with the funds 
 provided under the grant, including the 
 sequencing of the activities proposed to be 
 conducted under the funding period for the 
 grant.
 (D) A description of the strategies for 
 integrating programs and services determined to 
 be appropriate for the child and the child's 
 family.
 (E) A description of a plan for sustaining 
 the services provided by or activities funded 
 under the grant after the conclusion of the 
 grant period, including through the use of 
 prevention services and programs under section 
 471(e) and other funds provided to the State 
 for child welfare and substance abuse 
 prevention and treatment services.
 (F) Additional information needed by the 
 Secretary to determine that the proposed 
 activities and implementation will be 
 consistent with research or evaluations showing 
 which practices and approaches are most 
 effective.
 (5) Use of funds.--Funds made available under a grant 
 made under this subsection shall only be used for 
 services or activities that are consistent with the 
 purpose of this subsection and may include the 
 following:
 (A) Family-based comprehensive long-term 
 substance use disorder treatment including 
 medication assisted treatment and in-home 
 substance abuse disorder treatment and recovery 
 services.
 (B) Early intervention and preventative 
 services.
 (C) Children and family counseling.
 (D) Mental health services.
 (E) Parenting skills training.
 (F) Replication of successful models for 
 providing family-based comprehensive long-term 
 substance abuse treatment services.
 (6) Matching requirement.--
 (A) Federal share.--A grant awarded under 
 this subsection shall be available to pay a 
 percentage share of the costs of services 
 provided or activities conducted under such 
 grant, not to exceed--
 (i) 85 percent for the first and 
 second fiscal years for which the grant 
 is awarded to a recipient;
 (ii) 80 percent for the third and 
 fourth such fiscal years;
 (iii) 75 percent for the fifth such 
 fiscal year;
 (iv) 70 percent for the sixth such 
 fiscal year; and
 (v) 65 percent for the seventh such 
 fiscal year.
 (B) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share 
 of the cost of services provided or activities 
 conducted under a grant awarded under this 
 subsection may be in cash or in kind. In 
 determining the amount of the non-Federal 
 share, the Secretary may attribute fair market 
 value to goods, services, and facilities 
 contributed from non-Federal sources.
 (7) Considerations in awarding grants.--In awarding 
 grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall take 
 into consideration the extent to which applicant 
 regional partnerships--
 (A) demonstrate that substance abuse by 
 parents or caretakers has had a substantial 
 impact on the number of out-of-home placements 
 for children, or the number of children who are 
 at risk of being placed in an out-of-home 
 placement, in the partnership region;
 (B) have limited resources for addressing the 
 needs of children affected by such abuse;
 (C) have a lack of capacity for, or access 
 to, comprehensive family treatment services;
 (D) demonstrate a track record of successful 
 collaboration among child welfare, substance 
 abuse disorder treatment and mental health 
 agencies; [and]
 (E) demonstrate a plan for sustaining the 
 services provided by or activities funded under 
 the grant after the conclusion of the grant 
 period[.]; 
 (F) have submitted information pursuant to 
 paragraph (4)(F) that demonstrates the 
 capability to participate in rigorous 
 evaluation of program effectiveness; and
 (G) are a State or public agency, or outline 
 a plan to increase the availability of services 
 funded under the grant statewide.
 (8) Performance indicators.--
 (A) In general.--Not later than 9 months 
 after the date of enactment of [this 
 subsection] the Protecting America's Children 
 by Strengthening Families Act, the Secretary 
 shall review indicators that are used to assess 
 periodically the performance of the grant 
 recipients under this subsection and establish 
 a set of core indicators related to child 
 safety, child permanency, reunification, re-
 entry into care, parental recovery, parenting 
 capacity, and family well-being, and access to 
 services for families with substance use 
 disorder, including those with children who are 
 overrepresented in foster care, difficult to 
 place, or have disproportionately low 
 permanency rates. In developing the core 
 indicators, to the extent possible, indicators 
 shall be made consistent with the outcome 
 measures described in section 471(e)(6).
 (B) Consultation required.--In establishing 
 the performance indicators required by 
 subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall base the 
 performance measures on lessons learned from 
 prior rounds of regional partnership grants 
 under this subsection, and consult with the 
 following:
 (i) The Assistant Secretary for the 
 Administration for Children and 
 Families.
 (ii) The Administrator of the 
 Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
 Services Administration.
 (iii) The Administrator of the 
 National Institute on Drug Abuse.
 [(iii)] (iv) Other stakeholders or 
 constituencies as determined by the 
 Secretary.
 (9) Reports.--
 (A) Grantee reports.--
 (i) Semiannual reports.--Not later 
 than September 30 of each fiscal year 
 in which a recipient of a grant under 
 this subsection is paid funds under the 
 grant, and every 6 months thereafter, 
 the grant recipient shall submit to the 
 Secretary a report on the services 
 provided and activities carried out 
 during the reporting period, progress 
 made in achieving the goals of the 
 program, the number of children, 
 adults, and families receiving 
 services, and such additional 
 information as the Secretary determines 
 is necessary. The report due not later 
 than September 30 of the last such 
 fiscal year shall include, at a 
 minimum, data on each of the 
 performance indicators included in the 
 evaluation of the regional partnership.
 (ii) Incorporation of information 
 related to performance indicators.--
 Each recipient of a grant under this 
 subsection shall incorporate into the 
 first annual report required by clause 
 (i) that is submitted after the 
 establishment of performance indicators 
 under paragraph (8), information 
 required in relation to such 
 indicators.
 (B) Reports to congress.--On the basis of the 
 reports submitted under subparagraph (A), the 
 Secretary annually shall submit to the 
 Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
 Representatives and the Committee on Finance of 
 the Senate a report on--
 (i) the services provided and 
 activities conducted with funds 
 provided under grants awarded under 
 this subsection;
 (ii) the performance indicators 
 established under paragraph (8); [and]
 (iii) the progress that has been made 
 in addressing the needs of families 
 with substance abuse problems who come 
 to the attention of the child welfare 
 system and in achieving the goals of 
 child safety, permanence, and family 
 stability[.]; and
 (iv) whether any programs funded by 
 the grants were submitted to the 
 clearinghouse established under section 
 476(d) for review and the results of 
 any such review.
 (10) Limitation on use of funds for administrative 
 expenses of the secretary.--Not more than 5 percent of 
 the amounts appropriated or reserved for awarding 
 grants under this subsection [for each of fiscal years 
 2017 through 2023] may be used by the Secretary for 
 salaries and Department of Health and Human Services 
 administrative expenses in administering this 
 subsection.
 (g) Funding for the Development of an Electronic Interstate 
Case-processing System to Expedite the Interstate Placement of 
Children in Foster Care or Guardianship, or for Adoption.--
 (1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to 
 facilitate the development of an electronic interstate 
 case-processing system for the exchange of data and 
 documents to expedite the placements of children in 
 foster, guardianship, or adoptive homes across State 
 lines.
 (2) Requirements.--A State that seeks funding under 
 this subsection shall submit to the Secretary the 
 following:
 (A) A description of the goals and outcomes 
 to be achieved, which goals and outcomes must 
 result in--
 (i) reducing the time it takes for a 
 child to be provided with a safe and 
 appropriate permanent living 
 arrangement across State lines;
 (ii) improving administrative 
 processes and reducing costs in the 
 foster care system; and
 (iii) the secure exchange of relevant 
 case files and other necessary 
 materials in real time, and timely 
 communications and placement decisions 
 regarding interstate placements of 
 children.
 (B) A description of the activities to be 
 funded in whole or in part with the funds, 
 including the sequencing of the activities.
 (C) A description of the strategies for 
 integrating programs and services for children 
 who are placed across State lines.
 (D) Such other information as the Secretary 
 may require.
 (3) Funding authority.--The Secretary may provide 
 funds to a State that complies with paragraph (2). In 
 providing funds under this subsection, the Secretary 
 shall prioritize States that are not yet connected with 
 the electronic interstate case-processing system 
 referred to in paragraph (1).
 (4) Use of funds.--A State to which funding is 
 provided under this subsection shall use the funding to 
 support the State in connecting with, or enhancing or 
 expediting services provided under, the electronic 
 interstate case-processing system referred to in 
 paragraph (1).
 (5) Evaluations.--Not later than 1 year after the 
 final year in which funds are awarded under this 
 subsection, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress, 
 and make available to the general public by posting on 
 a website, a report that contains the following 
 information:
 (A) How using the electronic interstate case-
 processing system developed pursuant to 
 paragraph (4) has changed the time it takes for 
 children to be placed across State lines.
 (B) The number of cases subject to the 
 Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children 
 that were processed through the electronic 
 interstate case-processing system, and the 
 number of interstate child placement cases that 
 were processed outside the electronic 
 interstate case-processing system, by each 
 State in each year.
 (C) The progress made by States in 
 implementing the electronic interstate case-
 processing system.
 (D) How using the electronic interstate case-
 processing system has affected various metrics 
 related to child safety and well-being, 
 including the time it takes for children to be 
 placed across State lines.
 (E) How using the electronic interstate case-
 processing system has affected administrative 
 costs and caseworker time spent on placing 
 children across State lines.
 (6) Data integration.--The Secretary, in consultation 
 with the Secretariat for the Interstate Compact on the 
 Placement of Children and the States, shall assess how 
 the electronic interstate case-processing system 
 developed pursuant to paragraph (4) could be used to 
 better serve and protect children that come to the 
 attention of the child welfare system, by--
 (A) connecting the system with other data 
 systems (such as systems operated by State law 
 enforcement and judicial agencies, systems 
 operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
 for the purposes of the Innocence Lost National 
 Initiative, and other systems);
 (B) simplifying and improving reporting 
 related to paragraphs (34) and (35) of section 
 471(a) regarding children or youth who have 
 been identified as being a sex trafficking 
 victim or children missing from foster care; 
 and
 (C) improving the ability of States to 
 quickly comply with background check 
 requirements of section 471(a)(20), including 
 checks of child abuse and neglect registries as 
 required by section 471(a)(20)(B).

