[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3025 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3025
To establish innovation grants under the John H. Chafee Foster Care
Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood to improve adulthood
outcomes for youth aging out of foster care, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 11, 2019
Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish innovation grants under the John H. Chafee Foster Care
Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood to improve adulthood
outcomes for youth aging out of foster care, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Increasing Opportunity for Former
Foster Youth Act''.
SEC. 2. CHAFEE INNOVATION GRANTS.
(a) In General.--Section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
677) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(k) Innovation Grants To Improve Adulthood Outcomes for
Transition-Age Foster Youth.--
``(1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to
support the development of programs that improve outcomes for
transition-age foster youth, specifically by identifying
programs with evidence of effectiveness, determining if they
can be replicated with fidelity and demonstrate results, and
scaling up successful programs so more youth receive effective
services that help them to transition successfully to
adulthood.
``(2) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Adulthood outcomes.--The term `adulthood
outcomes' means outcomes in employment, education,
housing, mental health, physical health, financial
stability, permanency, and criminal involvement.
``(B) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity'
means--
``(i) a State child welfare agency;
``(ii) a local child welfare agency;
``(iii) a tribal child welfare agency of an
Indian tribe or tribal organization operating a
program under this part (including as part of a
tribal consortium), in accordance with section
479B; or
``(iv) a non-governmental organization that
has experience working with transition-age
foster youth.
``(C) Moderate evidence of effectiveness.--The term
`moderate evidence of effectiveness' means that the
results of at least 1 well-designed and well-
implemented quasi-experimental study of a program
demonstrates a statistically significant, sizable, and
sustained effect on improving 1 or more adulthood
outcomes for transition-age foster youth and the
overall weight of the evidence shows meaningful
benefits for program participants.
``(D) Preliminary evidence of effectiveness.--The
term `preliminary evidence of effectiveness' means that
prior studies of a program, key components of a
program, or similar programs suggest potential for
sizable, and sustained effects on improving adulthood
outcomes for transition-age foster youth but the
overall weight of the evidence does not yet constitute
moderate or strong causal evidence of such effects.
``(E) Strong evidence of effectiveness.--The term
`strong evidence of effectiveness' means that the
results of at least 1 well-designed and well-
implemented experimental study of a program
demonstrates a statistically significant, sizable, and
sustained effect on improving 1 or more adulthood
outcomes for transition-age foster youth and the
overall weight of the evidence shows meaningful
benefits for program participants.
``(F) Transition-age foster youth.--The term
`transition-age foster youth' means individuals who
have experienced foster care at age 14 or older.
``(3) Innovation grants.--
``(A) Authority to award grants.--The Secretary
shall award the following types of innovation grants to
eligible entities to improve adulthood outcomes for
transition-age foster youth through the development,
validation, and dissemination of evidence-based
effective programs for improving adulthood outcomes for
transition-age foster youth:
``(i) Development grants.--Development
grants to carry out programs with preliminary
evidence of effectiveness in improving
adulthood outcomes for transition-age foster
youth.
``(ii) Validation grants.--Validation
grants to carry out programs with moderate
evidence of effectiveness in improving
adulthood outcomes for transition-age foster
youth.
``(iii) Replication grants.--Replication
grants to carry out programs with strong
evidence of effectiveness in improving
adulthood outcomes for transition-age foster
youth.
``(B) Proportion of different types of grants
awarded.--To the extent feasible and practicable, the
Secretary shall award development, validation, and
replication grants in equal proportion, but shall award
validation and replication grants only to the extent
the programs proposed to be carried out with such
grants meet the evidence requirements for the
applicable type of grant to be awarded.
``(C) Number of grants.--The Secretary shall award
at least 10, but not more than 15, innovation grants
under this subsection.
``(D) Tribal child welfare agency.--At least 1
innovation grant shall be reserved for awarding to an
eligible entity described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii),
unless no such eligible entity meets the application
requirements.
``(4) Duration.--Each innovation grant awarded under this
subsection shall be awarded for a period of not less than 5
years.
``(5) Amount of grant.--The amount of an innovation grant
awarded under this subsection shall be proportional to the
level of funding necessary to implement and evaluate the
proposed program at a scale that can be evaluated rigorously,
as described in paragraph (5)(F).
``(6) Application requirements.--In order to be eligible
for an innovation grant under this subsection, an eligible
entity shall submit to the Secretary an application containing
the following:
``(A) Program design.--A description of the
proposed program to be carried out using amounts
awarded under the grant, including the target
population of transition-age foster youth to be served
by the program, which may be 1 or more of the following
populations:
``(i) Transition-age foster youth who are
homeless or at high risk of homelessness.
