[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 141 (Wednesday, September 21, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H6292-H6304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES IMPROVEMENT AND INNOVATION ACT
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 2883) to amend part B of title IV of the Social
Security Act to extend the child and family services program through
fiscal year 2016, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2883
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 ``Child and Family Services
Improvement and Innovation Act''.
TITLE I--EXTENSION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES PROGRAMS
SEC. 101. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES CHILD WELFARE SERVICES
PROGRAM.
(a) Extension of Program.--Section 425 of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 625) is amended by striking ``2007
through 2011'' and inserting ``2012 through 2016''.
(b) Modification of Certain State Plan Requirements.--
(1) Response to emotional trauma.--Section
422(b)(15)(A)(ii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 622(b)(15)(A)(ii))
is amended by inserting ``, including emotional trauma
associated with a child's maltreatment and removal from
home'' before the semicolon.
(2) Procedures on the use of psychotropic medications.--
Section 422(b)(15)(A)(v) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
622(b)(15)(A)(v)) is amended by inserting ``, including
protocols for the appropriate use and monitoring of
psychotropic medications'' before the semicolon.
(3) Description of activities to address developmental
needs of very young children.--Section 422(b) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 622(b)) is amended--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (16);
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (17) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(18) include a description of the activities that the
State has undertaken to reduce the length of time children
who have not attained 5 years of age are without a permanent
family, and the activities the State undertakes to address
the developmental needs of such children who receive benefits
or services under this part or part E.''.
(4) Data sources for child death reporting.--Section 422(b)
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 622(b)), as amended by paragraph (3)
of this subsection, is amended--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (17);
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (18) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(19) contain a description of the sources used to compile
information on child maltreatment deaths required by Federal
law to be reported by the State agency referred to in
paragraph (1), and to the extent that the compilation does
not include information on such deaths from the State vital
statistics department, child death review teams, law
enforcement agencies, or offices of medical examiners or
coroners, the State shall describe why the information is not
so included and how the State will include the
information.''.
(c) Child Visitation by Caseworkers.--Section 424 of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 624) is amended by striking the 2nd subsection
(e), as added by section 7(b) of the Child and Family
Services Improvement Act of 2006, and inserting the
following:
``(f)(1)(A) Each State shall take such steps as are
necessary to ensure that the total number of visits made by
caseworkers on a monthly basis to children in foster care
under the responsibility of the State during a fiscal year is
not less than 90 percent (or, in the case of fiscal year 2015
or thereafter, 95 percent) of the total number of such visits
that would occur during the fiscal year if each such child
were so visited once every month while in such care.
``(B) If the Secretary determines that a State has failed
to comply with subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, then the
percentage that would otherwise apply for purposes of
subsection (a) for the fiscal year shall be reduced by--
``(i) 1, if the number of full percentage points by which
the State fell short of the percentage specified in
subparagraph (A) is less than 10;
``(ii) 3, if the number of full percentage points by which
the State fell short, as described in clause (i), is not less
than 10 and less than 20; or
``(iii) 5, if the number of full percentage points by which
the State fell short, as described in clause (i), is not less
than 20.
``(2)(A) Each State shall take such steps as are necessary
to ensure that not less than 50 percent of the total number
of visits made by caseworkers to children in foster care
under the responsibility of the State during a fiscal year
occur in the residence of the child involved.
``(B) If the Secretary determines that a State has failed
to comply with subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, then the
percentage that would otherwise apply for purposes of
subsection (a) for the fiscal year shall be reduced by--
``(i) 1, if the number of full percentage points by which
the State fell short of the percentage specified in
subparagraph (A) is less than 10;
``(ii) 3, if the number of full percentage points by which
the State fell short, as described in clause (i), is not less
than 10 and less than 20; or
``(iii) 5, if the number of full percentage points by which
the State fell short, as described in clause (i), is not less
than 20.''.
(d) Technical Correction.--Section 423(b) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 623(b)) is amended by striking ``per centum'' each
place it appears and inserting ``percent''.
SEC. 102. PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE FAMILIES PROGRAM.
(a) Extension of Funding Authorizations.--
(1) In general.--Section 436(a) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 629f(a)) is amended by striking all that follows
``$345,000,000'' and inserting ``for each of fiscal years
2012 through 2016.''.
(2) Discretionary grants.--Section 437(a) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 629g(a)) is amended by striking ``2007 through 2011''
and inserting ``2012 through 2016''.
(b) Targeting of Services to Populations at Greatest Risk
of Maltreatment.--Section 432(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
629b(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (8);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (9) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(10) describes how the State identifies which populations
are at the greatest risk of maltreatment and how services are
targeted to the populations.''.
(c) Revised Purposes of Family Support Services and Time-
limited Family Reunification Services.--
(1) Family support services.--Section 431(a)(2) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 629a(a)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
``(2) Family support services.--
``(A) In general.--The term `family support services' means
community-based services designed to carry out the purposes
described in subparagraph (B).
``(B) Purposes described.--The purposes described in this
subparagraph are the following:
``(i) To promote the safety and well-being of children and
families.
``(ii) To increase the strength and stability of families
(including adoptive, foster, and extended families).
``(iii) To increase parents' confidence and competence in
their parenting abilities.
``(iv) To afford children a safe, stable, and supportive
family environment.
``(v) To strengthen parental relationships and promote
healthy marriages.
``(vi) To enhance child development, including through
mentoring (as defined in section 439(b)(2)).''.
(2) Time-limited family reunification services.--Section
431(a)(7)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629a(a)(7)(B)) is amended
by redesignating clause (vi) as clause (viii) and inserting
after clause (v) the following:
``(vi) Peer-to-peer mentoring and support groups for
parents and primary caregivers.
``(vii) Services and activities designed to facilitate
access to and visitation of children by parents and
siblings.''.
(d) Uniform Definitions of Indian Tribe and Tribal
Organization.--Section 431(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
629a(a)(5) and (6)) is amended by striking paragraphs (5) and
(6) and inserting the following:
``(5) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' has the
meaning given the term in section 428(c).
``(6) Tribal organization.--The term `tribal organization'
has the meaning given the term in section 428(c).''.
[[Page H6293]]
(e) Submission to Congress of State Summaries of Financial
Data; Publication on Hhs Website.--Section 432(c) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 629b(c)) is amended--
(1) by striking all that precedes ``shall'' and inserting
the following:
``(c) Annual Submission of State Reports to Congress.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary''; and
(2) by adding after and below the end the following:
``(2) Information to be included.--The compilation shall
include the individual State reports and tables that
synthesize State information into national totals for each
element required to be included in the reports, including
planned and actual spending by service category for the
program authorized under this subpart and planned spending by
service category for the program authorized under subpart 1.
``(3) Public accessibility.--Not later than September 30 of
each year, the Secretary shall publish the compilation on the
website of the Department of Health and Human Services in a
location easily accessible by the public.''.
(f) GAO Report on Multiple Sources of Federal Spending and
Family Access to Services.--Not later than 12 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of
the United States shall submit to Congress a report that--
(1) identifies alternative sources of Federal funding that
are being employed by States or other entities for the same
purposes for which funding is provided under subpart 1 or 2
of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act; and
(2) assesses the needs of families eligible for services
under such program, including identification of underserved
communities and information regarding--
(A) the supports available for caseworkers to appropriately
investigate and safely manage their caseloads;
(B) the length of the wait time for families to receive
substance abuse and other preventive services; and
(C) the number of families on waiting lists for such
services and the effect of the delay on healthy, successful
reunification outcomes for such families.
(g) Technical Corrections.--
(1) Section 432(a)(8)(B) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 629b(a)(8)(B)) is amended in each of clauses (i) and
(ii) by striking ``forms CFS 101-Part I and CFS 101-Part II
(or any successor forms)'' and inserting ``form CFS-101
(including all parts and any successor forms)''.
(2) Section 433(c)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
629c(c)(2)) is amended--
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Food stamp''
and inserting ``Supplemental nutrition assistance program
benefits''; and
(B) by striking ``benefits benefits'' each place it appears
and inserting ``benefits''.
SEC. 103. GRANTS FOR TARGETED PURPOSES.
(a) Extension of Funding Reservations for Monthly
Caseworker Visits and Regional Partnership Grants.--Section
436(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629f(b)) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ``433(e)'' and all
that follows and inserting ``433(e) $20,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2012 through 2016.''; and
(2) in paragraph (5), by striking ``437(f)'' and all that
follows and inserting ``437(f) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2012 through 2016.''.