SEC. 438. ENTITLEMENT FUNDING FOR STATE COURTS TO ASSESS AND IMPROVE 
 HANDLING OF PROCEEDINGS RELATING TO FOSTER CARE AND 
 ADOPTION.

 (a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants, in 
accordance with this section, to the highest State courts in 
States participating in the program under part E, for the 
purpose of enabling such courts--
 (1) to conduct assessments, in accordance with such 
 requirements as the Secretary shall publish, of the 
 role, responsibilities, and effectiveness of State 
 courts in carrying out State laws requiring proceedings 
 (conducted by or under the supervision of the courts)--
 (A) that implement parts B and E;
 (B) that determine the advisability or 
 appropriateness of foster care placement;
 (C) that determine whether to terminate 
 parental rights;
 (D) that determine whether to approve the 
 adoption or other permanent placement of a 
 child;
 (E) that determine the best strategy to use 
 to expedite the interstate placement of 
 children, including--
 (i) requiring courts in different 
 States to cooperate in the sharing of 
 information;
 (ii) authorizing courts to obtain 
 information and testimony from agencies 
 and parties in other States without 
 requiring interstate travel by the 
 agencies and parties; and
 (iii) permitting the participation of 
 parents, children, other necessary 
 parties, and attorneys in cases 
 involving interstate placement without 
 requiring their interstate travel; and
 (F) that determine the appropriateness and 
 best practices for use of technology to conduct 
 remote hearings, subject to participant 
 consent, including to ensure maximum 
 participation of individuals involved in 
 proceedings and to enable courts to maintain 
 operations in times of public health or other 
 emergencies;
 (2) to implement improvements the highest state 
 courts deem necessary as a result of the assessments, 
 including--
 (A) to provide for the safety, well-being, 
 and permanence of children in foster care in a 
 timely and complete manner, as set forth in the 
 Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (Public 
 Law 105-89), including the requirements in the 
 Act related to concurrent planning;
 (B) to implement a corrective action plan, as 
 necessary, resulting from reviews of child and 
 family service programs under section 1123A of 
 this Act; and
 (C) to increase and improve engagement of the 
 entire family in court processes relating to 
 child welfare, family preservation, family 
 reunification, and adoption, including by 
 training judges, attorneys, and other legal 
 [personnel.] personnel and supporting optimal 
 use of remote hearing technology; and
 (3) to ensure continuity of needed court services, 
 prevent disruption of the services, and enable their 
 recovery from threats such as public health crises, 
 natural disasters or cyberattacks, including through--
 (A) support for technology that allows court 
 proceedings to occur remotely subject to 
 participant consent, including hearings and 
 legal representation;
 (B) the development of guidance and protocols 
 for responding to the occurrences and 
 coordinating with other agencies; and
 (C) other activities carried out to ensure 
 backup systems are in place.
 (b) Applications.--In order to be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, a highest State court shall have in effect 
a rule requiring State courts to ensure that foster parents, 
pre-adoptive parents, and relative caregivers of a child in 
foster care under the responsibility of the State are notified 
of any proceeding to be held with respect to the child, shall 
provide for the training of judges, attorneys, and other legal 
personnel in child welfare cases on Federal child welfare 
policies and payment limitations with respect to children in 
foster care who are placed in settings that are not a foster 
family home, and shall submit to the Secretary an application 
at such time, in such form, and including such information and 
assurances as the Secretary may require, including--
 (1) a description of how courts and child welfare 
 agencies on the local and State levels will use not 
 less than 30 percentof grant funds to collaborate and 
 jointly plan for the collection and sharing of all 
 relevant data and information to demonstrate how 
 improved case tracking and analysis of child abuse and 
 neglect cases will produce safe and timely permanency 
 decisions;
 (2) a demonstration that a portion of the grant will 
 be used for cross-training initiatives that are jointly 
 planned and executed with the State agency or any other 
 agency under contract with the State to administer the 
 State program under the State plan under subpart 1, the 
 State plan approved under section 434, or the State 
 plan approved under part E; and
 (C) in the case of a grant for any purpose described 
 in subsection (a), a demonstration of meaningful and 
 ongoing collaboration among the courts in the State, 
 the State agency or any other agency under contract 
 with the State who is responsible for administering the 
 State program under part B or E, and, where applicable, 
 Indian tribes.
 (c) Amount of Grant.--
 (1) In general.--From the amounts reserved under 
 sections [436(b)(2)] 436(b)(1) and 437(b)(2) for a 
 fiscal year, each highest State court that has an 
 application approved under this section for the fiscal 
 year shall be entitled to payment of an amount equal to 
 the sum of--
 (A) $255,000; and
 (B) the amount described in paragraph (2) 
 with respect to the court and the fiscal year.
 (2) Amount described.--The amount described in this 
 paragraph with respect to a court and a fiscal year is 
 the amount that bears the same ratio to the total of 
 the amounts reserved under sections [436(b)(2)] 
 436(b)(1) and 437(b)(2) for grants under this section 
 for the fiscal year (after applying paragraphs (1)(A) 
 and (3) of this subsection) as the number of 
 individuals in the State in which the court is located 
 who have not attained 21 years of age bears to the 
 total number of such individuals in all States with a 
 highest State court that has an approved application 
 under this section for the fiscal year.
 (3) Indian tribes.--From the amounts reserved under 
 section [436(b)(2)] 436(b)(1) for a fiscal year, the 
 Secretary shall, before applying paragraph (1) of this 
 subsection, allocate $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2025, 
 and $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 
 2029, for grants to be awarded on a competitive basis 
 among the highest courts of Indian tribes or tribal 
 consortia that--
 (A) are operating a program under part E, in 
 accordance with section 479B;
 (B) are seeking to operate a program under 
 part E and have received an implementation 
 grant under section 476; or
 (C) have a court responsible for proceedings 
 related to foster care or adoption.
 (d) Federal Share.--Each highest State court which receives 
funds paid under this section may use such funds to pay not 
more than 75 percent of the cost of activities under this 
section in each of fiscal years [2017 through 2023] 2025 
through 2029.
 (e) Guidance.--
 (1) In general.--Every 5 years, the Secretary shall 
 issue implementation guidance for sharing information 
 on best practices for--
 (A) technological changes needed for court 
 proceedings for foster care, guardianship, or 
 adoption to be conducted remotely in a way that 
 maximizes engagement and protects the privacy 
 of participants; and
 (B) the manner in which the proceedings 
 should be conducted.
 (2) Initial issuance.--The Secretary shall issue 
 initial guidance required by paragraph (1) with 
 preliminary information on best practices not later 
 than October 1, 2025.
 (3) Additional consultation.--The Secretary shall 
 consult with Indian tribes on the development of 
 appropriate guidelines for State court proceedings 
 involving Indian children to maximize engagement of 
 Indian tribes and provide appropriate guidelines on 
 conducting State court proceedings subject to the 
 Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1901 et 
 seq.).

