[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RENEWING AUTHORITY FOR STATE CHILD WELFARE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS

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                               speech of

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 23, 2010

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I wish to offer my strong support 
for H.R. 6156, the Renewing Authority for State Child Welfare 
Demonstration Programs. This bill would permit the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services to allow up to 10 demonstration projects a year to 
test innovative approaches to improving the child welfare system.
  I am an ardent supporter of the waiver program. My home State of 
Illinois has been a leader in developing and demonstrating the 
effectiveness of pioneering child welfare reforms using these waivers. 
Most notably, Illinois's subsidized guardian waiver was critical to 
documenting the success of this permanency option in preserving 
families, improving child well-being, and reducing the number of 
children in care. I am proud that the Illinois waiver helped lay the 
ground work for the statutory change in 2008 via The Fostering 
Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act that allowed states 
to use Federal funds to support family caregivers raising relatives who 
were in the foster care system.
  More recently, Illinois has received a waiver to provide innovative 
services for caregivers with substance use disorders. Illinois's 
demonstration project showed positive outcomes children and families as 
well as substantial cost savings--approximately $6.6 million over the 
lifetime of the waiver. Further, the research related to the program 
reveals important information for improving these programs, especially 
related to the complexity of problems faced by families experiencing 
substance abuse and the types of interventions needed to improve 
reunification and reduce out-of-home placements.
  Although waivers are helpful in strengthening our child welfare 
policy, policymakers must work to implement comprehensive changes to 
the child welfare system--especially with regard to financing and 
emphasizing prevention. I am glad that this legislation includes some 
improvements to the waiver program, including increased reporting on 
the nature of funding used for a demonstration project and prioritizing 
early intervention and crisis intervention to safely reduce the number 
of children removed from their homes. I promise to continue to work 
actively with my colleagues to push for comprehensive reform for the 
child welfare system so that we can improve the well-being of children 
and families.

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