(b) Revision in Use of Monthly Caseworker Visits Grants.--
Section 436(b)(4)(B)(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629f(b)(4)(B))
is amended--
(1) by striking ``support'' and insert ``improve the
quality of''; and
(2) by striking ``a primary emphasis'' and all that follows
and inserting ``an emphasis on improving caseworker decision
making on the safety, permanency, and well-being of foster
children and on activities designed to increase retention,
recruitment, and training of caseworkers.''; and
(c) Reauthorization of Regional Partnership Grants to
Assist Children Affected by Parental Substance Abuse.--
(1) Extension of program.--Section 437(f)(3)(A) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(3)(A)) is amended by striking ``2007
through 2011'' and inserting ``2012 through 2016''.
(2) Revisions to program.--Section 437(f) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 629g(f)) is amended--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking
``Methamphetamine or Other'';
(B) in each of paragraphs (1), (4)(A), (7)(A)(i), and
(9)(B)(iii), by striking ``methamphetamine or other'';
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking subparagraph (B) and
inserting the following:
``(B) Required minimum period of approval.--
``(i) In general.--A grant shall be awarded under this
subsection for a period of not less than 2, and not more than
5, fiscal years, subject to clause (ii).
``(ii) Extension of grant.--On application of the grantee,
the Secretary may extend for not more than 2 fiscal years the
period for which a grant is awarded under this subsection.
``(C) Multiple grants allowed.--This subsection shall not
be interpreted to prevent a grantee from applying for, or
being awarded, separate grants under this subsection.'';
(D) in paragraph (6)(A)--
(i) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (ii);
(ii) by striking the period at the end of clause (iii) and
inserting a semicolon; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) 70 percent for the sixth such fiscal year; and
``(v) 65 percent for the seventh such fiscal year.'';
(E) in paragraph (7)--
(i) by striking ``shall--'' and all that follows through
``(A) take'' and inserting ``shall take'';
(ii) in subparagraph (A)(iv), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a period;
(iii) by striking subparagraph (B); and
(iv) by redesignating clauses (i) through (iv) of
subparagraph (A) as subparagraphs (A) through (D),
respectively, and moving each of such provisions 2 ems to the
left; and
(F) by adding at the end the following:
``(10) Limitation on use of funds for administrative
expenses of the secretary.--Not more than 5 percent of the
amounts appropriated or reserved for awarding grants under
this subsection for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016
may be used by the Secretary for salaries and Department of
Health and Human Services administrative expenses in
administering this subsection.''.
(3) Evaluations.--Not later than December 31, 2012, and not
later than December 31, 2017, the Secretary of Health and
Human Services shall evaluate the effectiveness of the grants
awarded to regional partnerships under section 437(f) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)) and shall publish a
report regarding the results of each evaluation on the
website of the Department of Health and Human Services. Each
report required to be published under this subsection shall
include--
(A) an evaluation of the programs and activities conducted,
and the services provided, with the grant funds awarded under
such section for fiscal years 2007 through 2011, in the case
of the evaluation required by December 31, 2012, and for
fiscal years 2012 through 2016, in the case of the evaluation
required by December 31, 2017;
(B) an analysis of the regional partnerships awarded such
grants that have, and have not, been successful in achieving
the goals and outcomes specified in their grant applications
and with respect to the performance indicators established by
the Secretary under paragraph (8) of such section that are
applicable to their grant awards; and
(C) an analysis of the extent to which such grants have
been successful in addressing the needs of families with
methamphetamine or other substance abuse problems who come to
the attention of the child welfare system and in achieving
the goals of child safety, permanence, and family stability.
SEC. 104. COURT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
(a) Grant Purposes.--Section 438(a) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 629h(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting ``, including the requirements in the Act related
to concurrent planning;'';
(B) in subparagraph (B), by adding ``and'' at the end; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) to increase and improve engagement of the entire
family in court processes relating to child welfare, family
preservation, family reunification, and adoption;''; and
(2) in paragraph (4)--
(A) by inserting ``(A)'' after ``(4)'';
(B) by striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding after and below the end the following:
``(B) to increase and improve engagement of the entire
family in court processes relating to child welfare, family
preservation, family reunification, and adoption.''.
(b) Single Grant Application.--Section 438(b)(2) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 629h(b)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
``(2) Single grant application.--Pursuant to the
requirements under paragraph (1) of this subsection, a
highest State court desiring a grant under this section shall
submit a single application to the Secretary that specifies
whether the application is for a grant for--
``(A) the purposes described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of
subsection (a);
``(B) the purpose described in subsection (a)(3);
``(C) the purpose described in subsection (a)(4); or
``(D) the purposes referred to in 2 or more (specifically
identified) of subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of this
paragraph.''.
(c) Amount of Grant.--Section 438(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
629h(c)) is amended to read as follows:
``(c) Amount of Grant.--
``(1) In general.--With respect to each of subparagraphs
(A), (B), and (C) of subsection (b)(2) that refers to 1 or
more grant purposes for which an application of a highest
State court is approved under this section, the court shall
be entitled to payment, for each of fiscal years 2012 through
2016, from the amount allocated under paragraph (3) of this
subsection for grants for the purpose or purposes, of an
amount equal to $85,000 plus the amount described in
paragraph (2) of this subsection with respect to the purpose
or purposes.
``(2) Amount described.--The amount described in this
paragraph for any fiscal year with respect to the purpose or
purposes referred to in a subparagraph of subsection (b)(2)
is the amount that bears the same ratio to the total of the
amounts allocated under paragraph (3) of this subsection for
grants for the purpose or purposes as the number of
individuals in the State who have not attained 21 years of
age bears to the total number of such individuals in all
States the highest State courts of which have approved
applications under this section for grants for the purpose or
purposes.
``(3) Allocation of funds.--
``(A) Mandatory funds.--Of the amounts reserved under
section 436(b)(2) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall
allocate--
``(i) $9,000,000 for grants for the purposes described in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a);
``(ii) $10,000,000 for grants for the purpose described in
subsection (a)(3);
[[Page H6294]]
``(iii) $10,000,000 for grants for the purpose described in
subsection (a)(4); and
``(iv) $1,000,000 for grants to be awarded on a competitive
basis among the highest courts of Indian tribes or tribal
consortia that--
``(I) are operating a program under part E, in accordance
with section 479B;
``(II) are seeking to operate a program under part E and
have received an implementation grant under section 476; or
``(III) has a court responsible for proceedings related to
foster care or adoption.
``(B) Discretionary funds.--The Secretary shall allocate
all of the amounts reserved under section 437(b)(2) for
grants for the purposes described in paragraphs (1) and (2)
of subsection (a).''.
(d) Extension of Federal Share.--Section 438(d) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 629h(d)) is amended by striking ``2002 through
2011'' and inserting ``2012 through 2016''.
(e) Technical Correction.--Effective as if included in the
enactment of the Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of
Foster Children Act of 2006, section 8(b) of such Act (120
Stat. 513) is amended by striking ``438(b) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 638(b))'' inserting ``438(b)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
629h(b)(1))''.
SEC. 105. DATA STANDARDIZATION FOR IMPROVED DATA MATCHING.
(a) In General.--Part B of title IV of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 621-629i) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``Subpart 3--Common Provisions
``SEC. 440. DATA STANDARDIZATION FOR IMPROVED DATA MATCHING.
``(a) Standard Data Elements.--
``(1) Designation.--The Secretary, in consultation with an
interagency work group established by the Office of
Management and Budget, and considering State perspectives,
shall, by rule, designate standard data elements for any
category of information required to be reported under this
part.
``(2) Data elements must be nonproprietary and
interoperable.--The standard data elements designated under
paragraph (1) shall, to the extent practicable, be
nonproprietary and interoperable.
``(3) Other requirements.--In designating standard data
elements under this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the
extent practicable, incorporate--
``(A) interoperable standards developed and maintained by
an international voluntary consensus standards body, as
defined by the Office of Management and Budget, such as the
International Organization for Standardization;
``(B) interoperable standards developed and maintained by
intergovernmental partnerships, such as the National
Information Exchange Model; and
``(C) interoperable standards developed and maintained by
Federal entities with authority over contracting and
financial assistance, such as the Federal Acquisition
Regulatory Council.
``(b) Data Standards for Reporting.--
``(1) Designation.--The Secretary, in consultation with an
interagency work group established by the Office of
Management and Budget, and considering State government
perspectives, shall, by rule, designate data reporting
standards to govern the reporting required under this part.
``(2) Requirements.--The data reporting standards required
by paragraph (1) shall, to the extent practicable--
``(A) incorporate a widely-accepted, non-proprietary,
searchable, computer-readable format;
``(B) be consistent with and implement applicable
accounting principles; and
``(C) be capable of being continually upgraded as
necessary.