[SEC. 439. GRANTS FOR PROGRAMS FOR MENTORING CHILDREN OF PRISONERS.

 [(a) Findings and Purposes.--
 [(1) Findings.--
 [(A) In the period between 1991 and 1999, the 
 number of children with a parent incarcerated 
 in a Federal or State correctional facility 
 increased by more than 100 percent, from 
 approximately 900,000 to approximately 
 2,000,000. In 1999, 2.1 percent of all children 
 in the United States had a parent in Federal or 
 State prison.
 [(B) Prior to incarceration, 64 percent of 
 female prisoners and 44 percent of male 
 prisoners in State facilities lived with their 
 children.
 [(C) Nearly 90 percent of the children of 
 incarcerated fathers live with their mothers, 
 and 79 percent of the children of incarcerated 
 mothers live with a grandparent or other 
 relative.
 [(D) Parental arrest and confinement lead to 
 stress, trauma, stigmatization, and separation 
 problems for children. These problems are 
 coupled with existing problems that include 
 poverty, violence, parental substance abuse, 
 high-crime environments, intrafamilial abuse, 
 child abuse and neglect, multiple care givers, 
 and/or prior separations. As a result, these 
 children often exhibit a broad variety of 
 behavioral, emotional, health, and educational 
 problems that are often compounded by the pain 
 of separation.
 [(E) Empirical research demonstrates that 
 mentoring is a potent force for improving 
 children's behavior across all risk behaviors 
 affecting health. Quality, one-on-one 
 relationships that provide young people with 
 caring role models for future success have 
 profound, life-changing potential. Done right, 
 mentoring markedly advances youths' life 
 prospects. A widely cited 1995 study by Public/
 Private Ventures measured the impact of one Big 
 Brothers Big Sisters program and found 
 significant effects in the lives of youth--
 cutting first-time drug use by almost half and 
 first-time alcohol use by about a third, 
 reducing school absenteeism by half, cutting 
 assaultive behavior by a third, improving 
 parental and peer relationships, giving youth 
 greater confidence in their school work, and 
 improving academic performance.
 [(2) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are to 
 authorize the Secretary--
 [(A) to make competitive grants to applicants 
 in areas with substantial numbers of children 
 of incarcerated parents, to support the 
 establishment or expansion and operation of 
 programs using a network of public and private 
 community entities to provide mentoring 
 services for children of prisoners; and
 [(B) to enter into on a competitive basis a 
 cooperative agreement to conduct a service 
 delivery demonstration project in accordance 
 with the requirements of subsection (g).
 [(b) Definitions.--In this section:
 [(1) Children of prisoners.--The term ``children of 
 prisoners'' means children one or both of whose parents 
 are incarcerated in a Federal, State, or local 
 correctional facility. The term is deemed to include 
 children who are in an ongoing mentoring relationship 
 in a program under this section at the time of their 
 parents' release from prison, for purposes of continued 
 participation in the program.
 [(2) Mentoring.--The term ``mentoring'' means a 
 structured, managed program in which children are 
 appropriately matched with screened and trained adult 
 volunteers for one-on-one relationships, involving 
 meetings and activities on a regular basis, intended to 
 meet, in part, the child's need for involvement with a 
 caring and supportive adult who provides a positive 
 role model.
 [(3) Mentoring services.--The term ``mentoring 
 services'' means those services and activities that 
 support a structured, managed program of mentoring, 
 including the management by trained personnel of 
 outreach to, and screening of, eligible children; 
 outreach to, education and training of, and liaison 
 with sponsoring local organizations; screening and 
 training of adult volunteers; matching of children with 
 suitable adult volunteer mentors; support and oversight 
 of the mentoring relationship; and establishment of 
 goals and evaluation of outcomes for mentored children.
 [(c) Program Authorized.--From the amounts appropriated under 
subsection (i) for a fiscal year that remain after applying 
subsection (i)(2), the Secretary shall make grants under this 
section for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011 to State or 
local governments, tribal governments or tribal consortia, 
faith-based organizations, and community-based organizations in 
areas that have significant numbers of children of prisoners 
and that submit applications meeting the requirements of this 
section, in amounts that do not exceed $5,000,000 per grant.
 [(d) Application Requirements.--In order to be eligible for a 
grant under this section, the chief executive officer of the 
applicant must submit to the Secretary an application 
containing the following:
 [(1) Program design.--A description of the proposed 
 program, including--
 [(A) a list of local public and private 
 organizations and entities that will 
 participate in the mentoring network;
 [(B) the name, description, and 
 qualifications of the entity that will 
 coordinate and oversee the activities of the 
 mentoring network;
 [(C) the number of mentor-child matches 
 proposed to be established and maintained 
 annually under the program;
 [(D) such information as the Secretary may 
 require concerning the methods to be used to 
 recruit, screen support, and oversee 
 individuals participating as mentors, (which 
 methods shall include criminal background 
 checks on the individuals), and to evaluate 
 outcomes for participating children, including 
 information necessary to demonstrate compliance 
 with requirements established by the Secretary 
 for the program; and
 [(E) such other information as the Secretary 
 may require.
 [(2) Community consultation; coordination with other 
 programs.--A demonstration that, in developing and 
 implementing the program, the applicant will, to the 
 extent feasible and appropriate--
 [(A) consult with public and private 
 community entities, including religious 
 organizations, and including, as appropriate, 
 Indian tribal organizations and urban Indian 
 organizations, and with family members of 
 potential clients;
 [(B) coordinate the programs and activities 
 under the program with other Federal, State, 
 and local programs serving children and youth; 
 and
 [(C) consult with appropriate Federal, State, 
 and local corrections, workforce development, 
 and substance abuse and mental health agencies.
 [(3) Equal access for local service providers.--An 
 assurance that public and private entities and 
 community organizations, including religious 
 organizations and Indian organizations, will be 
 eligible to participate on an equal basis.
 [(4) Records, reports, and audits.--An agreement that 
 the applicant will maintain such records, make such 
 reports, and cooperate with such reviews or audits as 
 the Secretary may find necessary for purposes of 
 oversight of project activities and expenditures.
 [(5) Evaluation.--An agreement that the applicant 
 will cooperate fully with the Secretary's ongoing and 
 final evaluation of the program under the plan, by 
 means including providing the Secretary access to the 
 program and program-related records and documents, 
 staff, and grantees receiving funding under the plan.
 [(e) Federal Share.--
 [(1) In general.--A grant for a program under this 
 section shall be available to pay a percentage share of 
 the costs of the program up to--
 [(A) 75 percent for the first and second 
 fiscal years for which the grant is awarded; 
 and
 [(B) 50 percent for the third and each 
 succeeding such fiscal years.
 [(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the 
 cost of projects under this section may be in cash or 
 in kind. In determining the amount of the non-Federal 
 share, the Secretary may attribute fair market value to 
 goods, services, and facilities contributed from non-
 Federal sources.
 [(f) Considerations in Awarding Grants.--In awarding grants 
under this section, the Secretary shall take into 
consideration--
 [(1) the qualifications and capacity of applicants 
 and networks of organizations to effectively carry out 
 a mentoring program under this section;
 [(2) the comparative severity of need for mentoring 
 services in local areas, taking into consideration data 
 on the numbers of children (and in particular of low-
 income children) with an incarcerated parents (or 
 parents) in the areas;
 [(3) evidence of consultation with existing youth and 
 family service programs, as appropriate; and
 [(4) any other factors the Secretary may deem 
 significant with respect to the need for or the 
 potential success of carrying out a mentoring program 
 under this section.
 [(g) Service Delivery Demonstration Project.--
 [(1) Purpose; authority to enter into cooperative 
 agreement.--The Secretary shall enter into a 
 cooperative agreement with an eligible entity that 
 meets the requirements of paragraph (2) for the purpose 
 of requiring the entity to conduct a demonstration 
 project consistent with this subsection under which the 
 entity shall--
 [(A) identify children of prisoners in need 
 of mentoring services who have not been matched 
 with a mentor by an applicant awarded a grant 
 under this section, with a priority for 
 identifying children who--
 [(i) reside in an area not served by 
 a recipient of a grant under this 
 section;
 [(ii) reside in an area that has a 
 substantial number of children of 
 prisoners;
 [(iii) reside in a rural area; or
 [(iv) are Indians;
 [(B) provide the families of the children so 
 identified with--
 [(i) a voucher for mentoring services 
 that meets the requirements of 
 paragraph (5); and
 [(ii) a list of the providers of 
 mentoring services in the area in which 
 the family resides that satisfy the 
 requirements of paragraph (6); and
 [(C) monitor and oversee the delivery of 
 mentoring services by providers that accept the 
 vouchers.
 [(2) Eligible entity.--
 [(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph 
 (B), an eligible entity under this subsection 
 is an organization that the Secretary 
 determines, on a competitive basis--
 [(i) has substantial experience--
 [(I) in working with 
 organizations that provide 
 mentoring services for children 
 of prisoners; and
 [(II) in developing quality 
 standards for the 
 identification and assessment 
 of mentoring programs for 
 children of prisoners; and
 [(ii) submits an application that 
 satisfies the requirements of paragraph 
 (3).
 [(B) Limitation.--An organization that 
 provides mentoring services may not be an 
 eligible entity for purposes of being awarded a 
 cooperative agreement under this subsection.
 [(3) Application requirements.--To be eligible to be 
 awarded a cooperative agreement under this subsection, 
 an entity shall submit to the Secretary an application 
 that includes the following:
 [(A) Qualifications.--Evidence that the 
 entity--
 [(i) meets the experience 
