[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 24, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           INTRODUCTION OF THE KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 24, 2007

  Mr. KENNEDY. Madam Speaker, imagine having a child with a potentially 
fatal disease. Imagine the pain of watching your child suffer, even 
while effective treatments are out there, only not available to your 
family. Now imagine that you had to choose between watching your child 
in agony, maybe even slowly dying, or getting her the care she needs 
but only by relinquishing your parental rights.
  This kind of choice is barbaric, senseless, and common.
  I rise in support of the Keeping Families Together Act, a collective 
effort initiated by myself, Representative Ramstad, Representative 
Stark, and Senator Collins dedicated to improving the lives of children 
and adolescents living with mental disorders. The time is now to close 
systemic shortfalls in our social service and health care systems that 
revictimize children who suffer from chronic mental health disorders.
  Every year in this country, thousands of families are forced to 
relinquish custody of their children to the state in order to secure 
vitally necessary--even life or death--health care for their seriously 
ill children. These needed services are extremely expensive and private 
insurance often runs out prior to children being adequately treated. 
The financial burden of caring for a child with a chronic mental 
illness often exceeds what a family can bear. Many of these children 
remain Medicaid-ineligible because their parents' income and assets 
prevent them for qualifying for this assistance. These are not families 
who want to turn their children over to state authorities. These are 
reluctant families. Families who have suffered, and have arrived at the 
all too painful reality that they have exhausted all resources 
available short of turning their child over to the State.
  The choice between custody and care is one that no parent should be 
forced to make. Clinical child experts tell us that the best place for 
a child to receive care is in the context of a supportive family 
relationship. Intuitively, we know this to be true. The family is the 
primary institution of care and nurturing for children, and families 
should be empowered to provide the needed care for their children 
through access and support.
  The cornerstone of the Keeping Families Together Act is the provision 
of competitive grants to states, conditioned on the existence of state 
laws and policies to ensure that children receive appropriate mental 
health services and that their parents do not have to relinquish 
custody of their children. These Family Support Grants will in part: 
(1) establish interagency systems of care as an alternative to custody 
relinquishment, (2) facilitate the design of a statewide system of care 
which would involve collaboration between state child-serving agencies, 
parents, providers, and other stakeholders, (3) only fund activities 
which demonstrate benefit to children who are already in or are at risk 
for entering state custody solely for the purpose of receiving mental 
health services.
  This bill would establish a federal interagency task force to examine 
mental health issues in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, 
make recommendations to Congress, and guide the implementation of the 
grant program. States will be required to report annually on the 
success of the programs and activities implemented by the State under 
the grant.
  The Keeping Families Together Act seeks to redress the inexcusable 
emotional disruption that is inflicted upon thousands of children and 
their parents by maintaining a system of care that forces good families 
to relinquish custody of their children to the bureaucrats and 
institutions of the state. Nobody can think that kind of system is good 
for anyone, and it's no wonder this bill has broad bipartisan support. 
It is counterproductive, and clinically counter-indicated, to separate 
emotionally vulnerable children from their core system of nurturing and 
support. The Keeping Families Together Act provides the safety net that 
families need and deserve, because parental rights should never be a 
trade off for children's health care.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle to pass this law this year and keep these families together.

                          ____________________