[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2289 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2289

To modernize and improve the Family Unification Program, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 17, 2015

   Mr. Kaine (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Schatz, and Mrs. Murray) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
            Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To modernize and improve the Family Unification Program, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Family Unification, Preservation, 
and Modernization Act of 2015''.

    TITLE I--HOUSING ASSISTANCE UNDER THE FAMILY UNIFICATION PROGRAM

SEC. 101. FAMILY UNIFICATION PROGRAM.

    Section 8(x) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437f(x)) is amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``Preservation 
        and'' after ``Family'';
            (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) Use of funds.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The amounts made available under 
                this subsection shall be used to provide tenant-based 
                or project-based assistance under section 8 on behalf 
                of--
                            ``(i) any family--
                                    ``(I) who is otherwise eligible for 
                                such assistance;
                                    ``(II) who the public child welfare 
                                agency for the jurisdiction has 
                                certified is a family that is lacking 
                                adequate housing or is homeless; and
                                    ``(III) who has a child or children 
                                in out-of-home care or is at risk of 
                                having a child or children placed in 
                                out-of-home care; and
                            ``(ii) except as a provided in subparagraph 
                        (B), for a period not to exceed 36 months, 
                        otherwise eligible youths who have attained at 
                        least 18 years of age and not more than 24 
                        years of age and who--
                                    ``(I) have left foster care at age 
                                14 or older; or
                                    ``(II) will leave foster care 
                                within 90 days (in accordance with a 
                                transition plan described in section 
                                475(5)(H) of the Social Security Act 
                                (42 U.S.C. 675(5)(H)) and is homeless 
                                or at risk of becoming homeless.
                    ``(B) Exception.--If an applicant enrolls an 
                eligible youth in a program authorized under section 
                23, the applicant may extend the 36-month period 
                described in subparagraph (A)(ii) in accordance with 
                the length of the contract of participation for that 
                eligible youth under section 23(c)(3).
                    ``(C) Geographic area.--Amounts made available 
                under this subsection shall be used to provide 
                assistance to families and eligible youths described in 
                subparagraph (A) in the geographic area served by an 
                applicant.
                    ``(D) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this 
                paragraph shall be construed to preclude or limit the 
                ability of an eligible youth described in subparagraph 
                (A)(ii) who receives assistance under this subsection 
                to receive assistance under section 477 of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677).'';
            (3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (7); and
            (4) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
            ``(3) Allocation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall allocate 
                amounts made available under this subsection through a 
                national competition among applicants that--
                            ``(i) partner with public child welfare 
                        agencies; and
                            ``(ii) demonstrate a need for assistance 
                        based on the number of families and eligible 
                        youths described in paragraph (2)(A) in the 
                        geographical area served by the applicant.
                    ``(B) Application.--An applicant desiring amounts 
                made available under this subsection shall submit to 
                the Secretary an application containing--
                            ``(i) a memorandum of understanding between 
                        the applicant and the public child welfare 
                        agency with which the applicant is partnering 
                        (hereinafter referred to as the `partnering 
                        public child welfare agency'), which shall 
                        include--
                                    ``(I) the number of such families 
                                and eligible youths who, as of the date 
                                of the application, are receiving 
                                assistance under this subsection;
                                    ``(II) the joint selection criteria 
                                and strategy established by the 
                                applicant and the partnering public 
                                child welfare agency for identifying 
                                and prioritizing recipients of 
                                assistance under this subsection;
                                    ``(III) for an applicant who will 
                                serve eligible youths, a description of 
                                how the partnering public child welfare 
                                agency will coordinate with the 
                                applicant to ensure that, as part of 
                                the transition plan described in 
                                section 475(5)(H) of the Social 
                                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 675(5)(H)), the 
                                eligible youth does not experience a 
                                lapse in housing and receives 
                                appropriate prehousing counseling to 
                                assist with housing stability;
                                    ``(IV) a description of how the 
                                partnering public child welfare agency 