 requirements of paragraph (2)(A)(i); 
 and
 [(ii) is able to carry out--
 [(I) the purposes of this 
 subsection identified in 
 paragraph (1); and
 [(II) the requirements of the 
 cooperative agreement specified 
 in paragraph (4).
 [(B) Service delivery plan.--
 [(i) Distribution requirements.--
 Subject to clause (iii), a description 
 of the plan of the entity to ensure the 
 distribution of not less than--
 [(I) 3,000 vouchers for 
 mentoring services in the first 
 year in which the cooperative 
 agreement is in effect with 
 that entity;
 [(II) 8,000 vouchers for 
 mentoring services in the 
 second year in which the 
 agreement is in effect with 
 that entity; and
 [(III) 13,000 vouchers for 
 mentoring services in any 
 subsequent year in which the 
 agreement is in effect with 
 that entity.
 [(ii) Satisfaction of priorities.--A 
 description of how the plan will ensure 
 the delivery of mentoring services to 
 children identified in accordance with 
 the requirements of paragraph (1)(A).
 [(iii) Secretarial authority to 
 modify distribution requirement.--The 
 Secretary may modify the number of 
 vouchers specified in subclauses (I) 
 through (III) of clause (i) to take 
 into account the availability of 
 appropriations and the need to ensure 
 that the vouchers distributed by the 
 entity are for amounts that are 
 adequate to ensure the provision of 
 mentoring services for a 12-month 
 period.
 [(C) Collaboration and cooperation.--A 
 description of how the entity will ensure 
 collaboration and cooperation with other 
 interested parties, including courts and 
 prisons, with respect to the delivery of 
 mentoring services under the demonstration 
 project.
 [(D) Other.--Any other information that the 
 Secretary may find necessary to demonstrate the 
 capacity of the entity to satisfy the 
 requirements of this subsection.
 [(4) Cooperative agreement requirements.--A 
 cooperative agreement awarded under this subsection 
 shall require the eligible entity to do the following:
 [(A) Identify quality standards for 
 providers.--To work with the Secretary to 
 identify the quality standards that a provider 
 of mentoring services must meet in order to 
 participate in the demonstration project and 
 which, at a minimum, shall include criminal 
 records checks for individuals who are 
 prospective mentors and shall prohibit 
 approving any individual to be a mentor if the 
 criminal records check of the individual 
 reveals a conviction which would prevent the 
 individual from being approved as a foster or 
 adoptive parent under section 471(a)(20)(A).
 [(B) Identify eligible providers.--To 
 identify and compile a list of those providers 
 of mentoring services in any of the 50 States 
 or the District of Columbia that meet the 
 quality standards identified pursuant to 
 subparagraph (A).
 [(C) Identify eligible children.--To identify 
 children of prisoners who require mentoring 
 services, consistent with the priorities 
 specified in paragraph (1)(A).
 [(D) Monitor and oversee delivery of 
 mentoring services.--To satisfy specific 
 requirements of the Secretary for monitoring 
 and overseeing the delivery of mentoring 
 services under the demonstration project, which 
 shall include a requirement to ensure that 
 providers of mentoring services under the 
 project report data on the children served and 
 the types of mentoring services provided.
 [(E) Records, reports, and audits.--To 
 maintain any records, make any reports, and 
 cooperate with any reviews and audits that the 
 Secretary determines are necessary to oversee 
 the activities of the entity in carrying out 
 the demonstration project under this 
 subsection.
 [(F) Evaluations.--To cooperate fully with 
 any evaluations of the demonstration project, 
 including collecting and monitoring data and 
 providing the Secretary or the Secretary's 
 designee with access to records and staff 
 related to the conduct of the project.
 [(G) Limitation on administrative 
 expenditures.--To ensure that administrative 
 expenditures incurred by the entity in 
 conducting the demonstration project with 
 respect to a fiscal year do not exceed the 
 amount equal to 10 percent of the amount 
 awarded to carry out the project for that year.
 [(5) Voucher requirements.--A voucher for mentoring 
 services provided to the family of a child identified 
 in accordance with paragraph (1)(A) shall meet the 
 following requirements:
 [(A) Total payment amount; 12-month service 
 period.--The voucher shall specify the total 
 amount to be paid a provider of mentoring 
 services for providing the child on whose 
 behalf the voucher is issued with mentoring 
 services for a 12-month period.
 [(B) Periodic payments as services 
 provided.--
 [(i) In general.--The voucher shall 
 specify that it may be redeemed with 
 the eligible entity by the provider 
 accepting the voucher in return for 
 agreeing to provide mentoring services 
 for the child on whose behalf the 
 voucher is issued.
 [(ii) Demonstration of the provision 
 of services.--A provider that redeems a 
 voucher issued by the eligible entity 
 shall receive periodic payments from 
 the eligible entity during the 12-month 
 period that the voucher is in effect 
 upon demonstration of the provision of 
 significant services and activities 
 related to the provision of mentoring 
 services to the child on whose behalf 
 the voucher is issued.
 [(6) Provider requirements.--In order to participate 
 in the demonstration project, a provider of mentoring 
 services shall--
 [(A) meet the quality standards identified by 
 the eligible entity in accordance with 
 paragraph (1);
 [(B) agree to accept a voucher meeting the 
 requirements of paragraph (5) as payment for 
 the provision of mentoring services to a child 
 on whose behalf the voucher is issued;
 [(C) demonstrate that the provider has the 
 capacity, and has or will have nonfederal 
 resources, to continue supporting the provision 
 of mentoring services to the child on whose 
 behalf the voucher is issued, as appropriate, 
 after the conclusion of the 12-month period 
 during which the voucher is in effect; and
 [(D) if the provider is a recipient of a 
 grant under this section, demonstrate that the 
 provider has exhausted its capacity for 
 providing mentoring services under the grant.
 [(7) 3-year period; option for renewal.--
 [(A) In general.--A cooperative agreement 
 awarded under this subsection shall be 
 effective for a 3-year period.
 [(B) Renewal.--The cooperative agreement may 
 be renewed for an additional period, not to 
 exceed 2 years and subject to any conditions 
 that the Secretary may specify that are not 
 inconsistent with the requirements of this 
 subsection or subsection (i)(2)(B), if the 
 Secretary determines that the entity has 
 satisfied the requirements of the agreement and 
 evaluations of the service delivery 
 demonstration project demonstrate that the 
 voucher service delivery method is effective in 
 providing mentoring services to children of 
 prisoners.
 [(8) Independent evaluation and report.--
 [(A) In general.--The Secretary shall enter 
 into a contract with an independent, private 
 organization to evaluate and prepare a report 
 on the first 2 fiscal years in which the 
 demonstration project is conducted under this 
 subsection.
 [(B) Deadline for report.--Not later than 90 
 days after the end of the second fiscal year in 
 which the demonstration project is conducted 
 under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
 submit the report required under subparagraph 
 (A) to the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
 House of Representatives and the Committee on 
 Finance of the Senate. The report shall 
 include--
 [(i) the number of children as of the 
 end of such second fiscal year who 
 received vouchers for mentoring 
 services; and
 [(ii) any conclusions regarding the 
 use of vouchers for the delivery of 
 mentoring services for children of 
 prisoners.
 [(9) No effect on eligibility for other federal 
 assistance.--A voucher provided to a family under the 
 demonstration project conducted under this subsection 
 shall be disregarded for purposes of determining the 
 eligibility for, or the amount of, any other Federal or 
 federally-supported assistance for the family.
 [(h) Independent Evaluation; Reports.--
 [(1) Independent evaluation.--The Secretary shall 
 conduct by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement an 
 independent evaluation of the programs authorized under 
 this section, including the service delivery 
 demonstration project authorized under subsection (g).
 [(2) Reports.--Not later than 12 months after the 
 date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary 
 shall submit a report to the Congress that includes the 
 following:
 [(A) The characteristics of the mentoring 
 programs funded under this section.
 [(B) The plan for implementation of the 
 service delivery demonstration project 
 authorized under subsection (g).
 [(C) A description of the outcome-based 
 evaluation of the programs authorized under 
 this section that the Secretary is conducting 
 as of that date of enactment and how the 
 evaluation has been expanded to include an 
 evaluation of the demonstration project 
 authorized under subsection (g).
 [(D) The date on which the Secretary shall 
 submit a final report on the evaluation to the 
 Congress.
 [(i) Authorization of Appropriations; Reservations of Certain 
Amounts.--
 [(1) Limitations on authorization of 
 appropriations.--To carry out this section, there are 
 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such 
 sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2007 through 
 2011.
 [(2) Reservations.--
 [(A) Research, technical assistance, and 
 evaluation.--The Secretary shall reserve 4 
 percent of the amount appropriated for each 
 fiscal year under paragraph (1) for expenditure 
 by the Secretary for research, technical 
 assistance, and evaluation related to programs 
 under this section.
 [(B) Service delivery demonstration 
 project.--
 [(i) In general.--Subject to clause 
 (ii), for purposes of awarding a 
 cooperative agreement to conduct the 
 service delivery demonstration project 
 authorized under subsection (g), the 
 Secretary shall reserve not more than--
 [(I) $5,000,000 of the amount 
 appropriated under paragraph 
 (1) for the first fiscal year 
 in which funds are to be 
 awarded for the agreement;
 [(II) $10,000,000 of the 
 amount appropriated under 
 paragraph (1) for the second 
 fiscal year in which funds are 
 to be awarded for the 
 agreement; and
 [(III) $15,000,000 of the 
 amount appropriated under 
 paragraph (1) for the third 
 fiscal year in which funds are 
 to be awarded for the 
 agreement.
 [(ii) Assurance of funding for 
 general program grants.--With respect 
 to any fiscal year, no funds may be 
 awarded for a cooperative agreement 
 under subsection (g), unless at least 
 $25,000,000 of the amount appropriated 
 under paragraph (1) for that fiscal 
 year is used by the Secretary for 
 making grants under this section for 
 that fiscal year.]

