09/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/19/2024 12:10
WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Danny K. Davis (D-IL) celebrated the passage by the House of Representatives of his bipartisan legislation with Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) to reauthorize and reform child welfare programs under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act. The bipartisan Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act passed the House by a vote of 405 to 10 as part of H.R. 9076, Supporting America's Children and Families Act, as amended". The billreauthorizes Title IV-B and delivers the first increase in guaranteed funding since 2006. With approximately 369,000 children currently in foster care, this legislation offers vital assistance to help strengthen and keep families together and support the safety and well-being of children in foster care.
The Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Actencompasses policies from 16 different pieces of legislation from both Republican and Democrat members of the Ways and Means Committee. The bill follows the Committee's extensive, year-long review of the nation's child welfare programs to identify areas where these programs could better serve children and families. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL)said, "I am proud to join with Chair LaHood in leading this important bill that will increase guaranteed funding for the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program for the first time since 2006. In addition to providing essential new funding for both state and tribal agencies to strengthen families, this bill includes significant investments and policy updates to improve child safety and well-being. For example, it invests in aiding kinship caregivers in finding needed resources, in evidence-based programs that successfully help parents overcome substance use disorders to safely care for their children, and in independent legal representation to address racial inequities in child welfare. This bill also provides for new demonstration projects to promote meaningful relationships between foster youth and their incarcerated parents, powerful relationships that support both parents and youth."
Key policies included in the Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act:
The bill is supported by 228 national, state, and local organizations, including: American Academy of Pediatrics; American Psychological Association Services, Inc.; American Public Human Services Association; Bolder Horizon; Child Welfare League of America; Children and Family Futures; Children's Defense Fund; Children's Trust Fund Alliance; Family Focused Treatment Association; FosterClub; Generations United; National Association of Counsel for Children; National Association of Counties; National Association of County Human Services Administrators; National Child Abuse Coalition; National Family Resource Coalition; National Indian Child Welfare Association; Prevent Child Abuse America; Think of Us; Voice for Adoption; and Zero to Three.
A summary of the Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act is available here; a section-by-section of the bill is here.
Representative Davis serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means as the most senior Democrat on the Subcommittee with jurisdiction over child welfare.