[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 242 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 242

           Recognizing May as ``National Foster Care Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 3, 2011

 Ms. Bass of California (for herself and Mr. McDermott) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and 
                                 Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Recognizing May as ``National Foster Care Month''.

Whereas on average, the Nation's foster care system provides for nearly 424,000 
        children each day who are unable to live safely with their biological 
        parents;
Whereas foster parents are the most frontline caregiver for children who cannot 
        safely remain with their biological parents and provide physical care, 
        emotional support, education advocacy, and are the largest single source 
        of families providing permanent homes for kids leaving foster care to 
        adoption;
Whereas most children who are removed from the care of their parents live with 
        non-related foster parents, however, the number of children placed in 
        relative foster care is growing;
Whereas on the last day of fiscal year 2009 nearly 1 in 4 of all children living 
        in foster care (24 percent or close to 102,000 children) were living in 
        the homes of relatives;
Whereas children in foster care who are placed with relatives, compared to 
        children placed with non-relatives, have more stability (fewer changes 
        in placements), have more positive perceptions of their placements, are 
        more likely to be placed with their siblings, and demonstrate fewer 
        behavioral problems;
Whereas some relative caregivers receive less financial assistance and support 
        services than do foster caregivers;
Whereas 255,000 children entered the foster care system during fiscal year 2009 
        and an average of 115,000 children were waiting to be adopted every day;
Whereas in fiscal year 2009, almost 57,000 children were adopted out of foster 
        care, but the number of children ``aging out'' of the foster care system 
        without finding a permanent family increased to nearly 29,500;
Whereas children ``aging out'' of foster care need and deserve a support system 
        as they work to secure affordable housing, obtain health insurance, 
        pursue higher education, and acquire adequate employment;
Whereas youth in foster care are much more likely to face educational 
        instability with 65 percent of former foster children experiencing at 
        least 7 school changes while in care;
Whereas an increased emphasis on prevention and reunification services is 
        necessary to reduce the number of children that are forced to remain in 
        the foster care system;
Whereas Federal legislation over the past 3 decades, including the Adoption 
        Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, the Adoption and Safe Families 
        Act of 1997, and the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing 
        Adoptions Act of 2008, provided new investments and services to improve 
        the outcomes of children in the foster care system;
Whereas State and local governments and other child serving agencies have also 
        invested in child welfare services improvements in order to provide 
        stable, permanent homes for children;
Whereas more work and investments are needed to provide the necessary array of 
        services to these children;
Whereas foster children, like all children, deserve no less than a safe, loving, 
        and permanent home; and
Whereas May would be an appropriate month to designate as National Foster Care 
        Month to provide an opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishments of 
        the child welfare workforce, foster parents, advocacy community, and 
        mentors and the positive impact they have on children's lives: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Foster Care 
        Month;
            (2) honors the tireless efforts of those who work to 
        improve outcomes for children in the child welfare system;
            (3) acknowledges the exceptional alumni of the foster care 
        system who serve as advocates and role models for youth who 
        remain in care;
            (4) recognizes the significant improvements to Federal, 
        State, and local child welfare policy; and
            (5) reaffirms the need to work through the programs in 
        Title IV-B and IV-E in the Social Security Act and other 
        programs to support vulnerable families, invest in prevention 
        and reunification services, promote adoption in cases where 
        reunification is not in a child's best interest, adequately 
        serve those children brought into the foster care system, and 
        facilitate the successful transition into adulthood for 
        children that ``age out'' of the foster care system.
                                 <all>