``(3) Incorporation of nonproprietary standards.--In
designating reporting standards under this subsection, the
Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, incorporate
existing nonproprietary standards, such as the eXtensible
Business Reporting Language.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on October 1, 2012, and shall apply with
respect to information required to be reported on or after
such date.
SEC. 106. PROVISIONS RELATING TO FOSTER CARE OR ADOPTION.
(a) Educational Stability for Each Foster Placement.--
Section 475(1)(G) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
675(1)(G)) is amended--
(1) in clause (i), by striking ``the placement'' and
inserting ``each placement''; and
(2) in clause (ii)(I), by inserting ``each'' before
``placement''.
(b) Foster Youth ID Theft.--Section 475(5) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 675(5)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (G);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (H)
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(I) each child in foster care under the responsibility of
the State who has attained 16 years of age receives without
cost a copy of any consumer report (as defined in section
603(d) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act) pertaining to the
child each year until the child is discharged from care, and
receives assistance (including, when feasible, from any
court-appointed advocate for the child) in interpreting and
resolving any inaccuracies in the report.''.
(c) Description of Adoption Spending.--Section 473(a)(8) of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 673(a)(8)) is amended by inserting ``,
and shall document how such amounts are spent, including on
post-adoption services'' before the period.
(d) Inclusion in Annual Report of Additional Information on
Child Visitation by Caseworkers.--Section 479A(6) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 679b(6)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (A); and
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C)
and inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
``(B) the total number of visits made by caseworkers on a
monthly basis to children in foster care under the
responsibility of the State during a fiscal year as a
percentage of the total number of the visits that would occur
during the fiscal year if each child were so visited once
every month while in such care; and''.
SEC. 107. EFFECTIVE DATE.
(a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided in this
title, this title and the amendments made by this title shall
take effect on October 1, 2011, and shall apply to payments
under parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act
for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date,
without regard to whether regulations to implement the
amendments are promulgated by such date.
(b) Delay Permitted if State Legislation Required.--If the
Secretary of Health and Human Services determines that State
legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) is
required in order for a State plan developed pursuant to
subpart 1 of part B, or a State plan approved under subpart 2
of part B or part E, of title IV of the Social Security Act
to meet the additional requirements imposed by the amendments
made by this title, the plan shall not be regarded as failing
to meet any of the additional requirements before the 1st day
of the 1st calendar quarter beginning after the first regular
session of the State legislature that begins after the date
of the enactment of this Act. If the State has a 2-year
legislative session, each year of the session is deemed to be
a separate regular session of the State legislature.
TITLE II--CHILD WELFARE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS
SEC. 201. RENEWAL OF AUTHORITY TO APPROVE DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS DESIGNED TO TEST INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES
IN STATE CHILD WELFARE PROGRAMS.
Section 1130 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-9)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) Limitation.--During fiscal years 2012 through 2014,
the Secretary may authorize demonstration projects described
in paragraph (1), with not more than 10 demonstration
projects to be authorized in each fiscal year.''.
(B) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
``(3) Conditions for state eligibility.--For purposes of a
new demonstration project under this section that is
initially approved in any of fiscal years 2012 through 2014,
a State shall be authorized to conduct such demonstration
project only if the State satisfies the following conditions:
``(A) Identify 1 or more goals.--
``(i) In general.--The State shall demonstrate that the
demonstration project is designed to accomplish 1 or more of
the following goals:
``(I) Increase permanency for all infants, children, and
youth by reducing the time in foster placements when possible
and promoting a successful transition to adulthood for older
youth.
``(II) Increase positive outcomes for infants, children,
youth, and families in their homes and communities, including
tribal communities, and improve the safety and well-being of
infants, children, and youth.
``(III) Prevent child abuse and neglect and the re-entry of
infants, children, and youth into foster care.
``(ii) Long-term therapeutic family treatment centers;
addressing domestic violence.--With respect to a
demonstration project that is designed to accomplish 1 or
more of the goals described in clause (i), the State may
elect to establish a program--
``(I) to permit foster care maintenance payments to be made
under part E of title IV to a long-term therapeutic family
treatment center (as described in paragraph (8)(B)) on behalf
of a child residing in the center; or
``(II) to identify and address domestic violence that
endangers children and results in the placement of children
in foster care.
``(B) Demonstrate readiness.--The State shall demonstrate
through a narrative description the State's capacity to
effectively use the authority to conduct a demonstration
project under this section by identifying changes the State
has made or plans to make in policies, procedures, or other
elements of the State's child welfare program that will
enable the State to successfully achieve the goal or goals of
the project.
``(C) Demonstrate implemented or planned child welfare
program improvement policies.--
``(i) In general.--The State shall demonstrate that the
State has implemented, or plans to implement within 3 years
of the date on which the State submits its application to
conduct the demonstration project or 2 years after the date
on which the Secretary approves such demonstration project
(whichever is later), at least 2 of the child welfare program
improvement policies described in paragraph (7).
``(ii) Previous implementation.--For purposes of the
requirement described in clause (i), at least 1 of the child
welfare program improvement policies to be implemented by the
State shall be a policy that the State has not previously
implemented as of the date on which the State submits an
application to conduct the demonstration project.
``(iii) Implementation review.--The Secretary may terminate
the authority of a State to
[[Page H6295]]
conduct a demonstration project under this section if, after
the 3-year period following approval of the demonstration
project, the State has not made significant progress in
implementing the child welfare program improvement policies
proposed by the State under clause (i).'';
(C) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``and the ability of the
State to implement a corrective action plan approved under
section 1123A'' before the period; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Inapplicability of random assignment for control
groups as a factor for approval of demonstration projects.--
For purposes of evaluating an application to conduct a
demonstration project under this section, the Secretary shall
not take into consideration whether such project requires
random assignment of children and families to groups served
under the project and to control groups.
``(7) Child welfare program improvement policies.--For
purposes of paragraph (3)(C), the child welfare program
improvement policies described in this paragraph are the
following:
``(A) The establishment of a bill of rights for infants,
children, and youth in foster care that is widely shared and
clearly outlines protections for infants, children, and
youth, such as assuring frequent visits with parents,
siblings, and caseworkers, access to attorneys, and
participation in age-appropriate extracurricular activities,
and procedures for ensuring the protections are provided.
``(B) The development and implementation of a plan for
meeting the health and mental health needs of infants,
children, and youth in foster care that includes ensuring
that the provision of health and mental health care is child-
specific, comprehensive, appropriate, and consistent (through
means such as ensuring the infant, child, or youth has a
medical home, regular wellness medical visits, and addressing
the issue of trauma, when appropriate).
``(C) The inclusion in the State plan under section 471 of
an amendment implementing the option under subsection (a)(28)
of that section to enter into kinship guardianship assistance
agreements.
``(D) The election under the State plan under section 471
to define a `child' for purposes of the provision of foster
care maintenance payments, adoption assistance payments, and
kinship guardianship assistance payments, so as to include
individuals described in each of subclauses (I), (II), and
(III) of section 475(8)(B)(i) who have not attained age 21.
``(E) The development and implementation of a plan that
ensures congregate care is used appropriately and reduces the
placement of children and youth in such care.
``(F) Of those infants, children, and youth in out-of-home
placements, substantially increasing the number of cases of
siblings who are in the same foster care, kinship
guardianship, or adoptive placement, above the number of such
cases in fiscal year 2008.
``(G) The development and implementation of a plan to
improve the recruitment and retention of high quality foster
family homes trained to help assist infants, children, and
youth swiftly secure permanent families. Supports for foster
families under such a plan may include increasing maintenance
payments to more adequately meet the needs of infants,
children, and youth in foster care and expanding training,
respite care, and other support services for foster parents.
``(H) The establishment of procedures designed to assist
youth as they prepare for their transition out of foster
care, such as arranging for participation in age-appropriate
extra-curricular activities, providing appropriate access to
cell phones, computers, and opportunities to obtain a
driver's license, providing notification of all sibling
placements if siblings are in care and sibling location if
siblings are out of care, and providing counseling and
financial support for post-secondary education.
``(I) The inclusion in the State plan under section 471 of
a description of State procedures for--
``(i) ensuring that youth in foster care who have attained
age 16 are engaged in discussions, including during the
development of the transition plans required under paragraphs
(1)(D) and (5)(H) of section 475, that explore whether the
youth wishes to reconnect with the youth's biological family,
including parents, grandparents, and siblings, and, if so,
what skills and strategies the youth will need to
successfully and safely reconnect with those family members;
``(ii) providing appropriate guidance and services to youth
whom affirm an intent to reconnect with biological family
members on how to successfully and safely manage such
reconnections; and
``(iii) making, when appropriate, efforts to include
biological family members in such reconnection efforts.
