[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4769 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4769
To support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs
using a network of public and private community entities to provide
mentoring for children and youth with experience in foster care.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 25, 2025
Ms. Scanlon (for herself, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Casten, Mrs. Cherfilus-
McCormick, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Nunn of Iowa, Ms.
Sewell, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Williams of Georgia, and Mr. Larson of
Connecticut) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs
using a network of public and private community entities to provide
mentoring for children and youth with experience in foster care.
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 ``Foster Youth Mentoring Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Positive relationships are important for children and
youth. An estimated 20 percent of youth do not have caring
adults in their lives, representing 8,500,000 youth. Children
who have a positive caring relationship with an adult can also
benefit from additional positive relationships.
(2) Research shows that mentors make a difference in young
people's lives. At-risk youth who have mentors are 55 percent
more likely to enroll in college. Students who meet regularly
with their mentors are 52 percent less likely than their peers
to skip a day of school. Youth who have mentors are also 75
percent more likely to hold a leadership position in a club or
sports team.
(3) Young people that have mentors have improved
relationships with adults, fewer disciplinary referrals, and
more confidence in achieving their goals.
(4) In 2021, 391,311 youth were in foster care. Of those
youth, 86,793 were between the ages of 11 and 15, and 55,396
were between the ages of 16 and 20.
(5) Mentoring programs that serve foster youth are unique
and require additional considerations, including specialized
training and support necessary to provide for consistent, long-
term relationships for children in foster care.
(6) Mentoring programs can be used as an effective strategy
to support positive outcomes for foster youth, such as improved
mental health, reductions in substance misuse, and increased
life satisfaction. Additionally, mentoring relationships are
associated with supporting fewer placement changes for youth
and improved use of transition services when exiting foster
care.
(7) Mentoring programs targeting youth experiencing
multiple risk factors, community-based programs, and programs
lasting 1 year or more are more effective in supporting youth
in foster care.
(8) Mentored youth showed lower rates of involvement in the
juvenile justice system and lower rates of involvement in the
legal system as adults.
(9) Increasing evidence is showing that peer mentoring and
support can be very effective in engaging young people. Alumni
of and youth in foster care have noted the importance of the
support and service delivery by individuals with lived
experience, including peers.
SEC. 3. PROGRAMS FOR MENTORING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.
Subpart 2 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 629 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 439A. PROGRAMS FOR MENTORING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE AND YOUTH
WITH EXPERIENCE IN FOSTER CARE.
``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to authorize the
Secretary to make grants to eligible applicants to support the
establishment or expansion and operation of programs using a network of
public and private community entities to provide mentoring for children
in foster care and children with experience in foster care.
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Children in foster care.--The term `children in
foster care' means children who have been removed from the
custody of their biological or adoptive parents by a State or
tribal child welfare agency.
``(2) Children with experience in foster care.--The term
`children with experience in foster care' means children,
youth, and adults who have not attained 26 years of age and
who, at any time, were removed from the custody of their
biological or adoptive parents by a State or tribal child
welfare agency.
``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
``(A) a nonprofit organization;
``(B) a State child welfare agency;
``(C) a local educational agency;
``(D) an Indian tribe or a tribal organization; or
``(E) a faith-based organization.
``(4) Mentoring.--The term `mentoring' means a structured,
managed program--
``(A) in which children and youth are appropriately
matched with screened and trained adult or peer
volunteers for consistent relationships;
``(B) that can include direct one-on-one, group, or
peer mentoring services that focus on 1 or more of--
``(i) academic support;
``(ii) enrichment;
``(iii) educational success;
``(iv) minimizing risk behaviors; or
``(v) promoting social skills and healthy
relationships;
``(C) that involves meetings, events, and
activities on a regular basis designed to last at least
1 year; and
``(D) that is intended to meet, in part, the social
and emotional development of the child or youth, the
need of the child or youth for involvement with a
caring and supportive adult, and the need of the child
or youth for positive role models, connections, and
normalcy.
``(c) Grant Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program
to award grants to eligible entities to support the
establishment or expansion and operation of programs using
networks of public and private community entities to provide
mentoring for children in foster care and children with
experience in foster care.
``(2) Application requirements.--To be eligible for a grant
under paragraph (1), 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
provided under this grant, including--
``(i) targeted outcomes, mentee age and
eligibility, mentor type, setting, duration,
and meeting frequency;
``(ii) the number of mentor-child matches
proposed to be established and maintained
annually under the program;
``(iii) the capacity and expertise of the
program to serve children and youth in a way
that is responsive to children and youth of
color, expectant and parenting youth,
indigenous youth, youth who are lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgendered, or queer, and youth
with disabilities;
``(iv) actions taken to ensure that the
design of the program reflects input from young
people, including children with experience in
foster care; and
``(v) such other information as the
Secretary may require.
``(B) Recruitment.--An assurance that the program
will engage in recruitment strategies for mentors
that--
``(i) realistically portray the benefits,
practices, supports, and challenges of
participating in the program; and
``(ii) seek to recruit mentors who reflect
the race, ethnicity, and various identities of
children in foster care and children with
experience in foster care.