``(ii) Transition-age foster youth with
emotional or behavioral challenges.
``(iii) Transition-age foster youth who are
not engaged in employment, education, or
training.
``(iv) Transition-age foster youth who are
expectant or parenting.
``(v) Transition-age foster youth
experiencing financial instability.
``(vi) Transition-age foster youth with a
history of juvenile justice or criminal
involvement or who are at risk of criminal
involvement.
``(vii) Transition-age foster youth placed
in another planned permanent living arrangement
subject to section 475A(a).
``(viii) Transition-age foster youth who
exited foster care without permanency.
``(ix) Transition-age foster youth at risk
of experiencing negative outcomes in adulthood
not described in a preceding clause of this
subparagraph.
``(B) Adulthood outcomes measured.--A description
of the adulthood outcomes that would be measured under
the program.
``(C) Program model.--The logic model for the
proposed program and whether the program has strong,
moderate, or preliminary evidence.
``(D) Collaborative partnership.--An assurance
that--
``(i) if the eligible entity is a State,
county, or tribal child welfare agency, the
eligible entity will establish 1 or more
partnerships with non-governmental
organizations or entities for purposes of
collaborating on the implementation and
evaluation of the program funded under the
grant; and
``(ii) if the eligible entity is a non-
governmental organization, the eligible entity
will establish a partnership with the State, or
a county or tribal child welfare agency on the
implementation and evaluation of the program
funded under the grant.
``(E) Funding assurance.--
``(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii),
an assurance that not less than 50 percent of
the amounts expended by the eligible entity to
carry out the program funded under the
innovation grant shall be provided from non-
Federal sources (which may be in cash or in
kind) composed of the following:
``(I) Not less than 20 percent of
the amounts expended by the eligible
entity shall be derived from State
expenditures that are not from amounts
made available to the State by the
Federal Government or amounts expended
as a condition of receiving Federal
funds (other than under this
subsection).
``(II) Not less than 30 percent of
amounts expended by the eligible entity
shall be derived from expenditures made
by a collaborative partner of the
eligible entity that are not from
amounts made available to the partner
by the Federal Government or amounts
expended as a condition of receiving
Federal funds (other than under this
subsection).
``(ii) Exception.--Clause (i) shall be
applied to an eligible entity described in
paragraph (2)(B)(iii) by substituting `30
percent' for `50 percent' and without regard to
subclause (I).
``(F) Program evaluation.--Assurances that the
eligible entity will (in accordance with guidelines
proscribed by the Secretary in coordination with the
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Research and
Evaluation) use such amounts of the innovation grant
awarded to the entity as is adequate to--
``(i) have a rigorous, third-party
evaluation of the program that employs
experimental designs, using random assignment
whenever feasible, and other research
methodologies that allow for the strongest
possible causal inferences when random
assignment is not feasible;
``(ii) conduct an analysis of costs and
benefits of the program; and
``(iii) adhere to an evaluation plan that
is developed with 1 or more collaborative
partners of the eligible entity.
``(G) Other information or assurances.--Such other
information or assurances as the Secretary may require.
``(7) Preference in awarding grants.--In awarding
innovation grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall
give preference to grant applications to carry out proposed
interventions that have prior evidence of meaningfully
improving the greatest number of outcomes.
``(8) Technical assistance; dissemination of findings.--The
Secretary shall (directly, or by contract or a cooperative
agreement with 1 or more organizations with relevant
expertise)--
``(A) provide technical assistance to eligible
entities awarded innovation grants under this
subsection to ensure that--
``(i) implementation of the programs funded
under such grants adheres faithfully to the key
elements of the program models; and
``(ii) the third-party evaluations of such
programs are designed and implemented with
scientific rigor, as described in paragraph
(6)(F); and
``(B) ensure that findings from such evaluations
are disseminated to support broad implementation and
scaling up of successful approaches.
``(9) Funding.--
``(A) In general.--In addition to the amounts made
available for a fiscal year under subsection (h) to
carry out this section and paid to States under section
474(a)(4), out of any money in the Treasury of the
United States not otherwise appropriated, there are
appropriated $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021
through 2025 to carry out this subsection.
``(B) Technical assistance.--Not more than 5
percent of the amount appropriated under subparagraph
(A) to carry out this subsection for a fiscal year may
be used to provide technical assistance and disseminate
findings under paragraph (8).''.
