Smucker Legislation Supporting Foster Children and Families Legislation Signed Into Law

Washington-Legislation introduced by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) to aid foster children, families, and child welfare agencies (CWAs) was signed into law as part of the comprehensive and bipartisan Supporting America's Children and Families Act (H.R. 9076). The legislation reauthorizes and reforms child welfare programs authorized under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act and ensures states can continue to use contractors to support their child welfare programs, which will assist Lancaster and York County programs.

The legislation was previously adopted by a vote of 405 to 10 in the House and advanced unanimously in the Senate.

Watch Rep. Smucker's previous remarks in favor of H.R. 9076 during consideration in the House.

"All children deserve to grow up in a safe and loving home. I am grateful that policies I've introduced to support kinship care, incentivize the recruitment and training of additional caseworkers, reduce administrative burden, and gather data on failed adoptions from foster care and assess the effectiveness of post-adoptive services have been signed into law. I will continue to advocate for policies to strengthen families in Congress," said Rep. Lloyd Smucker.

Background:

Approximately 19,000 foster youth age out of the system every year.

Unemployment rates for individuals aging out of the system can reach 69 percent according to the American Youth Policy Forum.

It is estimated that 20 percent of foster care youth experience homelessness upon turning 18.

Studies indicate former foster care youth are involved in the justice system at high rates, with 70 percent having been arrested by age 26.

Improving permanency for foster youth can lead to better outcomes and put them on a pathway to lifelong success.

Four pieces of legislation introduced by Rep. Smucker were signed into law as part of the Supporting America's Children and Family Act (H.R. 9076).

1. The Empowering Kinship Providers and Youth Act would add supporting kinship families, transition-age youth, and peer support programs as eligible uses of Social Security Title IV-B funds. These proven strategies will aid in supporting permanency for foster children. Rep. Smucker introduced this bipartisan legislation with Rep. Don Davis (NC-01).
2. The Reducing Administrative Burden for Child Welfare Agencies Act would address administrative burden, which is one of the top issues that state CWAs have brought to Congress' attention for reform. CWAs must comply with numerous state plan and caseworker requirements to qualify for federal funding. Rep. Smucker's legislation would instruct the Department of Health and Human Services to reduce the administrative burden imposed on state and tribal CWAs through the review of data collection systems to eliminate unnecessary duplication, analysis of the administrative burden on CWAs, and soliciting input from CWAs.
3. The Child Welfare Workforce Development Act would bolster CWA workforces by allowing federal funds provided by the Monthly Caseworker Visit program to be utilized to reduce caseload ratios, incentivize the recruitment and training of caseworkers, provide for technological improvements, and support caseworker coaching programs. A 2022-2023 annual report of the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center indicated that over 30 percent of caseworker positions were not filled and nearly 20 percent of supervisory positions in county CWAs were not filled.
4. The Foster Care Adoption Oversight and Support Act, which Rep. Smucker introduced alongside Rep. Brad Wenstrup (OH-2), would gather data to assess the effectiveness of post-adoption services and resources provided to families, in order to identify gaps in accessible services, inform strategic investments, and improve outcomes for adopted children and their families.