Washington, D.C.—The U.S. House of Representatives today approved critical legislation that promises to improve the American foster care system and make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and youth across the country. H.R. 6893 builds on two bills that Congress acted on earlier this year: H.R.6307, a bill the House unanimously passed earlier this summer and S. 3038, a bill the Senate Finance Committee passed on September 10, 2008.

If approved, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 would invest in initiatives to help move children safely—and permanently—out of foster care. In particular, the bill would strengthen support for family relatives who care for abused and neglected children outside of the formal foster care system; give American Indian tribes the same access to federal child welfare funding that states currently receive; and provide opportunities for additional assistance to older youth who are aging out of the system. 

The legislation addresses issues critical to Casey Family Programs’ ambitious 2020 Strategy to improve foster care in America by:

• Safely reducing the number of children in out-of-home care by 50 percent over the next 12 years;
• Reinvesting savings from reductions to strengthen child welfare systems;
• And improving education, employment and mental health services for those in foster care.

“I appreciate all of the members of Congress who have made it a priority this year to provide better opportunities and a brighter future for the more than 500,000 children in our nation’s foster care system,” said William C. Bell, president and chief executive officer of Casey Family Programs. “We must ensure that all of our children have the best chance possible to succeed in the future. This legislation marks an important step toward making Casey Family Programs’ 2020 Strategy a reality for those who need it most—the children in our foster care system.”

The Fostering Connections act is the most important funding reform of the foster care system in more than a decade. It creates a federally subsidized guardianship program and grants American Indian tribes direct access to Title IV-E, two 2020 strategies that Casey has advocated on Capitol Hill and in position papers released earlier this year. 

Congress has often discussed the need to reform the major funding source of foster care, Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, but opted instead for more incremental changes. The latest vote marks a significant shift in congressional attitudes and priorities in child welfare legislation. Casey applauds this focus.