[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 756 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 756

      To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to establish a 
demonstration grant program to provide emergency relief to foster youth 
and improve pre-placement services offered by foster care stabilization 
                   agencies, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 2, 2023

 Mr. Bacon (for himself, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Nunn of Iowa, and 
 Ms. Scanlon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to establish a 
demonstration grant program to provide emergency relief to foster youth 
and improve pre-placement services offered by foster care stabilization 
                   agencies, 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 ``Foster Care Stabilization Act of 
2023''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO IMPROVE PRE-PLACEMENT SERVICES FOR FOSTER YOUTH.

    Section 426 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 626) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Grants To Improve Pre-Placement Services for Foster Youth.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall award 3 
        demonstration grants of not more than $1,000,000 to foster care 
        stabilization agencies for the purpose of providing emergency 
        relief to foster youth and improving pre-placement services for 
        foster youth waiting for placement.
            ``(2) Duration.--A foster care stabilization agency that 
        receives a grant under this subsection shall have 3 years to 
        spend funds awarded by the grant and return any unused grant 
        funds to the Secretary.
            ``(3) Application.--A foster care stabilization agency that 
        desires to receive a grant under this subsection shall submit 
        to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, 
        and containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
        that shall include the following:
                    ``(A) A description of how grant funds will be used 
                to provide emergency relief to foster youth by the 
                foster care stabilization agency.
                    ``(B) A description of how grant funds will be used 
                to improve pre-placement services offered by the foster 
                care stabilization agency.
            ``(4) Application dissemination.--The Secretary shall 
        ensure that the solicitation of applications for a grant under 
        this subsection is posted publically on the website of the 
        Administration for Children and Families and shall make special 
        dissemination efforts to rural areas and among Indian Tribes, 
        Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations.
            ``(5) Use of funds.--A grant awarded under this subsection 
        may be used to carry out any of the following activities:
                    ``(A) Hiring of personnel necessary to provide 
                emergency relief to foster youth and ensure that 
                services, resources, and assistance reach such youth.
                    ``(B) Provision of clothing and other personal 
                necessities to a foster youth for a total not to exceed 
                $250 per foster youth, per year.
                    ``(C) Purchase of food and equipment needed to 
                prepare food for foster youth.
                    ``(D) Provision of service and support to prevent 
                and respond to occurrences of child abuse and neglect 
                with respect to foster youth.
                    ``(E) Any other extraordinary or emergency 
                assistance needed to promote the safety and self-
                sufficiency of foster youth.
                    ``(F) Any other purpose that the Secretary 
                determines appropriate.
            ``(6) Reservation.--The Secretary shall reserve $45,000 of 
        any amounts referred to in paragraph (9) for administration, 
        oversight, and technical assistance activities related to this 
        subsection.
            ``(7) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to the Congress a 
        report that--
                    ``(A) describes how grants awarded under this 
                subsection have been used to provide emergency relief 
                to foster youth;
                    ``(B) describe how grants awarded under this 
                subsection have been used on pre-placement services;
                    ``(C) contains data on the extent of clothing and 
                other necessities purchased with grant funds awarded 
                under this subsection that have been provided to foster 
                youth;
                    ``(D) provides an evaluation of case outcomes for 
                foster youth who have benefitted from grant funds; and
                    ``(E) states the number of home transfers for each 
                foster youth that has benefitted from grant funds.
            ``(8) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Foster care stabilization agency.--The term 
                `foster care stabilization agency' means a local public 
                or private nonprofit entity, including a community or 
                faith-based organization, with expertise and experience 
                providing direct services to 1 or more of the 
                following:
                            ``(i) Children who are under the care and 
                        placement responsibility of a State or tribal 
                        agency that administers a plan under this part 
                        or part E.
                            ``(ii) Foster youth who have not attained 
                        18 years of age.
                            ``(iii) Foster youth who have attained 18 
                        years of age.
                    ``(B) Foster youth.--The term `foster youth' means 
                an individual in foster care who has not attained 26 
                years of age.
                    ``(C) Home transfer.--The term `home transfer' 
                means the initial placement of a foster youth in foster 
                care, and any subsequent placement of that foster youth 
                while in foster care.
            ``(9) Funding.--To the extent that the total of the amounts 
        made available under subsection (a) for a fiscal year exceeds 
        $5,000,000 more than the amount so made available for the 
        previous fiscal year, the Secretary shall use the amounts to 
        carry out this subsection.''.
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