                                and the applicant will assess outcomes 
                                associated with family preservation and 
                                reunification or assisting eligible 
                                youths transitioning to adulthood for 
                                recipients of assistance under this 
                                subsection, which outcomes may 
                                include--
                                            ``(aa) educational 
                                        improvements for children;
                                            ``(bb) economic improvement 
                                        for adults and youth;
                                            ``(cc) improved housing 
                                        stability;
                                            ``(dd) increased access to 
                                        areas of opportunity; or
                                            ``(ee) reduction of case 
                                        load at the partnering public 
                                        child welfare agency;
                                    ``(V) an identification of 
                                resources that will be available to 
                                recipients of assistance under this 
                                subsection to assist with housing 
                                searches, including in areas of 
                                opportunity, such as identification of 
                                landlords, deposit or renters 
                                insurance, help with back rent, 
                                security deposits, or other upfront 
                                costs associated with securing a 
                                dwelling unit;
                                    ``(VI) a description of the 
                                voluntary supportive services that will 
                                be provided to recipients of assistance 
                                under this subsection for a minimum of 
                                1 year following the date on which the 
                                lease for the applicable dwelling unit 
                                begins; and
                                    ``(VII) if any of the supportive 
                                services described in subclause (VI) 
                                are being provided by a third-party, 
                                community-based organization, a signed 
                                letter of agreement between the 
                                applicant and the partnering public 
                                child welfare agency that--
                                            ``(aa) contains a 
                                        description of the supportive 
                                        services to be provided; and
                                            ``(bb) demonstrates the 
                                        expertise of the third-party, 
                                        community-based organization 
                                        providing those supportive 
                                        services to recipients of 
                                        assistance under this 
                                        subsection;
                            ``(ii) a description of how the applicant 
                        and the partnering public child welfare agency 
                        will coordinate with, and evidence of 
                        consultation with, the local Continuum of Care 
                        (as established under section 422 of the 
                        McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
                        U.S.C. 11382)) or other local providers serving 
                        eligible youths or families to identify 
                        potential recipients for assistance under this 
                        subsection; and
                            ``(iii) any other criteria established by 
                        the Secretary in consultation with the 
                        Secretary of Health and Human Services that are 
                        necessary to promote family unification and 
                        preservation, reduce unnecessary foster care 
                        placement, decrease youth homelessness, and 
                        ensure effective administration of this 
                        subsection.
                    ``(C) Consultation on application requirements.--
                The Secretary may consult with the Secretary of Health 
                and Human Services to establish the timing of 
                submissions and other application requirements, 
                including joint requirements, for an application 
                submitted under this subsection and the application 
                required under section 437A of the Social Security Act.
            ``(4) Coordination between public housing agencies and 
        public child welfare agencies.--
                    ``(A) Supportive services.--The Secretary shall 
                consult with the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
                to identify programs of agencies at the Department of 
                Health and Human Services and the resources available 
                through those agencies to provide supportive services 
                to recipients of assistance under this subsection.
                    ``(B) Guidance.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary and 
                the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
                provide guidance to public child welfare agencies and 
                public housing agencies to improve system coordination 
                and implementation of assistance provided under this 
                subsection, which shall include guidance on--
                            ``(i) identification of programs and 
                        resources available to provide supportive 
                        services for recipients of assistance under 
                        this subsection;
                            ``(ii) sharing data and tracking outcomes;
                            ``(iii) targeting and identifying potential 
                        recipients of assistance under this subsection, 
                        including those at greatest risk of continued 
                        child welfare involvement or long-term housing 
                        instability, and establishing a referral 
                        process;
                            ``(iv) incorporating housing first 