``(J) The establishment of one or more of the following
programs designed to prevent infants, children, and youth
from entering foster care or to provide permanency for
infants, children, and youth in foster care:
``(i) An intensive family finding program.
``(ii) A kinship navigator program.
``(iii) A family counseling program, such as a family group
decision-making program, and which may include in-home peer
support for families.
``(iv) A comprehensive family-based substance abuse
treatment program.
``(v) A program under which special efforts are made to
identify and address domestic violence that endangers
infants, children, and youth and puts them at risk of
entering foster care.
``(vi) A mentoring program.
``(8) Definitions.--In this subsection--
``(A) the term `youth' means, with respect to a State, an
individual who has attained age 12 but has not attained the
age at which an individual is no longer considered to be a
child under the State plans under parts B and E of title IV,
and
``(B) the term `long-term therapeutic family treatment
center' means a State licensed or certified program that
enables parents and their children to live together in a safe
environment for a period of not less than 6 months and
provides, on-site or by referral, substance abuse treatment
services, children's early intervention services, family
counseling, legal services, medical care, mental health
services, nursery and preschool, parenting skills training,
pediatric care, prenatal care, sexual abuse therapy, relapse
prevention, transportation, and job or vocational training or
classes leading to a secondary school diploma or a
certificate of general equivalence.'';
(2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) Duration of Demonstration.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), a
demonstration project under this section may be conducted for
not more than 5 years, unless in the judgment of the
Secretary, the demonstration project should be allowed to
continue.
``(2) Termination of authority.--In no event shall a
demonstration project under this section be conducted after
September 30, 2019.'';
(3) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``(which shall provide,''
and all that follows before the semicolon;
(B) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (6);
(C) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
``(7) an accounting of any additional Federal, State, and
local investments made, as well as any private investments
made in coordination with the State, during the 2 fiscal
years preceding the application to provide the services
described in paragraph (1), and an assurance that the State
will provide an accounting of that same spending for each
year of an approved demonstration project; and'';
(4) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h);
(5) by striking subsection (f) and inserting the following:
``(f) Evaluations.--Each State authorized to conduct a
demonstration project under this section shall obtain an
evaluation by an independent contractor of the effectiveness
of the project, using an evaluation design approved by the
Secretary which provides for--
``(1) comparison of methods of service delivery under the
project, and such methods under a State plan or plans, with
respect to efficiency, economy, and any other appropriate
measures of program management;
``(2) comparison of outcomes for children and families (and
groups of children and families) under the project, and such
outcomes under a State plan or plans, for purposes of
assessing the effectiveness of the project in achieving
program goals; and
``(3) any other information that the Secretary may require.
``(g) Reports.--
``(1) State reports; public availability.--Each State
authorized to conduct a demonstration project under this
section shall--
``(A) submit periodic reports to the Secretary on the
specific programs, activities, and strategies used to improve
outcomes for infants, children, youth, and families and the
results achieved for infants, children, and youth during the
conduct of the demonstration project, including with respect
to those infants, children, and youth who are prevented from
entering foster care, infants, children, and youth in foster
care, and infants, children, and youth who move from foster
care to permanent families; and
``(B) post a copy of each such report on the website for
the State child welfare program concurrent with the
submission of the report to the Secretary.
``(2) Reports to congress.--The Secretary shall submit to
the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate--
``(A) periodic reports based on the State reports submitted
under paragraph (1); and
``(B) a report based on the results of the State
evaluations required under subsection (f) that includes an
analysis of the results of such evaluations and such
recommendations for administrative or legislative changes as
the Secretary determines appropriate.''; and
(6) by adding at the end the following:
``(i) Indian Tribes Operating IV-E Programs Considered
States.--An Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal
consortium that has elected to operate a program under part E
of title IV in accordance with section 479B shall be
considered a State for purposes of this section.''.
TITLE III--BUDGET PROVISIONS
SEC. 301. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
[[Page H6296]]
General Leave
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on the subject of the bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 2883, the Child and Family Services
Improvement and Innovation Act, a bill that continues a tradition of
bipartisanship in crafting child welfare legislation.
The bill we're considering today reauthorizes two important child
welfare programs, incorporating a series of improvements developed
during hearings held by the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human
Resources over the past few months.
In addition to continuing and making improvements to two major child
welfare programs, this bill also renews authority for the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to approve child welfare waivers during the
next 3 years. Past waivers have allowed States to test new and better
ways of helping children at risk of abuse and neglect.
Earlier this year, the House unanimously passed legislation renewing
this authority, but the Senate has not followed suit.
This bill, which our colleagues in the Senate also support and which
was favorably reported by the Senate Finance Committee yesterday, will
allow innovation to continue and may yield information to improve child
welfare programs in the future. The bill will also establish a process
to create needed data standards in child welfare programs. This
language is a first step towards improving collaboration between social
service programs.
We have often heard in hearings that States and programs within
States have difficulty coordinating services because of difficulty
sharing data, and that this lack of coordination increases costs and
decreases effectiveness. This bill directs the Secretary of HHS to work
with the States to establish national data standards so that all State
child welfare programs are speaking the same language.
To show the wide support for this bill, Mr. Speaker, I would like to
insert letters of support into the Record from the following
organizations: The National Conference of State Legislatures; the
American Public Human Services Association; the Conference of Chief
Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators; the American
Institute of CPAs; the American Humane Association; the North American
Council on Adoptable Children; Voice for Adoption; the Association on
American Indian Affairs; the National Indian Child Welfare Association;
Youth Villages; First Focus Campaign for Children; Zero to Three (The
National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families); the National
Foster Care Coalition; the Child Welfare League of America; the
Children's Defense Fund; the Center for the Study of Social Policy; and
the Public Children Services Association of Ohio.
National Foster Care Coalition,
Washington, DC, September 13, 2011.
Hon. Max Baucus,
Chairman, Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senate, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. Orrin Hatch,
Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Human Resources, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Baucus, Ranking Member Hatch, Chairman Davis
and Ranking Member Doggett: The National Foster Care
Coalition extends its support to the reforms made through the
Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act of
2011.
In these challenging times we still believe important
reforms can be made with the child welfare system. Waiver
provisions provide an opportunity for states to strengthen
their child welfare systems in some very important ways.
We appreciate and support the inclusion of important
provisions we highlighted including: Greater attention placed
on the care and the development of infants and toddlers who
come into contact with the child welfare system. Continuation
of the substance abuse grants and that these grants will have
a broader substance abuse focus. Funding for child welfare
workforce development and the accompanying requirements on
monthly visits to children in foster care. Additional
clarification on the state tracking and reporting of the
adoption maintenance-of-effort provisions as enacted by PL
110-351 will provide a greater assurance that more funds are
re-invested into state child welfare systems. Clarification
of the education protection for children in foster care.
Provisions that will help address issue young people in
foster care face with identity theft. Attention to youth
rights, participation in transition planning, and connections
with birth family members.
We also support the increased attention to tracking the use
of psychotropic medications, the increased focus on
addressing trauma, the new study on the recruitment of
foster, adoptive and kin parents and we want to extend our
assistance in addressing the challenges of making
improvements to data collection and data matching.
We appreciate your efforts to move the Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act of 2011 forward in a
bipartisan/bicameral way by the end of September. The
National Foster Care Coalition will promote this legislation
among its membership and is pleased to provide any assistance
in moving the legislation forward.
Sincerely,
The National Foster Care Coalition.
____
PCSAO,
Columbus, OH, September 14, 2011.
Hon. Max Baucus,
Chairman, Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senate, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Chairman, Subcommitte on Human Resources, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. Orrin Hatch,
Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Ranking Member, Subcommitte on Human Resources, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Baucus, Ranking Member Hatch, Chairman Davis
and Ranking Member Doggett: Public Children Services
Association of Ohio supports The Child and Family Services
Improvement and Innovation Act of 2011.
As a state that has shown improved outcomes related to our
budget neutral Title IV-E Protect Ohio Waiver (Ohio leads the
nation with a 43% Safe Reduction in the number of children in
foster care between 2002-2010; AFCARS data), we strongly
support Congress' recognition that children and families in
other States can also benefit from Title IV-E Waivers
allowing flexible funding. We encourage you to consider
broader child welfare funding reform in the near future.
Ohio's child welfare system is also extremely supportive of
reauthorization of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare
Services and Promoting Safe and Stable Families programs
under the present funding. Ensuring funds to strengthen
families--keeping them intact, reunifying or finding and
supporting alternate permanent families--is essential for our
children's well being. We know that children grow best in
stable, permanent families.