(b) Report.--Not later than October 1, 2022, and periodically
thereafter, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 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 the innovation grants
awarded under section 477(k) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
677(k)) (as added by subsection (a)) and the findings from the programs
funded with such grants as such findings become available, including
the impact of the interventions on outcomes for transition-age foster
youth. Each report submitted under this subsection shall include
recommendations for legislation and administrative action based on such
findings.
(c) Technical Assistance and Other Activities.--Subsection (g) of
section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677) is amended to
read as follows:
``(g) Technical Assistance and Other Activities.--The Secretary
shall reserve 1 percent of the amount specified in subsection (h) for a
fiscal year to carry out, during the fiscal year, evaluation, technical
assistance, performance measurement, and data collection activities
related to this section, directly or through grants, contracts, or
cooperative agreements with appropriate entities.''.
(d) Conforming Amendments.--Section 479B(f) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 679c(f)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``section 477(j)'' and inserting
``subsections (j) and (k) of section 477''; and
(2) by inserting ``or 477(k)'' after ``474(e)''.
SEC. 3. INCREASING CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS TO FAMILIES.
(a) Reporting of Nonemployees to Directories of New Hires.--Section
453A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653a) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1)(A), by striking ``by employers on
each newly hired employee'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking
``Employer'' and inserting ``Reported'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) by striking ``Except as
provided'' and inserting the following:
``(i) Employees.--Except as provided'';
(II) by striking ``identifying
number'' and inserting ``employer
identification number'';
(III) by inserting ``(in this
section referred to as the `employer
identification number')'' after ``under
section 6109 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986''; and
(IV) by adding at the end the
following new clause:
``(ii) Nonemployees.--Except as provided in
subparagraphs (B) and (C), if a service-
recipient is required to make a return in
accordance with section 6041A(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect to a
nonemployee, such service-recipient shall
furnish to the Directory of New Hires of the
State in which such nonemployee works, a report
that contains the name, address, and social
security number of or identifying number
assigned under section 6109 of the Internal
Revenue Code (in this section referred to as
the `identifying number') to such nonemployee,
the date services for remuneration were first
performed by such nonemployee, and the name,
address, and employer identification number of
the service-recipient.'';
(ii) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) in the subparagraph heading, by
striking ``employers'' and inserting
``reporting'';
(II) by striking ``An employer''
and inserting the following:
``(i) Employees.--An employer that has
employees'';
(III) by inserting ``(i)'' after
``subparagraph (A)'' each place it
appears;
(IV) by striking the second
sentence; and
(V) by adding at the end the
following:
``(ii) Nonemployees.--A service-recipient
required to make returns in accordance with
section 6041A(a) of the Internal Revenue Code
with respect to nonemployees located in 2 or
more States and that transmits reports
magnetically or electronically may comply with
subparagraph (A)(ii) by designating 1 State in
which any such nonemployee is located to which
the service-recipient will transmit the report
described in subparagraph (A)(ii), and
transmitting such report to such State.
``(iii) Designation.--Any employer or
service-recipient that transmits reports
pursuant to this subparagraph shall notify the
Secretary in writing as to which State such
employer or service-recipient designates for
the purpose of sending reports.''; and
(iii) in subparagraph (C)--
(I) in the subparagraph heading, by
striking ``Employers''; and
(II) by striking ``report'' and
inserting ``reports''; and
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in the matter that precedes
subparagraph (A), by striking ``with respect to
an employee'';
(ii) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) by inserting ``with respect to
an employee,'' before ``not later than
20 days''; and
(II) by striking ``or'' after the
semicolon;
(iii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as
subparagraph (C);
(iv) by inserting after subparagraph (A)
the following new subparagraph:
``(B) with respect to a nonemployee, not later than
20 days after the earlier of--
``(i) first making payments as a
consequence of which a return in accordance
with section 6041A(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is required to be made; or
``(ii) entering into a contract providing
for such payments; or''; and
(v) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated by
clause (iii), by striking ``in the case of an
employer transmitting reports'' and inserting
``in the case of reports transmitted'';
(3) in subsection (c), by inserting ``or service-
recipient'' after ``at the option of the employer'';
(4) in subsection (d)--
(A) in the heading, by inserting ``and Service-
Recipients'' after ``Employers'';
(B) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``or
nonemployee'' after ``employee''; and
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by inserting ``or service-recipient''
after ``employer''; and
(ii) by inserting ``or nonemployee,
respectively,'' after ``employee'';
(5) in subsection (e)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking
``Employer''; and
(B) by striking ``from an employer'';
(6) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (1);
(i) by inserting ``and identifying
numbers'' after ``social security numbers''
each place it appears; and
(ii) by striking ``by employers'' before
``pursuant to subsection (b)''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by inserting ``or identifying number''
after ``social security number'' each place it
appears;
(ii) by striking ``employee'' and inserting
``individual''; and
(iii) by striking ``and the name and
address of, and identifying number assigned
under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Act
of 1986 to, the employer'' and inserting ``and
the name, address, and employer identification
number of the employer or service-recipient'';
(7) in subsection (g)(2)(A), by inserting ``or
nonemployee'' after ``newly hired employee''; and
(8) in subsection (h), by striking ``by employers'' each
place it appears.