SEC. 439. STATE PARTNERSHIP PLANNING AND DEMONSTRATION GRANTS TO 
 SUPPORT MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FOSTER 
 CHILDREN AND THE INCARCERATED PARENTS OF THE 
 CHILDREN.

 (a) Authority.--
 (1) In general.--The Secretary may make demonstration 
 grants to eligible State partnerships to develop, 
 implement, and provide support for programs that enable 
 and sustain meaningful relationships between covered 
 foster children and the incarcerated parents of the 
 children.
 (2) Payment of annual installments.--The Secretary 
 shall pay each demonstration grant in 5 annual 
 installments.
 (3) 1-year planning grants.--The Secretary may make 
 a planning grant to a recipient of a demonstration 
 grant, to be paid to the recipient 1 year before 
 payment of the 1st annual installment of the 
 demonstration grant and in an amount not greater than 
 any installment of the demonstration grant, if--
 (A) the recipient includes a request for a 
 planning grant in the application under 
 subsection (c); and
 (B) the Secretary determines that a planning 
 grant would assist the recipient and improve 
 the effectiveness of the demonstration grant.
 (b) Eligible State Partnership Defined.--
 (1) In general.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
 State partnership'' means an agreement entered into by, 
 at a minimum, the following:
 (A) The State child welfare agency 
 responsible for the administration of the State 
 plans under this part.
 (B) The State agency responsible for adult 
 corrections.
 (2) Additional partners.--For purposes of this 
 section, an eligible State partnership may include any 
 entity with experience in serving incarcerated parents 
 and their children.
 (3) Partnerships entered into by indian tribes or 
 tribal consortia.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if an 
 Indian tribe or tribal consortium enters into a 
 partnership pursuant to this section that does not 
 consist solely of tribal child welfare agencies (or a 
 consortium of the agencies), the partnership shall be 
 considered an eligible State partnership for purposes 
 of this section.
 (c) Application Requirements.--An eligible State partnership 
seeking a demonstration grant under this section to carry out a 
program described in subsection (a)(1) shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require. The 
application shall include the following:
 (1) A summary of the program, including how the 
 program will support a meaningful relationship between 
 a covered foster child and an incarcerated parent of 
 the child.
 (2) A description of the activities to be carried out 
 by the program, which must include all of the 
 activities described in subsection (d) that are in the 
 best interest of the covered foster child.
 (3) A framework for identifying--
 (A) each covered foster child eligible for 
 services under the program, including, to the 
 extent practicable, coordination of data 
 between relevant State child welfare agencies 
 and court systems; and
 (B) the roles and responsibilities of the 
 entities in the partnership.
 (4) Documentation that the applicant is an eligible 
 State partnership.
 (5) Assurances that the applicant will participate 
 fully in the evaluation described in subsection (f)(2) 
 and shall maintain records for the program, including 
 demographic information disaggregated by relevant 
 characteristics with respect to covered foster children 
 and incarcerated parents who participate in the 
 program.
 (d) Program Activities.--To the extent that the activities 
are in the best interest of the covered foster child, the 
activities referred to in subsection (c)(2) shall include the 
following:
 (1) Revision of policies.--Through consultation with 
 incarcerated parents and their families, grantees shall 
 promote organizational policies of participating child 
 welfare entities and collaborating correctional 
 facilities to promote meaningful relationships through 
 regular and developmentally appropriate communication 
 and visitation between covered foster children and the 
 incarcerated parents, including, when appropriate, the 
 following:
 (A) For child welfare entities--
 (i) inclusion of parents in case 
 planning and decision making for 
 children;
 (ii) regular sharing of information 
 and responses to requests for 
 information between caseworkers and 
 incarcerated parents with respect to 
 the case information of a child, any 
 changes to a case, permanency plans, 
 requirements to maintain parental 
 rights, and any efforts to terminate 
 parental rights;
 (iii) appropriate opportunities for 
 incarcerated parents to demonstrate 
 their relationship with a covered 
 foster child given their incarceration, 
 including training and courses required 
 for a service plan; and
 (iv) the enhanced visitation 
 described in paragraph (2).
 (B) For correctional facilities, fostering 
 visitation and communication that is 
 developmentally appropriate in terms of--
 (i) the nature of communication and 
 visitation, including--
 (I) the ability to physically 
 touch parents;
 (II) engaging with parents in 
 locations that are appropriate 
 for the age and development of 
 the child;
 (III) exchanging items that 
 are appropriate to the age and 
 development of the child, 
 include expectations that are 
 appropriate for the age and 
 development of the child 
 related to behavior, attire, 
 and wait times; and
 (IV) allowing appropriate 
 adults to bring children if 
 legal guardians are not 
 available to promote regular 
 contact;
 (ii) reasonable inclusion of all 
 children of the parent;
 (iii) communication and visitation at 
 times when the children are available;
 (iv) security procedures to comfort 
 children and be minimally invasive; and
 (v) promoting parent-child 
 relationships regardless of the 
 sentence imposed on the parent.
 (2) Enhanced visitation.--
 (A) Grantees shall facilitate weekly 
 communication and, for at least 9 days each 
 year, in-person visitation between a covered 
 foster child and any incarcerated parent of the 
 child.
 (B) Electronic visitation (such as live video 
 visits, phone calls, and recorded books) may be 
 used but shall not be the sole method to 
 promote a meaningful relationship for purposes 
 of the grant.
 (C) Enhanced visitation programs shall--
 (i) integrate best practices for 
 visitation programs with incarcerated 
 parents and their children;
 (ii) adopt developmentally 
 appropriate visitation policies and 
 procedures such as those described in 
 paragraph (1)(B);
 (iii) reduce or eliminate the cost of 
 developmentally appropriate 
 communication and visitation for the 
 covered foster child, which may include 
 the purchase of communication 
 technology, covering transportation, 
 insurance, and lodging costs, costs 
 related to providing appropriate 
 visitation spaces and activities, and 
 other relevant costs;
 (iv) to the extent practicable, 
 integrate appropriate parenting 
 education to help prepare and process 
 visits; and
 (v) avoid restricting visitation and 
 communication as a punishment for the 
 incarcerated parents.
 (3) Training.--Grantees shall incorporate ongoing 
 training for child welfare workers, correctional 
 facility staff, and other program providers to 
 understand the importance of promoting meaningful 
 relationships between children and incarcerated 
 parents.
 (4) Case management.--Grantees shall provide case 
 management services for the incarcerated parents of a 
 covered foster child to promote the relationship, 
 access to services, and coordination with the 
 caseworkers of the covered foster child to strengthen 
 the relationship.
