[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4923 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4923

   To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to require States to 
 provide information about available benefits and services to kinship 
                              caregivers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 1, 2024

 Mr. Casey (for himself and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to require States to 
 provide information about available benefits and services to kinship 
                              caregivers.

    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 ``Informing Grandfamilies Act''.

SEC. 2. STATE NOTIFICATIONS TO KINSHIP CAREGIVERS OF CHILD TANF 
              RECIPIENTS AND APPLICANTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 408(a) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 608(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(13) State requirements regarding notice and guidance to 
        kinship caregivers.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A State to which a grant is made 
                under section 403 shall ensure that the State agency 
                provides to any kinship caregiver of a minor child, 
                including grandparents and other relative caregivers, 
                who contacts the State agency seeking assistance under 
                the State program funded under this part (or under a 
                State program funded with qualified State expenditures 
                (as defined in section 409(a)(7)(B)(i))), or if the 
                child is a recipient of such assistance, written notice 
                that--
                            ``(i) explains the options of the kinship 
                        caregiver under Federal, State, and local law 
                        to participate in the care and placement of the 
                        child, including the financial ramifications of 
                        the options and any options that may be lost by 
                        choosing certain benefits, including how the 
                        receipt of benefits under the State program 
                        funded under this part (or under a State 
                        program funded with qualified State 
                        expenditures (as defined in section 
                        409(a)(7)(B)(i))) could impact eligibility for 
                        other programs;
                            ``(ii) describes the additional services 
                        and supports that are available for a child 
                        placed in a licensed foster family home;
                            ``(iii) notifies the kinship caregiver of 
                        the availability of guardianship assistance 
                        payments if the State has elected the option to 
                        make guardianship assistance payments under 
                        section 471(a)(28);
                            ``(iv) describes policies under the State 
                        program funded under this part that may help 
                        kinship caregivers and the children they care 
                        for; and
                            ``(v) provides direct contact information 
                        for kinship navigator programs described in 
                        section 427(a)(1) or other agencies, including 
                        the State child welfare agency, and community-
                        based organizations that provide resources and 
                        assistance, such as legal services, housing, 
                        supplemental nutrition assistance, health care, 
                        and child care.
                    ``(B) Timing of notice.--The notice required under 
                subparagraph (A)--
                            ``(i) shall be provided to a kinship 
                        caregiver of a minor child at the time that the 
                        kinship caregiver comes into contact with the 
                        State agency regarding assistance under the 
                        State program funded under this part (or under 
                        a State program funded with qualified State 
                        expenditures (as defined in section 
                        409(a)(7)(B)(i)));
                            ``(ii) if applicable, shall be provided to 
                        a kinship caregiver at the time the kinship 
                        caregiver attends an eligibility interview for 
                        assistance (either on the kinship caregiver's 
                        own behalf or on behalf of the child) under 
                        such a program funded under this part; or
                            ``(iii) if the kinship caregiver (or the 
                        child) is already receiving assistance under 
                        such a program on the date of enactment of this 
                        paragraph, shall be sent to the kinship 
                        caregiver as soon as practicable after such 
                        date.
                    ``(C) Provision of guidance to kinship 
                caregivers.--
                            ``(i) In general.--A State to which a grant 
                        is made under section 403 shall ensure that the 
                        State agency responsible for administering the 
                        State program funded under this part employs a 
                        resource employee or contracts with a 
                        community-based organization. Such resource 
                        employee or community-based organization shall 
                        have the necessary expertise to provide 
                        guidance to kinship caregivers, including 
                        grandparents and other relative caregivers, of 
                        a minor child who is a recipient of or may be 
                        seeking assistance under the program (or under 
                        a State program funded with qualified State 
                        expenditures (as defined in section 
                        409(a)(7)(B)(i))) on--
                                    ``(I) eligibility requirements for 
                                a State program funded under this part 
                                (or under a State program funded with 
                                qualified State expenditures (as 
                                defined in section 409(a)(7)(B)(i))), 
                                including the relevant documentation 
                                and application information required to 
                                apply for such programs;
                                    ``(II) legal options regarding 
                                custody and guardianship of the child, 
                                including explaining to the kinship 
                                caregiver how each legal option 
                                corresponds to the availability of 
                                benefits and services, if any;
                                    ``(III) eligibility for 
                                guardianship assistance payments if the 
                                State has elected to make guardianship 
                                assistance payments under section 
                                471(a)(28); and
                                    ``(IV) how the receipt of benefits 
                                under the State program funded under 
                                this part (or under a State program 
                                funded with qualified State 
                                expenditures (as defined in section 
                                409(a)(7)(B)(i))) could impact 
                                eligibility for other programs.
                            ``(ii) Serving as a liaison.--A resource 
                        employee or community-based organization 
                        described in clause (i) shall serve as a 
                        liaison with other agencies and community-based 
                        organizations that provide resources and 
                        assistance to kinship caregivers, which may 
                        include guidance for initiating the process of 
                        obtaining foster family licensure.''.
    (b) Inclusion in State Plan.--Section 402(a)(1)(B) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 602(a)(1)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(vi) The document shall provide a 
                        detailed explanation of how the State intends 
                        to comply with section 408(a)(13).''.
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