(b) Assisting in Identifying Assets Across State Lines.--
(1) Duties of the secretary.--Subsection (l) of section 452
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 652) is amended to read
as follows:
``(l) Assets Held by Financial Institutions.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, through the Federal
Parent Locator Service, is authorized--
``(A) to assist State agencies operating programs
under this part and financial institutions (as defined
in section 469A(d)(1)) in reaching agreements regarding
the receipt from such institutions, and the transfer to
the State agencies, of information that may be provided
pursuant to section 466(a)(17)(A)(i) or 469A(a);
``(B) to perform data matches comparing information
from such State agencies and financial institutions
entering into such agreements with respect to
individuals owing past due support; and
``(C) upon State request, using formats prescribed
by the Secretary, to send a notice of lien on assets,
held by such financial institutions, of individuals
identified through such data matches who owe past-due
support.
``(2) Liability.--A financial institution shall not be
liable under any Federal law to any person--
``(A) for encumbering any assets held by such
financial institution in response to a notice of lien
sent by the Secretary as provided for in paragraph
(1)(C); or
``(B) for any other action taken in good faith to
comply with paragraph (1).
``(3) Treatment of disclosures.--For purposes of section
1113(d) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978, a
disclosure pursuant to this subsection shall be considered a
disclosure pursuant to a Federal statute.''.
(2) State duties.--
(A) Liens on bank accounts.--Section 466(a)(4)(A)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(4)(A)) is
amended by inserting ``, including bank accounts,''
after ``personal property''.
(B) Liens arising in another state.--Section
466(a)(4)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(4)(B)) is
amended by striking ``, when the State agency, party,
or other entity'' and all that follows and inserting a
period.
(C) Federal notices of lien.--Section 466(a)(17)(A)
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(17)(A)) is amended--
(i) in clause (i), by striking ``and''
after the semicolon;
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking the period
at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following
new clause:
``(iii) in response to a notice of lien
sent by the Secretary, to encumber assets held
by such institution on behalf of any
noncustodial parent who is subject to a child
support lien pursuant to paragraph (4).''.
(D) Uniform notices of lien.--Section
466(a)(17)(A)(ii) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
666(a)(17)(A)(ii)), as amended by subparagraph (C)(ii),
is amended by inserting ``in such format and containing
such information as the Secretary may require,'' after
``notice of lien or levy,''.
(E) Reimbursement of federal costs.--Paragraph (3)
of section 453(k) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 653(k)(3)) is
amended--
(i) in the heading, by inserting ``and
enforcement services'' after ``information'';
(ii) by inserting ``or enforcement
services'' after ``that receives information'';
(iii) by striking ``or section 452(m)'' and
inserting ``or subsection (l) or (m) of
sections 452''; and
(iv) by striking ``in furnishing the
information'' and inserting ``in furnishing
such information or enforcement services''.
(3) Conforming amendment.--Section 469A(a) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 669a(a)) is amended by inserting ``section 452(l) or''
before ``section 466(a)(17)(A)''.
(c) Allowing Single-State Financial Institutions To Participate in
the Financial Institution Data Match.--Section 466(a)(17)(A)(i) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(17)(A)(i)) is amended by striking ``in the case
of financial institutions doing business in two or more States''.
(d) Report on Withholding Practices for Independent Contractors.--
Not later than December 30, 2020, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall issue a report on State rules and practices in relation to
income withholding for nonemployees and how they are similar to or
different from those applicable to employees under the Consumer Credit
Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
(e) Effective Date.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the amendments
made by this section take effect on January 1, 2021.
(2) Delay if state legislation required.--In the case of a
State plan under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) which the Secretary of Health and Human
Services determines requires State legislation in order for the
respective plan to meet the additional requirements imposed by
the amendments made by this section, the respective plan shall
not be regarded as failing to comply with the requirements of
such part solely on the basis of its failure to meet such
additional requirement before the first day of the first
calendar quarter beginning after the close of the first regular
session of the State legislature that begins after the date of
enactment of this section. For purposes of the previous
sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative
session, each year of the session shall be considered to be a
separate regular session of the State legislature.
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