 (5) Legal assistance.--Grantees shall facilitate 
 access to necessary legal services and may use grant 
 funds for services that are not reimbursable under 
 other Federal programs.
 (e) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of any 
activity carried out using a grant made under this section 
shall be not greater than 75 percent.
 (f) Technical Assistance, Evaluations, and Reports.--
 (1) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall 
 provide technical assistance with respect to grants 
 under this section, including by--
 (A) assisting grantees in understanding best 
 practices in promoting meaningful relationships 
 between incarcerated parents and their children 
 as well as consulting with appropriate 
 stakeholders when developing their programs;
 (B) assisting grantees with establishing and 
 analyzing implementation and performance 
 indicators; and
 (C) conducting an annual technical assistance 
 and training meeting and an annual grantee 
 meeting so that grantees can learn from the 
 experiences of other grantees.
 (2) Evaluations.--The Secretary shall conduct an 
 evaluation of program outcomes, including with respect 
 to parent and child well-being, parent-child 
 interactions, parental involvement, awareness of child 
 development and parenting practices, placement 
 stability, and termination of parental rights with 
 respect to covered foster children and incarcerated 
 parents, to measure program effectiveness, as 
 determined by the Secretary, and identify opportunities 
 for improved program practices and implementation.
 (3) Reports to the congress.--
 (A) Initial report.--Not later than 3 years 
 after the date of the enactment of this 
 section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
 Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
 Representatives and the Committee on Finance of 
 the Senate a report that includes--
 (i) the number of applications for 
 grants under this section;
 (ii) the number of grants awarded, 
 and the amounts for each grant; and
 (iii) information on the grants, 
 including--
 (I) interim results of the 
 evaluation described in 
 paragraph (2);
 (II) disaggregated data on 
 covered foster children and 
 incarcerated parents;
 (III) information on the 
 composition of eligible State 
 partnerships;
 (IV) best practices for 
 facilitating meaningful 
 relationships between covered 
 foster children and 
 incarcerated parents; and
 (V) barriers to 
 implementation or expansion of 
 programs funded under this 
 section.
 (B) Final report.--Not later than 6 years 
 after the date of the enactment of this 
 section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
 Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
 Representatives and the Committee on Finance of 
 the Senate a report that includes--
 (i) the final results of the 
 evaluation described in paragraph (2); 
 and
 (ii) recommendations for refinements 
 to grant requirements to improve 
 program outcomes.
 (g) Authority of Secretary With Respect to Indian Tribes and 
Tribal Organizations.--
 (1) Waiver or modification of requirements.--In 
 making a grant to an Indian tribe or tribal 
 organization under this section, the Secretary may 
 waive the matching requirement of subsection (e) or 
 modify an application requirement imposed by or under 
 subsection (c) if the Secretary determines that the 
 waiver or modification is appropriate to the needs, 
 culture, and circumstances of the Indian tribe or 
 tribal organization.
 (2) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall use tribally 
 relevant data in carrying out the evaluation under 
 subsection (f)(2) with respect to an Indian tribe or 
 tribal organization.
 (h) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary not more than 
$35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to carry 
out this section.
 (i) Definition of Covered Foster Child.--In this section, the 
term ``covered foster child'' means a child that--
 (1) is in foster care; and
 (2) has at least 1 parent incarcerated in a Federal, 
 State, or local correctional facility.

 Subpart 3--Common Provisions

SEC. 441. REDUCTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN.

 (a) In General.--The Secretary shall reduce the burden of 
administering this part imposed on the recipients of funds 
under this part, by--
 (1) reviewing and revising administrative data 
 collection instruments and forms to eliminate 
 duplication and streamline reporting requirements for 
 the recipients while collecting all data required under 
 this part;
 (2) in coordination with activities required under 
 the Paperwork Reduction Act, conducting an analysis of 
 the total number of hours reported by the recipients to 
 comply with paperwork requirements and exploring, in 
 consultation with the recipients, how to reduce the 
 number of hours required for the compliance by at least 
 15 percent;
 (3) collecting input from the recipients with respect 
 to fiscal and oversight requirements and making changes 
 to ensure consistency with standards and guidelines for 
 other Federal formula grant programs based on the 
 input; and
 (4) respecting the sovereignty of Indian tribes when 
 complying with this subsection.
 (b) Limitation on Applicability.--Subsection (a) of this 
section shall not apply to any reporting or data collection 
otherwise required by law that would affect the ability of the 
Secretary to monitor and ensure compliance with State plans 
approved under this part or ensure that funds are expended 
consistent with this part.

SEC. 442. PUBLIC ACCESS TO STATE PLANS.

 The Secretary shall--
 (1) create a standardized format for State plans 
 required under sections 422 and 432 used to monitor 
 compliance with those sections;
 (2) produce comparisons and analyses of trends in 
 State plans to inform future technical assistance and 
 policy development;
 (3) make the State plans available on a public 
 website; and
 (4) include on the website aggregated national 
 summaries of State submissions as the Secretary deems 
 appropriate.

SEC. [440.] 443. DATA EXCHANGE STANDARDS FOR IMPROVED 
 INTEROPERABILITY.

 (a) Designation.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with 
an interagency work group established by the Office of 
Management and Budget and considering State government 
perspectives, by rule, designate data exchange standards to 
govern, under this part and part E--
 (1) necessary categories of information that State 
 agencies operating programs under State plans approved 
 under this part are required under applicable Federal 
 law to electronically exchange with another State 
 agency; and
 (2) Federal reporting and data exchange required 
 under applicable Federal law.
 (b) Requirements.--The data exchange standards required by 
paragraph (1) shall, to the extent practicable--
 (1) incorporate a widely accepted, non-proprietary, 
 searchable, computer-readable format, such as the 
 Extensible Markup Language;
 (2) contain interoperable standards developed and 
 maintained by intergovernmental partnerships, such as 
 the National Information Exchange Model;
 (3) incorporate interoperable standards developed and 
 maintained by Federal entities with authority over 
 contracting and financial assistance;
 (4) be consistent with and implement applicable 
 accounting principles;
 (5) be implemented in a manner that is cost-effective 
 and improves program efficiency and effectiveness; and
 (6) be capable of being continually upgraded as 
 necessary.
 (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall 
be construed to require a change to existing data exchange 
standards found to be effective and efficient.