The Court Improvement Program in Ohio has aided in
reforming our system. Courts play a critical role in decision
making and oversight related to child safety and permanency,
and the CIP in Ohio has focused on timeliness, improving
procedures, focused well being oversight and adapting court
philosophy and procedure as more children are raised by
kinship families.
Ohio is struggling with too many children coming into
foster care due to pervasive addictions to prescription pain
killers, heroin, and other substances--we support the
substance abuse grants part of this bill, and appreciate the
broader application for various substances, to allow time-
limited treatment services so children can safely reunify
with recovered parents.
Ohio is ready to embrace other bill provisions such as
addressing issues for foster children and youth including
prevention of identity theft and improving transitional youth
planning, improving educational outcomes, strengthening
sibling connections, and addressing the developmental needs
of infants and toddlers in foster care. Our Child Fatality
Review system already strives to review all available data
and apply lessons and recommend improved policy to prevent
future child deaths, and Ohio is dedicated to re-investing
saved funds as more children become eligible for Title IV-E
Adoption Assistance funds.
We appreciate your efforts to move The Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act of 2011 forward in a
bipartisan/bicameral way by the end of September, 2011. As
elected and representative Trustees of Public Children
Services Association of Ohio, we urge Congress to promptly
pass this important legislation.
Please contact PCSAO's Executive Director, Crystal Ward
Allen, at 614-224-5802 or [email protected] with any
questions, concerns or requests.
Sincerely,
Crystal Ward Allen,
[[Page H6297]]
Executive Director, PCSAO on behalf of Public Children
Services Association of Ohio, 2011 Board of Trustees:
Chip Spinning, President/Director, Madison Co. Dept. of Job
& Family Services;
Denise Stewart, Vice President/Director, Mahoning County
Children Services;
Randall Muth, JD, Secretary/Director, Wayne County Children
Services;
Moira Weir, Treasurer/Director, Hamilton Co. Dept. of Job &
Family Services;
Scott Ferris/Director, Allen County Children Services;
Andrea Reik/Director, Athens County Children Services;
Dwayne Pielech/Director Belmont Co. Dept. of Job & Family
Services;
Kate Offenberger/Director, Carroll Co. Dept. of Job &
Family Services;
Catherine Hill/Director Hocking County Children Services;
Teresa Alt/Director, Huron Co. Dept. of Job & Family
Services;
June Cannon/Director, Miami County Children Services;
Gary Crow/Director, Lorain County Children Services;
Corey Walker/Director Paulding Co. Dept. of Job & Family
Services;
Lisa Wiltshire/Director, Scioto County Children Services;
John Saros, JD/Director, Summit County Children Services.
____
First Focus
Campaign for Children,
Washington, DC, September 15, 2011.
Hon. Max Baucus,
Chairman, Senate Finance Committee, U.S.Senate, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. Orrin Hatch,
Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Human Resources, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Baucus, Ranking Member Hatch, Chairman Davis
and Ranking Member Doggett: I am writing on behalf of First
Focus, a bipartisan advocacy organization committed to making
children and their families a priority in federal policy and
budget decisions, to thank you for your leadership and
commitment to moving forward The Child and Family Services
Improvement and Innovation Act of 2011 in a bicameral and
bipartisan manner by the end of September 2011. We are
pleased that the bill reauthorizes the Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Child Welfare Services Program and the Promoting Safe and
Stable Families (PSSF) Program, and restores waiver authority
to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. We hope that
Congress will follow your lead and swiftly pass this critical
legislation.
First Focus is dedicated to the long-term goal of
substantially reducing the number of children entering foster
care, while working to ensure that our existing system of
care protects children and adequately meets the needs of
families in the child welfare system. We are especially
concerned with increasing our federal investments in
prevention efforts and providing supports and services for
at-risk families to ensure they never enter the child welfare
system in the first place.
As you know, initially created in 1993, PSSF was
reauthorized in 1997 under the Adoption and Safe Families
Act. The program was amended in 2001 and again in 2005 as
part of the Deficit Reduction Act. The 2006 Child and Family
Services Improvement Act extended funding for the program
until 2011. It is currently authorized through September 30,
2011. The program supports a number of critical State (and
eligible tribal) child welfare activities, including family
preservation services, family support services, time-limited
family reunification services, and adoption promotion and
support services.
PSSF is a relatively small funding stream compared to the
open-ended entitlement for foster care under SSA Title IV-E,
but is still critical to the work of State social service
agencies given that it may be used to provide services to
children and families in need and to help keep families
together. In contrast to the bulk of federal child welfare
funding, which is targeted solely at foster care, PSSF seeks
to prevent child abuse and neglect, avoiding the removal of
children in the first place while supporting timely
reunification. These funds are often combined with other
State and local resources as well as private funds, and
support a range of services, including parenting classes that
promote competencies and positive relationship skills; home-
visiting services for at-risk parents as well as other
family-based services; respite care for caregivers of
children with special needs; and a range of other innovative
programs and services for at-risk families. According to the
FY 2009 National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System
(NCANDS), states reported that they provided prevention
services to more than three million children. PSSF allowed
states to pay for services to 30 percent of those children.
These are critical services and we believe that the
reauthorization of PSSF will only strengthen the program and
its core goals, ensuring its success for years to come.
We also applaud your efforts to ensure that child welfare
waiver demonstration projects are reauthorized and remain a
critical vehicle for promoting flexibility while fostering
innovation in practice at the state level. We are especially
pleased that the bill authorizes ten new demonstration
projects annually for a duration of five years. While we
would urge you to consider extending waiver authority beyond
FY 2014, we are encouraged by your efforts to ensure that
demonstrations projects continue in the near term. Absent a
broader reform of the child welfare financing structure,
states are in need of greater flexibility in the use of
available federal child welfare funds. In addition to title
IV-B programs, child welfare waiver demonstration projects
are a critical vehicle for providing a broad array of support
services to children and families, and promote flexibility
and foster innovation in practice at the state level.
Among other provisions, we are pleased that The Child and
Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act includes new
requirements for states to address the emotional trauma
experience by children in foster care, adopt protocols for
prescribing and monitoring psychotropic medications, and
describe their efforts to address the developmental needs of
young children in care and reduce their length of stay in
care. The bill also continues grants to address substance
abuse in families with children at-risk of entering into
foster care, continues funding for the Court Improvement
Program, and provides needed clarification with respect to a
provision in the Fostering Connections to Success and
Increasing Adoptions Act related to ensuring the educational
stability of foster children for each foster care placement.
First Focus stands prepared to work with you to ensure
swift passage of The Child and Family Services Improvement
and Innovation Act. We thank you for your leadership on this
and other issues impacting children and families, and look
forward to working with you to ensure better care for our
nation's most vulnerable children.
Sincerely,
Bruce Lesley.
____
CWLA,
Washington, DC, September 15, 2011.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources, Longworth,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Human Resources, Longworth,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Doggett: On behalf
of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) and our public
and private member agencies that work directly with abused,
neglected, and vulnerable children, youth, and their
families, this letter is in support of the Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act (HR 2883) to
reauthorize Title IV-B of the Social Security Act and restore
the authority of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) to authorize demonstration projects via a
waiver of Title IV-E. CWLA members are located in all fifty
states and provide a range of child welfare services from
prevention to placement and permanency services including
child protection, family support and preservation, adoptions,
foster care, kinship care, and treatment services provided in
residential settings. As a non-profit leadership and
membership-based child welfare organization, CWLA is
committed to engaging people everywhere in ensuring that all
children and youth have the support that they need to grow
into healthy contributing members of society.
Part I, Child Welfare Services (CWS) provides critical
flexible funding for a broad range of services designed to
support, preserve, and/or reunite children and their
families. While we know that prevention services are
underfunded, in light of current austerity we acknowledge
that the maintenance of this program's $325 million
authorization is positive. However, with the expectation of
further cuts to discretionary funding levels over the next
decade, it is critical to reiterate within this context that
vulnerable children and families should be held harmless in
all budget balancing strategies.
State Child Welfare Services Plans serve as a lynchpin for
the continuum of strategies designed to prevent and
ameliorate maltreatment. Through requirements encompassing
case reviews, permanency planning, program development,
agency administration, and systems collaboration activities,
fundamental protections and core service provision is ensured
for the vulnerable populations served with these funds. CWLA
commends the subcommittee for strengthening these plans. H.R.
2883 requires the plans to respond to identified emotional
trauma needs associated with maltreatment and removal,
strengthens oversight of prescription medication monitoring
protocols, encourages activities to reduce time in foster
care and address developmental needs especially for children
younger than five, and mandates the reporting of child
maltreatment deaths.
