Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to support the rights of youth in the foster care system.

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to support the rights of youth in the foster care system.

Whereas a 2020 National Health Statistics Report found that adults aged 22–44 who have ever been in foster care were twice as likely to lack either a high school diploma or a GED compared to their peers who have never been in foster care;

Whereas a report from the First Star Institute gave 11 States “D” or “F” grades on their legal rights for foster youth;

Whereas a study by Casey Family Programs of foster children in Oregon and Washington revealed that one-third of foster youth reported maltreatment by their foster parent or another household adult;

Whereas a study from the Department of Health and Human Services found that Black and indigenous children are overrepresented in the foster system and less likely to exit to a permanent home than White children;

Whereas experts agree that social workers offer critical support to both foster youth and families, promoting a healthy living environment;

Whereas a study from the National Institutes of Health found that extensive informed consent requirements for low-risk research activities may contribute to a lack of research on foster children that may in part contribute to this population being at a higher risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes; and

Whereas a 2020 brief from Casey Family Programs reported that sibling separation slows adjustment to their new home and negatively impacts academic performance: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that foster youth should have the right—

(1) to receive an education and, if they so desire, remain in their original school;

(2) to participate in extracurricular, cultural, and social activities appropriate to their age and developmental needs;

(3) to receive needed health services, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health services;

(4) to freedom from abuse, neglect, or corporal punishment;

(5) to be represented by, and to be able to speak to, a guardian or attorney ad litem;

(6) to adequate and healthy food, adequate clothing, and a safe and comfortable living environment;

(7) to freedom from discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or disability;

(8) to maintain, if they so desire, continued contact with their siblings;

(9) to regular and reasonable contact with their assigned caseworker or an employee of the agency responsible for their child welfare services; and

(10) to be informed of their rights.