 * * * * * * *

PART E--FEDERAL PAYMENTS FOR FOSTER CARE, PREVENTION, AND PERMANENCY

 * * * * * * *

 PAYMENTS TO STATES; ALLOTMENTS TO STATES

 Sec. 474. (a) For each quarter beginning after September 30, 
1980, each State which has a plan approved under this part 
shall be entitled to a payment equal to the sum of--
 (1) subject to subsections (j) and (k) of section 
 472, an amount equal to the Federal medical assistance 
 percentage (which shall be as defined in section 
 1905(b), in the case of a State other than the District 
 of Columbia, or 70 percent, in the case of the District 
 of Columbia) of the total amount expended during such 
 quarter as foster care maintenance payments under 
 section 472 for children in foster family homes or 
 child-care institutions (or, with respect to such 
 payments made during such quarter under a cooperative 
 agreement or contract entered into by the State and an 
 Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium 
 for the administration or payment of funds under this 
 part, an amount equal to the Federal medical assistance 
 percentage that would apply under section 479B(d) (in 
 this paragraph referred to as the ``tribal FMAP'') if 
 such Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal 
 consortium made such payments under a program operated 
 under that section, unless the tribal FMAP is less than 
 the Federal medical assistance percentage that applies 
 to the State); plus
 (2) an amount equal to the Federal medical assistance 
 percentage (which shall be as defined in section 
 1905(b), in the case of a State other than the District 
 of Columbia, or 70 percent, in the case of the District 
 of Columbia) of the total amount expended during such 
 quarter as adoption assistance payments under section 
 473 pursuant to adoption assistance agreements (or, 
 with respect to such payments made during such quarter 
 under a cooperative agreement or contract entered into 
 by the State and an Indian tribe, tribal organization, 
 or tribal consortium for the administration or payment 
 of funds under this part, an amount equal to the 
 Federal medical assistance percentage that would apply 
 under section 479B(d) (in this paragraph referred to as 
 the ``tribal FMAP'') if such Indian tribe, tribal 
 organization, or tribal consortium made such payments 
 under a program operated under that section, unless the 
 tribal FMAP is less than the Federal medical assistance 
 percentage that applies to the State); plus
 (3) subject to section 472(i) an amount equal to the 
 sum of the following proportions of the total amounts 
 expended during such quarter as found necessary by the 
 Secretary for the provision of child placement services 
 and for the proper and efficient administration of the 
 State plan--
 (A) 75 per centum of so much of such 
 expenditures as are for the training (including 
 both short-and long-term training at 
 educational institutions through grants to such 
 institutions or by direct financial assistance 
 to students enrolled in such institutions) of 
 personnel employed or preparing for employment 
 by the State agency or by the local agency 
 administering the plan in the political 
 subdivision,
 (B) 75 percent of so much of such 
 expenditures (including travel and per diem 
 expenses) as are for the short-term training of 
 current or prospective foster or adoptive 
 parents or relative guardians, the members of 
 the staff of State-licensed or State-approved 
 child care institutions providing care, or 
 State-licensed or State-approved child welfare 
 agencies providing services, to children 
 receiving assistance under this part, and 
 members of the staff of abuse and neglect 
 courts, agency attorneys, attorneys 
 representing children or parents, guardians ad 
 litem, or other court-appointed special 
 advocates representing children in proceedings 
 of such courts, in ways that increase the 
 ability of such current or prospective parents, 
 guardians, staff members, institutions, 
 attorneys, and advocates to provide support and 
 assistance to foster and adopted children and 
 children living with relative guardians, 
 whether incurred directly by the State or by 
 contract,
 (C) 50 percent of so much of such 
 expenditures as are for the planning, design, 
 development, or installation of statewide 
 mechanized data collection and information 
 retrieval systems (including 50 percent of the 
 full amount of expenditures for hardware 
 components for such systems) but only to the 
 extent that such systems--
 (i) meet the requirements imposed by 
 regulations promulgated pursuant to 
 section 479(b)(2);
 (ii) to the extent practicable, are 
 capable of interfacing with the State 
 data collection system that collects 
 information relating to child abuse and 
 neglect;
 (iii) to the extent practicable, have 
 the capability of interfacing with, and 
 retrieving information from, the State 
 data collection system that collects 
 information relating to the eligibility 
 of individuals under part A (for the 
 purposes of facilitating verification 
 of eligibility of foster children); and
 (iv) are determined by the Secretary 
 to be likely to provide more efficient, 
 economical, and effective 
 administration of the programs carried 
 out under a State plan approved under 
 part B or this part; and
 (D) 50 percent of so much of such 
 expenditures as are for the operation of the 
 statewide mechanized data collection and 
 information retrieval systems referred to in 
 subparagraph (C); and
 (E) one-half of the remainder of such 
 expenditures; plus
 (4) an amount equal to the amount (if any) by which--
 (A) the lesser of--
 (i) 80 percent of the amounts 
 expended by the State during the fiscal 
 year in which the quarter occurs to 
 carry out programs in accordance with 
 the State application approved under 
 section 477(b) for the period in which 
 the quarter occurs (including any 
 amendment that meets the requirements 
 of section 477(b)(5)); or
 (ii) the amount allotted to the State 
 under section 477(c)(1) for the fiscal 
 year in which the quarter occurs, 
 reduced by the total of the amounts 
 payable to the State under this 
 paragraph for all prior quarters in the 
 fiscal year; exceeds
 (B) the total amount of any penalties 
 assessed against the State under section 477(e) 
 during the fiscal year in which the quarter 
 occurs; plus
 (5) an amount equal to the percentage by which the 
 expenditures referred to in paragraph (2) of this 
 subsection are reimbursed of the total amount expended 
 during such quarter as kinship guardianship assistance 
 payments under section 473(d) pursuant to kinship 
 guardianship assistance agreements; plus
 (6) subject to section 471(e)--
 (A) for each quarter--
 (i) subject to clause (ii)--
 (I) beginning after September 
 30, 2019, and before October 1, 
 2026, an amount equal to 50 
 percent of the total amount 
 expended during the quarter for 
 the provision of services or 
 programs specified in 
 subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
 section 471(e)(1) that are 
 provided in accordance with 
 promising, supported, or well-
 supported practices that meet 
 the applicable criteria 
 specified for the practices in 
 section 471(e)(4)(C); and
 (II) beginning after 
 September 30, 2026, an amount 
 equal to the Federal medical 
 assistance percentage (which 
 shall be as defined in section 
 1905(b), in the case of a State 
 other than the District of 
 Columbia, or 70 percent, in the 
 case of the District of 
 Columbia) of the total amount 
 expended during the quarter for 
 the provision of services or 
 programs specified in 
 subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
 section 471(e)(1) that are 
 provided in accordance with 
 promising, supported, or well-
 supported practices that meet 
 the applicable criteria 
 specified for the practices in 
 section 471(e)(4)(C) (or, with 
 respect to the payments made 
 during the quarter under a 
 cooperative agreement or 
 contract entered into by the 
 State and an Indian tribe, 
 tribal organization, or tribal 
 consortium for the 
 administration or payment of 
 funds under this part, an 
 amount equal to the Federal 
 medical assistance percentage 
 that would apply under section 
 479B(d) (in this paragraph 
 referred to as the ``tribal 
 FMAP'') if the Indian tribe, 
 tribal organization, or tribal 
 consortium made the payments 
 under a program operated under 
 that section, unless the tribal 
 FMAP is less than the Federal 
 medical assistance percentage 
 that applies to the State); 
 except that
 (ii) not less than 50 percent of the 
 total amount expended by a State under 
 clause (i) for a fiscal year shall be 
 for the provision of services or 
 programs specified in subparagraph (A) 
 or (B) of section 471(e)(1) that are 
 provided in accordance with well-
 supported practices; plus
 (B) for each quarter specified in 
 subparagraph (A), an amount equal to the sum of 
 the following proportions of the total amount 
 expended during the quarter--
 (i) 50 percent of so much of the 
 expenditures as are found necessary by 
 the Secretary for the proper and 
 efficient administration of the State 
 plan for the provision of services or 
 programs specified in section 
 471(e)(1), including expenditures for 
 activities approved by the Secretary 
 that promote the development of 
 necessary processes and procedures to 
 establish and implement the provision 
 of the services and programs for 
 individuals who are eligible for the 
 services and programs and expenditures 
 attributable to data collection and 
 reporting; and
 (ii) 50 percent of so much of the 
 expenditures with respect to the 
 provision of services and programs 
 specified in section 471(e)(1) as are 
 for training of personnel employed or 
 preparing for employment by the State 
 agency or by the local agency 
 administering the plan in the political 
 subdivision and of the members of the 
 staff of State-licensed or State-
 approved child welfare agencies 
 providing services to children 
 described in section 471(e)(2) and 
 their parents or kin caregivers, 
 including on how to determine who are 
 individuals eligible for the services 
 or programs, how to identify and 
 provide appropriate services and 
 programs, and how to oversee and 
 evaluate the ongoing appropriateness of 