Part II, Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) is an
important funding stream for the operation of specific
service categories. Although the services overlap, the four
specified categories in PSSF create important distinctions in
types of families in need. The additional targeted activities
bring attention and resources to pressing needs including
caseworker visits, substance abuse, court improvement, and
mentoring for children of prisoners. CWLA supports the way
that HR 2883 maintains this structure. Again, while we see a
need for additional resources, we recognize the nation's
strained financial condition. Therefore, we appreciate
[[Page H6298]]
the continuation of $200 million in discretionary funds and
the room appropriators have to fully fund the program. In
recognition of the difficulty of increasing funding, we think
it is important that HR 2883 amends the reporting
requirements to Congress to include actual spending in
addition to planned spending by service category. We believe
that increased tracking of these funds will further reveal
that they are supporting necessary and effective programs for
vulnerable children and families.
Courts are an integral component of the child welfare
system, providing pivotal decisions of maltreatment findings
and approval of permanency changes. PSSF is one of the few
places in child welfare law where funding is provided for the
courts. We appreciate your receptiveness to our suggestions
for the continuation of the $30 million annual set-aside for
the Court Improvement Program and the dedication of $1
million specifically for tribal courts and are pleased to see
them both included in HR 2883. In addition, we support the
way the bill bolsters court improvement plans by clarifying
that they should include requirements related to concurrent
planning and increasing and improving the engagement of the
entire family in court processes. CWLA also applauds the
enhancement of the substance abuse and mentoring grants under
HR 2883. Because all children affected by parental substance
abuse, regardless of the particular substance used, deserve
assistance, CWLA strongly agrees with the removal of the
provision giving greater weight to applicants addressing
methamphetamine abuse specifically.
CWLA welcomes the bill's data standardization and improved
data matching section. We understand that the administration
has undertaken efforts in this direction and appreciate the
recognition in both branches of government of the critical
importance of sharing information across systems. CWLA is
also very pleased to see the changes HR 2883 makes related to
foster care and adoption, including the clarification of the
educational stability requirement for children in care, the
efforts to address any credit issues for foster children at
least 16 years of age, and the requirement for states to
document savings from the de-link of adoption assistance
payments. Furthermore, we support the related requirement to
document spending on post-adoption services. This is a strong
recognition of the importance of supporting lasting
permanency.
Title II of the bill restores the ability of HHS to
authorize demonstration projects through Title IV-E waivers
designed to increase permanency, improve outcomes, and
prevent abuse and neglect. CWLA believes that waivers can be
helpful in testing and evaluating innovative approaches
within the child welfare system that have promising
potential. However, CWLA does not believe that the
restoration of waiver authority constitutes a comprehensive
solution to the problems facing the child welfare system.
More ambitious approaches to reforming the federal financing
structure should be undertaken. Accordingly, CWLA supports
the bill's three-year restoration of waiver authority while
consensus on more comprehensive approaches is being
developed. CWLA specifically supports the eligibility
requirements included in HR 2883. The policy conditions have
the power to encourage states to implement practices that
will improve their child welfare systems and the lives of
those within them.
CWLA appreciates your leadership in crafting this important
legislation. HR 2883 makes positive improvements to IV-B and
IV-E of the Social Security Act and we support its passage.
If you have any follow up questions, feel free to contact
Sean Hughes, Director of Congressional Affairs at 202-590-
8772 or Suzanne Ayer, Policy Associate at 202-688-4178.
Sincerely,
Christine James-Brown,
President/CEO.
____
September 19, 2011.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources, Committee on Ways
and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Human Resources, Committee on
Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Doggett: We write in
support for the Child and Family Services Improvement and
Innovation Act (H.R. 2883) and specifically to express our
appreciation for the provisions that would promote the
positive development of very young children in the child
welfare system. Our organizations have worked together to
identify ways that all levels of government could better
address the developmental needs of infants and toddlers who
have been abused or neglected. This work resulted in the
publication last spring of A Call to Action on Behalf of
Maltreated Infants and Toddlers, which advocates for child
welfare policies and practices that view the care of young
children through a developmental lens. We are so pleased that
the legislation you have introduced would take important
steps toward infusing child welfare policy with that
developmental approach.
We particularly appreciate the provision requiring state
child welfare plans to include a description of activities to
address the developmental needs of young children. Early
brain development occurs at life-altering speeds, making
infants and toddlers particularly vulnerable to the effects
of abuse and neglect. Maltreatment can literally alter the
chemistry of the brain, weakening its architecture and
placing young children at significant risk for later
cognitive, social, and emotional deficits. If child welfare
practices are not oriented toward supporting this sensitive
stage of development, as well as families' ability to nurture
their children, they can compound the effects of
maltreatment. Ensuring that child welfare practices are
informed by what we know from the science of brain
development can promote early intervention that will improve
the outlook for these babies and avoid the costs to both
child and society resulting from developmental impairments.
The significance of the legislation you have authored
becomes clear when we consider that infants and toddlers
represent a quarter of children who are abused and neglected
and almost a third of children entering foster care. We
believe it will encourage states to reexamine how they are
addressing child welfare cases involving young children and
consider steps to systematically promote positive development
for vulnerable babies.
We appreciate your leadership in highlighting the needs of
young children within federal child welfare law. We stand
ready to help the Congress, the Administration, and the
states in building a child welfare system that helps all
young children realize their potential.
Sincerely,
American Humane Association,
Center for the Study of Social Policy,
Child Welfare League of America,
Children's Defense Fund,
Zero To Three.
____
Zero to Three
Washington, DC, September 19, 2011.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources, Committee on Ways
and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Human Resources, Committee on
Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Doggett: On behalf
of Zero to Three, I write to offer our support for the Child
and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (H.R.
2883) approved by the Ways and Means Committee last week.
Zero to Three is a national nonprofit organization dedicated
to promoting the healthy development of infants and toddlers.
We believe this legislation will help ensure the well-being
of our most vulnerable children: infants and toddlers in the
child welfare system. We particularly appreciate the
provision requiring state child welfare plans to include a
description of activities to address the developmental needs
of young children. This provision is a tremendous step
forward for children whose development is threatened by
maltreatment and, at times, foster care practices that are
not informed by the science of early brain development. Other
provisions adding services to enhance child development and
facilitate family visitation will also promote child well-
being and healing parent-child relationships.
These steps are particularly important, because infants and
toddlers are the most vulnerable to maltreatment and comprise
31% of children entering foster care. The first three years
of life are a time of rapid brain development, when the
foundation for all learning that follows is created.
Relationships are the context within which early development
unfolds, so it is not surprising that babies are particularly
sensitive to the effects of maltreatment. Maltreatment can
literally alter the chemistry of the brain, weakening its
architecture and placing young children at risk for later
cognitive, social, and emotional deficits. Maltreated infants
and toddlers are four to five times more likely than other
young children to have developmental impairments. The removal
of babies from their parents' care, coupled with foster care
practices that often are not guided by their developmental
needs, can compound the effects of maltreatment. The good
news is that intervening early with practices that support
healthy development can improve the outlook for these babies
and avoid the costs to society that accompany developmental
impairments.
Last spring, Zero to Three joined with American Humane
Association, Center for the Study of Social Policy, Child
Welfare League of America, and Children's Defense Fund to
issue A Call to Action on Behalf of Maltreated Infants and
Toddlers. This publication advocates for child welfare
policies and practices at all levels of government that view
the care of young children through a developmental lens. This
legislation is the first step in answering that call. We
believe it will spur states to bring the science of early
brain development into their child welfare systems. We
applaud your leadership in infusing this perspective into
federal child welfare law and promoting positive development
for vulnerable babies.
Thank you for all you do for young children who face great
adversity in their lives.
Sincerely,
Matthew E. Melmed,
Executive Director.
[[Page H6299]]
{time} 1330
I also want to thank the ranking member of the Human Resources
Subcommittee, Mr. Doggett of Texas, for working with me on this
legislation and for his efforts to improve how we serve children and
families across the country.
Finally, I want to note that this legislation does not add to the
deficit since it simply extends current funding levels of the programs
that are extended.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DOGGETT. I yield myself 5 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, the chairman, Mr. Davis, is correct. We have worked on
this together. We have participated in hearings and have learned
together and cooperated on this very important subject to which we may
bring differing perspectives but a common goal of wanting to respond to
the needs of America's most vulnerable children.
I believe that this bipartisan legislation which I do fully support,
is important; however, it is also important to understand what we
support and where we have differences and to understand what this
legislation accomplishes and what it fails to accomplish. This bill is
certainly preferable to allowing two very important laws to expire next
week.
