House of Representatives Passes Child Welfare Bill That Includes Tribal Foster Care Funding
June 24, 2008
Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed under suspension H.R. 6307, the “Fostering Connections to Success Act.” Representative McDermott (D-WA) introduced the bill saying, “Today, we are focused on the shortcomings of the existing system that can disconnect foster children from the things they need most: Family, support, and school.”
A provision in the bill was language that would authorize tribal governments to apply to the Department of Health and Human Services to administer the Social Security Act’s Title IV-E Foster Care and Adoption Assistance programs. It would also authorize tribal-state agreements to administer these programs.
H.R. 6307, introduced on June 19, by Representatives McDermott (D-WA) and Weller (R-IL), is a wide-ranging child welfare bill that covers such issues as supports for the placement of foster children with extended family, requiring reasonable efforts to place them together with siblings, requiring an oversight plan for the medical treatment of foster children, reauthorizing the Adoptions Incentives Program which expires this year, and Title IV-E access for tribal governments for foster children in their care.
The Title IV-E reforms in H.R. 6307 used language from two other bills, H.R. 4688/S.1956, introduced earlier in this congressional session by Rep. Pomeroy (D-ND) and Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), which have bipartisan support. Tribal governments and organizations such as the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), and the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care supports this correction to Title IV-E law, an action they consider long overdue.
Speaking from the House floor, Representative Weller said, “Our first Americans should be treated as full Americans, including in child welfare programs, as this legislation will accomplish.” “Clearly, the current system is not working for our first Americans—we want to right that wrong,” Rep. Weller said.
The bill will continue to the Senate for consideration. It will likely be sent to the Senate Finance Committee who are currently working on their own child welfare bill and are expecting to mark up a bill from their committee by the end of July.
Commenting on the bill’s passage, NICWA executive director Terry Cross, said, “This is the day that tribal children and families have been waiting a long time for. We commend the House for this strong bipartisan effort and look forward to the Senate continuing this effort so our tribal children and families in the foster care system can receive the services they need.”
NICWA is a national nonprofit and the most comprehensive source of information on American Indian child welfare and works on behalf of Indian children and families. NICWA provides public policy, research, advocacy, information, training, and community development services to a broad national audience, state child welfare agencies, and other organizations, agencies, and professionals interested in the field of Indian child welfare. Their website is www.nicwa.org or call (503) 222-4044.
About NICWA
NICWA is a national nonprofit and the most comprehensive source of information on American Indian child welfare working on behalf of Indian children and families. NICWA provides public policy, research, advocacy, information, training, and community development services to a broad national audience, state child welfare agencies, and other organizations, agencies, and professionals interested in the well being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families.