[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6657 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6657
To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to encourage the
development of specialized foster care programs designed specifically
for large sibling groups, sibling groups with a wide age range, and
sibling groups with complex needs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 9, 2022
Mr. Bacon (for himself, Ms. Bass, Mr. Langevin, Mrs. Lawrence, and Mr.
Mullin) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
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A BILL
To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to encourage the
development of specialized foster care programs designed specifically
for large sibling groups, sibling groups with a wide age range, and
sibling groups with complex needs.
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 ``Protecting Sibling Relationships in
Foster Care Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE GRANT PILOT PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SPECIALIZED FOSTER CARE PROGRAMS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY
FOR LARGE SIBLING GROUPS, SIBLING GROUPS WITH A WIDE AGE
RANGE, AND SIBLING GROUPS WITH COMPLEX NEEDS.
Section 435 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629e) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Competitive Grant Pilot Program To Encourage the Development
of Specialized Foster Care Programs Designed Specifically for Large
Sibling Groups, Sibling Groups With a Wide Age Range, and Sibling
Groups With Complex Needs.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a
competitive grant pilot program under which, during the 5-year
period that begins with the date of the enactment of this
subsection, the Secretary shall make not more than 5 grants to
eligible entities who have applied therefor to encourage the
development of specialized foster care programs designed
specifically for groups of 3 or more siblings, sibling groups
with a wide age range, and sibling groups with, or that include
a youth with, complex needs. For purposes of the preceding
sentence, a youth has complex needs if the youth exhibits
challenging or risky behaviors that could cause themself or
others serious harm, has mental health needs of such severity
that the participation of the youth in daily life may be
impaired either with or without services being rendered to
help, has a disability (as defined under the Americans with
Disabilities Act), or has an illness that requires continuous
monitoring or is life-threatening, and complex needs include
issues that may arise from siblings in foster care with a
different parent, which could impact the ability of the
siblings to be placed together, or from a youth with a history
of trauma.
``(2) Eligible entity.--In this subsection, the term
`eligible entity' means a State child welfare agency, a State,
tribal, or local agency, a faith- or community-based
organization, or a nonprofit organization that has expertise
and demonstrated experience, as well as State supervision, in
administering a foster care program.
``(3) Applications.--An eligible entity that desires to
receive a grant under this subsection shall submit to the
Secretary an application that includes--
``(A) a description of how funds received under the
grant will be used to place together sibling groups
described in paragraph (1);
``(B) a description of the specialized foster care
program involved, and how the program is designed for
the placement of sibling groups described in paragraph
(1);
``(C) data describing the challenges of placing,
and number of, sibling groups described in paragraph
(1) that are awaiting placements; and
``(D) such other information as the Secretary may
reasonably require.
``(4) Use of funds.--A recipient of a grant under this
subsection may use the grant funds only to develop specialized
foster care programs which are--
``(A) designed to identify available placements
for, and place together, sibling groups described in
paragraph (1); and
``(B) evidence-based, and proven to substantially
increase joint sibling placements.
``(5) Reporting requirement.--As a condition of receiving a
grant under this subsection, the grant recipient shall submit
to the Secretary a written report on the number of children in
the specialized foster care program involved, the size of the
sibling groups served by the program, the methods used to place
children with their siblings under the program, and the
outcomes of the placements.
``(6) Regulations.--The Secretary may prescribe such
regulations as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.
``(7) Appropriation.--In addition to any amounts otherwise
made available to carry out this subpart, out of any money in
the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated,
there are appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 to
carry out the pilot program under this subsection, which shall
remain available through fiscal year 2026.''.
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