Each year, over 700,000 children here in America become victims of
abuse and neglect, perpetrated by the very people who are supposed to
love and care for them. I think most Americans, as do my wife, Libby,
and I, when we're back home in Texas and surrounded by Clara, Zayla,
and Ella, our three granddaughters, believe it's just almost
incomprehensible that parents or grandparents could cause harm to a
member of their own families. Yet that is the reality that too many of
our children face. One expert came to our committee during the hearing
and suggested that, once every 6 hours of every day, a child dies in
America as a result of abuse.
I agree that both the Child Welfare Services and the Promoting Safe
and Stable Families laws should be renewed for another 5 years. I
disagree that these programs should be continued at their current
baseline funding levels since, with need growing and funding limited,
too many of our most vulnerable children cannot access the services
that they so desperately need. These are the children whose neglect not
only produces problems for them, but will produce more problems for all
of American society in the future. They are the children we should be
helping today so that we are not incarcerating them after they have
done harm to someone tomorrow.
Less than half of the children in foster care in America today
receive federal assistance to help with the room and board. Today, 40
percent of children who are found to be victims of abuse and neglect
don't receive any follow-up or intervention at all. That is a very big
gap that will likely only grow over the course of the next 5 years with
the legislation that we are renewing.
In my home State of Texas, the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Act
accounts for a very significant source of funding to help our youngest
Texans. According to one of our witnesses in committee, Dr. Jane
Burstain of the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin, funding
from this program accounted for $2 of every $3 supporting child abuse
and neglect prevention programs last year. In San Antonio, for example,
these programs provide important resources to help vulnerable families
through the Bexar County Child Welfare Board.
This bill also grants States support for parental substance abuse
programs. My friend Darlene Byrne, a district judge in Austin, Texas,
who helped establish the Family Treatment Drug Court that was partially
funded by dollars from this act that we're renewing, writes that she
has seen new babies who are not drug positive, moms and couples reunify
with their families, and workers receive their GEDs or high school
diplomas and find employment. Those are the people that these programs
help.
In short, she says that this program has contributed in transforming
lives and in helping to stop the cycle of drug abuse, poverty, and
violence in Texas. It is important both to those who benefit directly
and to all of us who have a stake in having folks participate to the
full extent of their God-given potential, not posing dangers to the
rest of our society.
Today's legislation also includes, as Mr. Davis indicated, some
modest policy changes that strengthen the States' abilities to respond
to at-risk children. Mr. Speaker, the bill, I believe, leaves too many
problems unresolved. I think, though, in this current climate that the
renewal of the legislation as it's proposed is the best that we can do
for our at-risk children. This bill reauthorizes help to at least some
children who become victims of maltreatment. It provides family support
and activities to some vulnerable families, and it promotes adoption
services for those children who cannot safely return to their
biological parents.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DOGGETT. I yield 4 minutes to the former chair of this
Subcommittee on Human Resources, the gentleman from Washington (Mr.
McDermott).
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill to
renew the Nation's child welfare programs. I'm glad to see this
happening as it has in the past by unanimous consent, and it's
important not just to keep these programs funded and renewed. With more
than one in five children in the country living in poverty and with so
many odds stacked against foster kids, we need to do more. We need to
make progress. That's why I'm so supportive of this bill, because it is
not just an extension of the program; it has some important and
targeted innovations.
Some States, especially my home State of Washington, have some truly
new ideas about how they can do more to prevent children being put into
foster care even in tough economic times. One of the real innovations
of this bill is to give States waivers for some governmental funding
restrictions so that they can test these innovative interventions in
their child welfare programs. If the States can maintain their current
quality and if the innovations they want to try meet solid criteria,
the Federal Government should be a partner in making real progress.
That's what these new waivers do.
Washington State is one of the leaders in innovating child welfare
policy, and it has some things it has been eager to try out. Right now,
the law doesn't allow for this kind of experimentation, but this bill
gives States a way to begin. Washington State is not alone. There is
room for 10 States to have these kinds of programs. There are some
States already ready to make these moves.
Now, the Department of Health and Human Services allowed this kind of
thing in the past, but it was allowed to lapse. This is really an
extension of something we've had before. HHS was allowed to give out a
number of waivers in the past, and some progress was made in a number
of States. This bill restores that limited waiver authority and sets
out criteria to keep the integrity and level of effort they need to
have. We need to allow these States to do it.
In addition to extending the program and making more room for
innovation, the bill does something else that's really important. In
2008, we passed the Fostering Connections and Increasing Adoptions law.
This Fostering Connections law did a lot of good in helping foster kids
have a better chance of truly making it in this country. Among other
things, it addressed the health concerns of foster children who moved
from home to home and from health care setting to health care setting,
and it required States to develop health coordination plans for these
kids so that they had some continuity of care. These plans had to
include oversight of prescription medications, including psychotropic
drugs.
As a psychiatrist who has worked with children in child welfare and
the juvenile justice system, I am very concerned about the use of
psychotropic drugs. It has bothered me for a long time. In the
fostering care population, it is a particularly vulnerable group
because of this question of continuity of care. You want somebody to be
monitoring what's happening as they move from home to home to home. We
need
[[Page H6300]]
to do more. We need to get a clearer picture of what is happening with
these kinds of medications in the foster kids, and we need to make sure
they are being used properly and are not overly prescribed.
{time} 1340
One of the parts about this whole law that's crazy is that when a kid
gets to 18 they could be on a medication. When they hit 18, they're
done. Their Medicaid ends. They have no continuity of the drugs. They
go off cold turkey. So there's some real questions that we need to
answer here.
This bill takes the 2008 requirements another step forward and it
requires States to adopt protocols for using and monitoring
psychotropic medications among foster children.
Mr. Speaker, I speak strongly in favor of the bill and urge my
colleagues to say ``yea.''
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DOGGETT. I yield 2 minutes to my colleague from California (Ms.
Bass), one of the leaders on this subject of foster children, who came
and testified to our committee based on her long experience working in
the State of California in the assembly on this subject.
Ms. BASS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of H.R. 2883, the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation
Act. As cochair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Foster Care,
I am proud to stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in
support of this important legislation.
Youth in the child welfare system fight for what so many of us take
for granted--a family. In California, my home State, the Nation's
largest foster care system in any given year, as many as 100,000
children can be placed in temporary out-of-home care. Foster parents
and relatives are the frontline caregivers for children when their
parents are unable to care for them.
A pool of dedicated, loving foster parents is critical for our
Nation's foster youth as they wait to be reunited with their parents or
achieve permanency with a relative caregiver or adoptive family.
However, there is a significant shortage of foster parents.
In May, I introduced legislation calling for a study to find out how
to best recruit and retain foster parents. This was included in the
original House bill reauthorizing title IV-B child welfare programs
introduced in August. I'm pleased that the modified bill before us
today includes a provision that encourages States to develop and
implement a plan to improve the recruitment and retention of high-
quality foster family homes.
H.R. 2883 builds on some of the best practices that were shared with
me as I've traveled California hearing from youth, child welfare
workers, and parents. The bill also appropriately addresses challenges
facing the child welfare system by requiring States to address
emotional trauma in foster children and to adopt protocols for using
and monitoring psychotropic medications.
I am very pleased with the comments of my colleague, Mr. McDermott,
who talked about the use of psychotropics, and I would just add that,
in too many cases, the children are prescribed multiple medications.
And in talking with a number of youth up and down the State of
California, one of the things that many youths said to me was, Can you
please help me get off the medication.
I would like to thank Ways and Means Chairman Camp, Ranking Member
Levin, Human Resources Subcommittee Chair Geoff Davis, and Ranking
Member Doggett for their unwavering commitment to our most vulnerable
youth.
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my colleague from
Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), who has been very active in a Foster Youth
Financial Security Act.
(Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act.
This bill includes a provision from the Foster Youth Financial
Security Act that I introduced with my colleague from California (Mr.
Stark) to address disturbingly high rates of identity theft among
foster youth. I, along with many others, was absolutely outraged to
find that foster children are disproportionately victims of identity
theft since their personal information passes through so many hands.
Mr. Speaker, as I saw firsthand when my parents welcomed foster youth
into our home over many years, they already faced tremendous obstacles
without the increased threat of having their identity taken and their
credit ruined, which prevents them from finding a place to live,
accessing credit on their own, or obtaining other basic needs.
This bill would ensure that each foster youth over 16 years of age
receives free credit checks before leaving the system and assistance
clearing any inaccuracies that may have come to light. Reports have
shown that if done effectively, the cost is minimal.