                        strategies to assist families and eligible 
                        youths that are at greatest risk of long-term 
                        housing instability; and
                            ``(v) aligning systems goals to improve 
                        outcomes for recipients of assistance under 
                        this subsection, which improved outcomes may 
                        include--
                                    ``(I) with respect to families 
                                receiving assistance under this 
                                subsection--
                                            ``(aa) reunification of 
                                        children in out-of-home 
                                        placement with their family;
                                            ``(bb) reduced foster care 
                                        length of stay; or
                                            ``(cc) family preservation; 
                                        and
                                    ``(II) with respect to eligible 
                                youths receiving assistance under this 
                                subsection--
                                            ``(aa) enrollment in an 
                                        educational or workforce 
                                        training program;
                                            ``(bb) acquisition of a 
                                        high school diploma or similar 
                                        certification;
                                            ``(cc) reconnecting with 
                                        family; or
                                            ``(dd) acquisition of 
                                        skills necessary to make a 
                                        successful transition to 
                                        adulthood and secure stable 
                                        housing.
                    ``(C) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the 
                date of enactment of this paragraph, and every 5 years 
                thereafter, the Secretary and the Secretary of Health 
                and Human Services shall jointly submit to the 
                Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and 
                the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the 
                Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on 
                Ways and Means of the House of Representatives a report 
                on assistance provided under this subsection, which 
                shall include--
                            ``(i) the number of families and eligible 
                        youths receiving assistance under this 
                        subsection;
                            ``(ii) the types of services made available 
                        to those recipients;
                            ``(iii) the number of families preserved or 
                        unified;
                            ``(iv) the impact on the case load at 
                        partnering public child welfare agencies;
                            ``(v) how the Secretary and the Secretary 
                        of Health and Human Services will assess 
                        outcomes, including outcomes associated with 
                        the intervention that may include educational 
                        improvements for children and economic 
                        improvement for adults and youth, for 
                        recipients of assistance under this subsection;
                            ``(vi) recommendations for policy changes 
                        to better serve families and eligible youths; 
                        and
                            ``(vii) best practices to improve 
                        collaboration between public housing agencies 
                        and public child welfare agencies in other 
                        communities.
            ``(5) Promoting self-sufficiency.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may develop an 
                incentive payment program under which the Secretary may 
                provide incentive payments to public housing agencies 
                that improve connections between recipients of 
                assistance under this subsection with programs 
                authorized under section 23, including--
                            ``(i) increasing enrollment of families and 
                        youth receiving assistance under this 
                        subsection;
                            ``(ii) implementation of evidence-based 
                        practices for improving self-sufficiency; and
                            ``(iii) improved successful completion of 
                        self-sufficiency programs for families and 
                        eligible youths receiving assistance under this 
                        subsection.
                    ``(B) Incentive payment form.--The Secretary may 
                provide incentive payments to public housing agencies 
                under subparagraph (A) as additional administrative 
                fees or service coordinator funding.
                    ``(C) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall evaluate the 
                effectiveness of an incentive payment program developed 
                under subparagraph (A).
            ``(6) Technical assistance.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Of the amounts appropriated or 
                otherwise made available to the Department of Housing 
                and Urban Development in a given fiscal year to carry 
                out this subsection, the Secretary shall use not more 
                than $1,000,000 to provide research and technical 
                assistance to improve the capacity of public housing 
                agencies to serve recipients of assistance under this 
                subsection, including by--
                            ``(i) promoting family stability;
                            ``(ii) improving coordination with public 
                        child welfare agencies; and
                            ``(iii) increasing the availability of 
                        self-sufficiency activities.
                    ``(B) Coordination.--To ensure that programmatic 
                requirements and desired outcomes are being met, the 
                Secretary shall coordinate with agencies at the 
                Department of Health and Human Services to provide the 
                research and technical assistance described in 
                subparagraph (A).''.

