Smucker Legislation Supporting Foster Children and Families Approved in Committee

Washington—Legislation introduced by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) to aid foster children, families, and child welfare agencies (CWAs) was advanced by the Ways and Means Committee today. Rep. Smucker’s legislation was included in the comprehensive and bipartisan Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 9076) which reauthorizes and reforms child welfare programs authorized under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act. Watch Rep. Smucker’s remarks in favor of H.R. 9076.

“Every child deserves to grow up in a loving and safe home. This comprehensive and bipartisan legislation will improve outcomes for foster youth, provide additional aid for CWAs, and strengthen families which are the cornerstone of our society. I am grateful that policies I 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 were advanced. This legislation should be advanced by the House and Senate without delay,” said Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11).  

“Over the last year, our committee’s work has revealed that state and tribal child welfare agencies face persistent issues that distract from their core focus of serving children and families. Whether it is addressing chronic staff shortages, large amounts of administrative red tape, or a lack of flexibility in utilizing federal funds, Congress ought to make it easier for child welfare agencies to support foster youth and the families who have opened their hearts and homes. I want to thank Congressman Smucker for his leadership on important legislation that will address these shortfalls and give children and families the help they need to succeed," said Ways & Means Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (MO-8).

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 advanced as part of the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families 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 thirty percent of caseworker positions were not filled and nearly twenty 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.

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