 the services and programs; plus
 (7) an amount equal to 50 percent of the amounts 
 expended by the State during the quarter as the 
 Secretary determines are for kinship navigator programs 
 that meet the requirements described in section 
 [427(a)(1)] 427(a) and that the Secretary determines 
 are operated in accordance with promising, supported, 
 or well-supported practices that meet the applicable 
 criteria specified for the practices in section 
 471(e)(4)(C), without regard to whether the 
 expenditures are incurred on behalf of children who 
 are, or are potentially, eligible for foster care 
 maintenance payments under this part.
 (b)(1) The Secretary shall, prior to the beginning of each 
quarter, estimate the amount to which a State will be entitled 
under subsections (a) for such quarter, such estimates to be 
based on (A) a report filed by the State containing its 
estimate of the total sum to be expended in such quarter in 
accordance with subsection (a), and stating the amount 
appropriated or made available by the State and its political 
subdivisions for such expenditures in such quarter, and if such 
amount is less than the State's proportionate share of the 
total sum of such estimated expenditures, the source or sources 
from which the difference is expected to be derived, (B) 
records showing the number of children in the State receiving 
assistance under this part, and (C) such other investigation as 
the Secretary may find necessary.
 (2) The Secretary shall then pay to the State, in such 
installments as he may determine, the amounts so estimated, 
reduced or increased to the extent of any overpayment or 
underpayment which the Secretary determines was made under this 
section to such State for any prior quarter and with respect to 
which adjustment has not already been made under this 
subsection.
 (3) The pro rata share to which the United States is 
equitably entitled, as determined by the Secretary, of the net 
amount recovered during any quarter by the State or any 
political subdivision thereof with respect to foster care and 
adoption assistance furnished under the State plan shall be 
considered an overpayment to be adjusted under this subsection.
 (4)(A) Within 60 days after receipt of a State claim for 
expenditures pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
allow, disallow, or defer such claim.
 (B) Within 15 days after a decision to defer such a State 
claim, the Secretary shall notify the State of the reasons for 
the deferral and of the additional information necessary to 
determine the allowability of the claim.
 (C) Within 90 days after receiving such necessary information 
(in readily reviewable form), the Secretary shall--
 (i) disallow the claim, if able to complete the 
 review and determine that the claim is not allowable, 
 or
 (ii) in any other case, allow the claim, subject to 
 disallowance (as necessary)--
 (I) upon completion of the review, if it is 
 determined that the claim is not allowable; or
 (II) on the basis of findings of an audit or 
 financial management review.
 (c) Automated Data Collection Expenditures.--The Secretary 
shall treat as necessary for the proper and efficient 
administration of the State plan all expenditures of a State 
necessary in order for the State to plan, design, develop, 
install, and operate data collection and information retrieval 
systems described in subsection (a)(3)(C), without regard to 
whether the systems may be used with respect to foster or 
adoptive children other than those on behalf of whom foster 
care maintenance payments or adoption assistance payments may 
be made under this part.
 (d)(1) If, during any quarter of a fiscal year, a State's 
program operated under this part is found, as a result of a 
review conducted under section 1123A, or otherwise, to have 
violated paragraph (18) or (23) of section 471(a) with respect 
to a person or to have failed to implement a corrective action 
plan within a period of time not to exceed 6 months with 
respect to such violation, then, notwithstanding subsection (a) 
of this section and any regulations promulgated under section 
1123A(b)(3), the Secretary shall reduce the amount otherwise 
payable to the State under this part, for that fiscal year 
quarter and for any subsequent quarter of such fiscal year, 
until the State program is found, as a result of a subsequent 
review under section 1123A, to have implemented a corrective 
action plan with respect to such violation, by--
 (A) 2 percent of such otherwise payable amount, in 
 the case of the 1st such finding for the fiscal year 
 with respect to the State;
 (B) 3 percent of such otherwise payable amount, in 
 the case of the 2nd such finding for the fiscal year 
 with respect to the State; or
 (C) 5 percent of such otherwise payable amount, in 
 the case of the 3rd or subsequent such finding for the 
 fiscal year with respect to the State.
In imposing the penalties described in this paragraph, the 
Secretary shall not reduce any fiscal year payment to a State 
by more than 5 percent.
 (2) Any other entity which is in a State that receives funds 
under this part and which violates paragraph (18) or (23) of 
section 471(a) during a fiscal year quarter with respect to any 
person shall remit to the Secretary all funds that were paid by 
the State to the entity during the quarter from such funds.
 (3)(A) Any individual who is aggrieved by a violation of 
section 471(a)(18) by a State or other entity may bring an 
action seeking relief from the State or other entity in any 
United States district court.
 (B) An action under this paragraph may not be brought more 
than 2 years after the date the alleged violation occurred.
 (4) This subsection shall not be construed to affect the 
application of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.
 (e) Discretionary Grants for Educational and Training 
Vouchers for Youths Aging out of Foster Care.--From amounts 
appropriated pursuant to section 477(h)(2), the Secretary may 
make a grant to a State with a plan approved under this part, 
for a calendar quarter, in an amount equal to the lesser of--
 (1) 80 percent of the amounts expended by the State 
 during the quarter to carry out programs for the 
 purposes described in section 477(a)(6); or
 (2) the amount, if any, allotted to the State under 
 section 477(c)(3) for the fiscal year in which the 
 quarter occurs, reduced by the total of the amounts 
 payable to the State under this subsection for such 
 purposes for all prior quarters in the fiscal year.
 (f)(1) If the Secretary finds that a State has failed to 
submit to the Secretary data, as required by regulation, for 
the data collection system implemented under section 479, the 
Secretary shall, within 30 days after the date by which the 
data was due to be so submitted, notify the State of the 
failure and that payments to the State under this part will be 
reduced if the State fails to submit the data, as so required, 
within 6 months after the date the data was originally due to 
be so submitted.
 (2) If the Secretary finds that the State has failed to 
submit the data, as so required, by the end of the 6-month 
period referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection, then, 
notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section and any 
regulations promulgated under section 1123A(b)(3), the 
Secretary shall reduce the amounts otherwise payable to the 
State under this part, for each quarter ending in the 6-month 
period (and each quarter ending in each subsequent 
consecutively occurring 6-month period until the Secretary 
finds that the State has submitted the data, as so required), 
by--
 (A) \1/6\ of 1 percent of the total amount expended 
 by the State for administration of foster care 
 activities under the State plan approved under this 
 part in the quarter so ending, in the case of the 1st 
 6-month period during which the failure continues; or
 (B) \1/4\ of 1 percent of the total amount so 
 expended, in the case of the 2nd or any subsequent such 
 6-month period.
 (g) For purposes of this part, after the termination of a 
demonstration project relating to guardianship conducted by a 
State under section 1130, the expenditures of the State for the 
provision, to children who, as of September 30, 2008, were 
receiving assistance or services under the project, of the same 
assistance and services under the same terms and conditions 
that applied during the conduct of the project, are deemed to 
be expenditures under the State plan approved under this part.

 * * * * * * *

Source: H. Rept. 118-679 · govinfo

Action History

  1. Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  2. Senate Committee on Finance discharged by Unanimous Consent.

  3. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

  4. The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

  5. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  6. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 405 - 10 (Roll no. 423). (text: 09/17/2024 CR H5259-5266)

  7. Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5341-5342)

  8. At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

  9. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 9076.

  10. Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5259-5270)

  11. Mr. Smith (MO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

  12. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 574.

  13. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 118-679.

  14. Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 38 - 0.

  15. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

  16. Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

  17. Introduced in House

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Subjects

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Frequently asked questions

What does HR 9076 do?
To reauthorize and modernize part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to strengthen child welfare services, expand the availability of prevention services to better meet the needs of vulnerable families, and for other purposes.
Who sponsors HR 9076?
HR 9076 is sponsored by LaHood, Darin (Republican).
What is the current status of HR 9076?
This bill died with 118th Congress. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HR 9076?
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