``(C) Training.--An assurance that all mentors
covered under the program will receive intensive and
ongoing training in the following areas:
``(i) Child and adolescent development,
including the importance of bonding.
``(ii) Family dynamics, including the
effects of domestic violence and trauma.
``(iii) Understanding the education rights
of foster children and youth, including those
related to post-secondary education.
``(iv) The challenges of and approaches to
support the transition to adulthood.
``(v) Cultural competence practices and
relationship-building strategies.
``(vi) Positive youth development and
authentic engagement practices.
``(vii) Recognizing and reporting child
abuse and neglect.
``(viii) Confidentiality requirements for
working with children in foster care.
``(ix) Working in coordination with the
child welfare system.
``(x) Other matters related to working with
children in foster care and children with
experience in foster care.
``(D) Screening.--An assurance that all mentors
covered under the program are appropriately screened
and have demonstrated a willingness to comply with all
aspects of the mentoring program, including--
``(i) a written screening plan that
includes all of the policies and procedures
used to screen and select mentors, including
eligibility requirements and preferences for
such applicants;
``(ii) a description of the methods to be
used to conduct criminal background checks on
all prospective mentors, and the methods in
place to exclude mentors with convictions for
crimes against children and mentors with
convictions occurring within the past 10 years
that are directly related to child safety; and
``(iii) a description of the methods to be
used to ensure that the mentors are willing and
able to serve as a mentor on a long-term,
consistent basis as defined in the application.
``(E) Community consultation and engagement;
coordination with other programs.--A demonstration
that, in developing and implementing the program, the
eligible entity will--
``(i) consult with and actively engage--
``(I) children in foster care and
children with experience in foster
care;
``(II) public and private community
entities, including religious
organizations and Indian tribal
organizations and urban Indian
organizations; and
``(III) family members of children
and youth who may be potential clients
of the program;
``(ii) coordinate the mentoring program and
the activities of the eligible entity with
other Federal, State, and local programs
serving children and youth; and
``(iii) consult and coordinate with
appropriate Federal, State, and local
corrections, workforce development, education,
and substance abuse and mental health agencies.
``(F) Equal access for local service providers.--An
assurance that public and private entities and
nonprofit community organizations, including religious
organizations and Indian organizations, will be
eligible to participate on an equal basis.
``(G) Records, reports, and audits.--An agreement
that the eligible entity will maintain such records,
make such reports, and cooperate with such reviews or
audits as the Secretary may find necessary for purposes
of oversight of project activities and expenditures.
``(H) Evaluation.--An agreement that the eligible
entity will cooperate fully with the ongoing and final
evaluation of the program under the plan by the
Secretary, by means including providing the Secretary
access to the program, the staff of the program,
program-related records and documents, and each public
or private community entity receiving funding under the
plan.
``(3) Considerations in awarding grants.--In awarding
grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall take into
consideration--
``(A) how, and the degree to which, children in
foster care and children with experience in foster care
are consulted and engaged in the development, design,
and implementation of the program;
``(B) the feasibility and strength of a plan to
recruit and support transition-aged foster youth;
``(C) the overall qualifications and capacity of
the eligible entity and its partners to effectively
carry out a mentoring program under this subsection;
``(D) the level and quality of training provided to
mentors under the program;
``(E) evidence of coordination of the program with
the social services and education programs of the State
or political subdivision;
``(F) the ability of the eligible entity to provide
supervision and support for mentors under the program
and the youth served by such mentors;
``(G) the number of children and youth in foster
care served by the State or political subdivision; and
``(H) any other factors that the Secretary
determines to be significant with respect to the need
for, or the potential success of, carrying out a
mentoring program under this section.
``(4) Use of funds.--An eligible entity that receives a
grant under this subsection may use such funds to--
``(A) develop and carry out a training program and
ongoing support for mentors;
``(B) recruit mentors for children and youth in
foster care;
``(C) compensate mentors including peer mentors;
``(D) pay for costs related to mentee participation
in the program; and
``(E) provide activities that will help the
development of a child in foster care who is
participating in the program.
``(5) Grant amount.--In awarding grants under this
subsection, the Secretary shall scale grants to account for the
annual budget and capacity of the eligible entity.
``(6) Annual report.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that
includes the following with respect to the year involved:
``(A) A description of the number of programs
receiving grant awards under this subsection.
``(B) A description of mentors who participate in
programs described in subparagraph (A), including the
overall number, average length of participation, and
demographics.
``(C) A description of--
``(i) the number of children in foster care
who participated in mentoring programs funded
by the grant funds under this subsection;
``(ii) data on the academic achievement of
the children in mentoring programs funded by
the grant funds under this subsection; and
``(iii) the number of children in foster
care on waiting lists for such mentoring
programs, including successful transition into
post-secondary education where applicable.
``(D) Any other information that the Secretary
determines to be relevant to the evaluation of the
program under this section.
``(7) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section--
``(A) $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 and
2027; and
``(B) such sums as may be necessary for each
succeeding fiscal year.''.
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