Ways & Means Members Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Modernize the Chafee Foster Care Program to Improve Outcomes for Vulnerable Youth

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ways and Means Committee Members have introduced legislation to modernize the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood ("Chafee") to improve outcomes for youth aging out of foster care by creating stronger connections to housing, education and training programs, and other critical supports. The Chafee program provides support to foster youth and former foster youth, ages 14 to 21, as they transition to adulthood and independence.

In January 2025, the Government Accountability Office published a report highlighting how states were returning millions of dollars in unused Chafee program funds back to the federal government, despite unmet needs of foster youth.

The bipartisan proposals introduced by Committee Members were developed in response to recommendations made at Work and Welfare Subcommittee hearings and feedback from stakeholders. The proposals focus on improving state utilization of Chafee funds, strengthening coordination between child welfare and federal housing programs, expanding access to education and training opportunities beyond the traditional four-year college degree, improving support for foster youth who are parents or soon-to-be parents, expanding access to legal services, and modernizing purposes of the Chafee program.

Combined, these bipartisan proposals would be the most significant reforms to the Chafee program since its creation in 1999.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement applauding the bipartisan work done by Committee Members to advance key reforms to the nation's foster care program for youth:

"The Ways and Means Committee has a long, proud tradition of bipartisan cooperation to strengthen America's child welfare services to better serve families in need - including an historic reauthorization of child welfare programs enacted at the beginning of last year. Similar effort is needed when it comes to the Chafee program which has not seen a significant update since its inception nearly thirty years ago. I'm so proud of the work being done by First Lady Melania Trump as part of the President's Executive Order, Fostering the Future, to call attention to these critical needs. This legislative effort is consistent with her focus on foster youth and builds on committee activity - including multiple hearings - to identify where updates to Chafee should be made to modernize this important program, and, above all, give the nearly 16,000 youth who age out of foster care every year a more successful transition to adulthood. I appreciate the tremendous work done already by members of the Ways and Means Committee to focus attention on the needs of America's foster youth and look forward to working across the aisle to advance this important initiative."

Legislation to Reform Chafee Introduced by Ways and Means Members:

Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act (H.R. 7432) introduced by Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI).

• Improves access to housing for youth aging out of foster care, and former foster youth, by strengthening coordination between Chafee and the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) housing voucher program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development by:
  • Aligning the age eligibility between programs ensuring youth can receive Chafee-funded supportive services for the full duration of the voucher.
  • Updating existing 30 percent cap on room and board to exclude housing supportive services for youth with FYI vouchers, and allowing the cap to be based on a rolling average over five years; and
  • Requiring joint federal guidance to clarify rules and coordination of services between state child welfare agencies and local public housing authorities administering FYI vouchers.

Foster Youth Workforce Opportunity Act (H.R. 7343) introduced by Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) and Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA).

• Expands use of Chafee education and training vouchers (ETVs) to include short-term workforce and vocational training and credentialing programs.
• Expands ETVs for the costs of apprenticeships, GED, and remedial education, and provides one additional year of eligibility if used for remedial education.

Foster Youth Postsecondary Education Access and Success Act (H.R. 7463) introduced by Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX).

• Increases the individual ETV cap from $5,000 to $12,000 per student annually, while maintaining current funding levels for ETVs.
• Permits states to establish a grace period for youthto demonstrate satisfactory progress toward completion of a program, after an assessment and consultation with the youth.
• Requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a user-friendly, electronic, standard application form for ETVs, and requires states to make reasonable efforts to inform youth about the program to improve awareness and streamline access.

Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act (H.R. 7655) introduced by Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) and Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL).

• Improves access to home visiting services offered through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program for youth in foster care who are expecting or parenting.
• MIECHV is an evidence-based program that has demonstrated results in improving maternal and infant health outcomes and supporting early childhood development.
• Permits states to use Chafee funds to provide specialized case management to expectant and parenting youth.

Fresh Starts for Foster Youth Act (H.R. 7529) introduced by Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) and Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL).

• Improves access to legal services for youth and ensures states have processes in place to take into consideration legal issues impacting foster youth, such as housing, education, employment entry, and family conditions, as part of case planning in their transition to adulthood.

Chafee Opportunities for New Networks and Existing Connection Trust (CONNECT) Act (H.R. 7995) introduced by Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH).

• Updates the purposes section of the Chafee program to reflect the importance of establishing meaningful connections with adults and other lifelong support networks.
• Adds a new purpose to clarify that Chafee funds may be used to help foster youth engage in their own permanency process and planning for independence.
• Requires HHS to issue guidance, in consultation with youth with foster care lived experience, regarding implementation of the new purposes including best practices, outreach and protocols for documenting supports for youth.

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