 TITLE II--GRANTS FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR RECIPIENTS OF ASSISTANCE 
                  UNDER THE FAMILY UNIFICATION PROGRAM

SEC. 201. GRANT PROGRAM FOR REUNIFICATION AND STABILITY SERVICES FOR 
              RECIPIENTS OF ASSISTANCE UNDER THE FAMILY UNIFICATION 
              PROGRAM.

    Title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 437 the following new section:

``SEC. 437A. GRANTS FOR REUNIFICATION AND STABILITY SERVICES FOR 
              RECIPIENTS OF ASSISTANCE UNDER THE FAMILY UNIFICATION 
              PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to authorize the 
Secretary to make grants to eligible applicants to provide supportive 
services, including case management services, to recipients of housing 
assistance under section 8(x) of United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
U.S.C. 1437f(x)).
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible applicant.--The term `eligible applicant' 
        means a community-based public or private nonprofit entity that 
        provides support services for families and eligible youths 
        described in section 8(x)(2)(A) of the United States Housing 
        Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437(f)(x)(2)).
            ``(2) Eligible recipient.--The term `eligible recipient' 
        means a family or eligible youth who is receiving assistance 
        under section 8(x) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
        U.S.C. 1437f(x)).
    ``(c) Authorization of Grant Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--From the amounts appropriated under 
        subsection (i), the Secretary, in consultation with the 
        Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall make grants 
        under this section for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2025 
        to eligible applicants that submit applications meeting the 
        requirements of this section.
            ``(2) Term of grants.--Any grant under this section shall 
        be for a term of up to 3 years.
            ``(3) Use of grants by eligible applicants.--An eligible 
        applicant that receives a grant under this section shall use 
        the funds made available through the grant to provide services 
        that promote family preservation and stabilization, improve 
        permanency outcomes, or assist in a successful transition to 
        adulthood for eligible recipients.
    ``(d) 12-Month Continuous Eligibility for Eligible Recipients.--A 
family or eligible youth that is determined to be an eligible recipient 
shall continue to be an eligible recipient until the later of--
            ``(1) the end of the 12-month period following the 
        determination; or
            ``(2) the time that the family or individual ceases to be 
        an eligible recipient.
    ``(e) Application Requirements.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to be eligible for a grant 
        under this section, an eligible applicant must submit to the 
        Secretary an application containing such information as the 
        Secretary shall require.
            ``(2) Consultation on application requirements.--The 
        Secretary may consult with the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
        Development to establish the timing of submissions and other 
        application requirements, including joint requirements, for an 
        application submitted under this subsection and the application 
        required under section 8(x)(3) of the United States Housing Act 
        of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(x)(4)).
    ``(f) Federal Share.--
            ``(1) In general.--A grant awarded to an eligible applicant 
        under this section to provide services shall be available to 
        pay up to 75 percent of the costs of such services (including 
        case management services).
            ``(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of cost of 
        services provided under a grant awarded under this section may 
        be in cash or in kind. In determining the amount of the non-
        Federal share, the Secretary may attribute fair market value to 
        goods, services, and facilities contributed from non-Federal 
        sources.
    ``(g) Considerations in Awarding Grants.--In awarding grants under 
this section, the Secretary shall take into consideration--
            ``(1) whether an eligible applicant has experience in 
        providing services and case-management to high-need families or 
        homeless youth;
            ``(2) whether an eligible applicant has an established 
        relationship with local housing providers, including the 
        relevant public housing authority;
            ``(3) whether an eligible applicant utilizes evidence-based 
        practices and trauma-informed care models to serve families, 
        and developmentally and age appropriate practices to serve 
        youth;
            ``(4) the ability of an eligible applicant to provide 
        families and youth with supportive services, including family 
        preservation services and housing stability services; and
            ``(5) the ability of an eligible applicant, through case 
        management services, to connect families and youth with 
        providers of services such as--
                    ``(A) early intervention and preventive services;
                    ``(B) child and family counseling;
                    ``(C) mental and behavioral health services;
                    ``(D) parenting skills training; and
                    ``(E) employment and workforce training programs or 
                educational programs.
    ``(h) Eligibility for Other Funding Under Title IV-B.--Nothing in 
this section shall be construed to limit an eligible applicant from 
applying for, or being eligible for, funding to provide services under 
another program under this part.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $20,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021.''.
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