I want to thank, Mr. Speaker, the committee for their interest in
this issue and the many advocates who have championed this cause. This
is only the first step in providing foster youth the tools that they
need and deserve to succeed, and I look forward to our continued work
together on this issue.
As I pointed out so many times, the kids in foster care already face
significant challenges of their own of a personal nature. It is a shame
that their identity is stolen and they're further victimized. This bill
would identify problems early on and clear up the inaccuracies so they
can start their adult life with a fresh start with their credit intact.
I thank both gentlemen, the chair, and the ranking member for their
outstanding support of this provision.
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DOGGETT. I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, some in this House have suggested earlier in the year
that the programs embodied in this legislation, and everything else
that opens opportunities through government support from Pell Grants to
Title I funding for education to the school lunch program to Head
Start, that all of these are ``welfare'' and should be cut.
Fortunately, that approach is not being taken here today. We are
reauthorizing, in a bipartisan way, these two very important programs
that would expire next week.
Mr. Speaker, however, it should be noted that, much like somebody
might be flatlined, we are flat funding the renewal of these programs,
meaning that in 5 years we are authorizing the same amount of money for
these programs, if it can be appropriated, that existed last year. That
means that there are many needs in our country that will not be fully
addressed in this legislation. It means that last year, if less than
half of those in foster care received support for food and board, they
will be in the same situation over the course of this legislation. It
means that the 40 percent of children who are subject to abuse and
neglect are unlikely to be able to access services as they were last
year.
But renewing this legislation remains, despite those deficiencies, an
important accomplishment in the current political environment. And, as
Mr. Davis and a number of other speakers have noted, we have made some
modest improvements.
Another of those not touched on yet is our work in this legislation
to ensure that children in foster care can stay in the schools that
they started in, even though they may be moved between families. That's
an important part of adding a little certainty to the lives of children
who have been abused or neglected and find themselves with a great deal
of uncertainty.
It is for the improvements in this act and the recognition of what
harm would be done if this act were not adopted here in a bipartisan
way that so many child advocacy groups have joined in supporting it--
the Child Welfare League of America, First Focus, Zero to Three--as
well as groups of those organizations that are involved in
administering some of these funds: the National Conference of State
Legislatures, the American Public Human Services Association, and the
Conference of State Court Administrators.
[[Page H6301]]
{time} 1350
I believe this legislation is important. It's important to get it
adopted promptly. I hope the Senate will respond to our bipartisan
approval today, as Mr. Davis has suggested they have already begun to
do in the committee process, and move forward to see it fully adopted
by next week. I urge all of my colleagues to join in supporting this
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to my friend, the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett), for working with me to bring this
measure to the floor today and thank him and thank both the majority
and minority staffs for their hard work on this effort. H.R. 2883 is a
bipartisan, bicameral, no-cost effort to extend and make modest
adjustments to programs designed to help ensure the safety and well-
being of children at risk of abuse and neglect. We need to do all we
can to ensure more children remain safely in their homes, and this bill
will help to do so.
National Conference
of State Legislatures,
September 13, 2011.
Hon. Dave Camp,
Chairman, House Ways & Means, Cannon House Office Building,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Sandy Levin,
Ranking Member, House Ways & Means, Longworth House Office
Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Camp and Representative Levin: On behalf of
the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), we urge
you to support H.R. 2883, a bill to renew the authority of
the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
to approve demonstration projects designed to test innovative
strategies in state child welfare programs and reauthorizing
the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program.
Congressmen Geoff Davis and Lloyd Doggett have fashioned
bipartisan legislation that helps create opportunities to
enhance the state-federal partnership to assist our nation's
most vulnerable children.
NCSL supports reinstating and expanding federal waiver
authority so that states can test the results of increased
funding flexibility on the development of service
alternatives and on the overall delivery of child welfare
services. This allows states to target programs to address
the needs of their youngest citizens. By renewing and
extending Title IV-E waiver authority through 2014, H.R. 2883
will give states an enhanced ability to provide early
intervention and crisis intervention services that will
safely reduce out-of-home placements and improve child
outcomes.
NCSL supports the reauthorization of the PSSF program. The
PSSF program enhances state efforts to develop additional
family preservation, family reunification, and family support
programs. We appreciate the flexibility provided to states in
H.R. 2883 and that the legislation does not preempt current
state laws.
H.R. 2883 will allow states to improve the quality of their
child welfare interventions and reinvest savings in their
programs. It will also provide both state and federal
legislators tools to develop innovative an effective
approaches to transform the lives of children who are at risk
of abuse and neglect. We applaud Congressmen Davis and
Doggett for crafting this legislation.
Sincerely,
William T. Pound,
Executive Director, NCSL.
____
National Indian
Child Welfare Association,
Portland, OR, September 13, 2011.
Hon. Geoff Davis, Chair,
Hon. Lloyd Doggett, Ranking Member,
House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources.
Hon. Max Baucus, Chair,
Hon. Orrin Hatch, Ranking Member,
Senate Finance Committee.
Dear Representatives Davis and Doggett and Senators Baucus
and Hatch: The National Indian Child Welfare Association
(NICWA) writes this letter in support of the Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act (HR 2883/S 1542)
which would reauthorize programs under Title IV-B of the
Social Security Act--Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare
Services; Promoting Safe and Stable Families; Regional
Partnerships on substance abuse; and the Court Improvement
Program.
Committee staff on both sides of the aisle has been most
open to meeting with us, and we thank them for their hard
work and interest in more heavily involving Indian and Alaska
Native communities in these programs. We especially thank
Sonja Nesbit, Ryan Martin, Diedra Henry-Spires, and Becky
Shipp.
NICWA has worked on several reauthorizations of Title IV-B,
notably in 2006 when a number of improvements were enacted
regarding tribal participation. The 2006 Act increased tribal
allocations and provided common sense flexibility for tribal
administration of the programs.
In fiscal year 2011, 170 tribes/tribal organizations
received $6.2 million from the Child Welfare Services Program
and 126 tribes/tribal consortia received $11 million from the
Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program. In addition,
tribes are the lead grantee in six of the 53 Regional
Partnerships substance abuse grants.
The Title IV-B program that has bypassed tribes is the
Court Improvement Program and we are most grateful for the
breakthrough on this matter in the Child and Family Services
Improvement and Innovation Act. The bill would, for the first
time, make tribes eligible to apply for competitive grants
for this program and would allocate $1 million annually for
this purpose. There is a great need in Indian Country for
assistance for tribal courts work in the area of child
welfare. We also appreciate the provision which would allow
tribes operating Title IV-E (Foster Care and Adoption
Assistance) programs to apply for waivers for child welfare
demonstration projects.
Again, thank you. We look forward to continuing to work
with you on child welfare matters.
Sincerely,
Terry L. Cross,
Executive Director.
____
Youth Villages,
September 13, 2011.
Hon. Geoff Davis, Chairman,
Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources, Longworth
House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett, Ranking Member,
Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources, Longworth
House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Doggett: On behalf
of Youth Villages, I am writing in support of your bill, H.R.
2883, and to thank you for your leadership on this issue.
This legislation provides for the extension of the important
Promoting Safe and Stable Families program as well as
critical authority for the Department of Health and Human
Services to extend the Title IV-E waiver program, which has
demonstrated substantial impact since creation in 1994. These
waivers provide states with greater flexibility in the use of
Federal funds for alternative services and supports that
promote safety, permanency and well-being for children in the
child protection and foster care system.
Youth Villages is a leader in innovative and effective
services for troubled youth and their families. Since 2008,
Youth Villages has had the opportunity to work
collaboratively with several local, privatized child welfare
organizations, known as Community Based Care agencies in
implementing Florida's Title IV-E waiver. Youth Villages has
three offices in Florida and is working with local entities
to implement our intensive in-home Intercept services,
identify and serve underserved or `stuck' populations, and
provide them with outcome data to support the impact of their
waiver effort.
As a result of the flexibility afforded by the Title IV-E
waiver, intensive reunification and targeted prevention
services are given greater focus in the state's child welfare
service approach. Without the award of the waiver, it would
have been difficult for Youth Villages to expand its
Intercept program into the state to serve the child welfare
population. In the three years that Youth Villages has been
operating in Florida, we have served over 300 children across
the Central and Southern regions of the state at a
significantly lower cost than traditional child welfare
placement services. More importantly, they have achieved such
outcomes as: over 70% of children still at home, over 80%
having graduated or actively engaged in school, and over 80%
having had no trouble with the law six months after discharge
from services.
Youth Villages pledges its full support of H.R. 2883, as
this legislation has the ability to transform the child
welfare system from one that incentivizes out-of-home
placement to a system that promotes in-home treatment and
family unification.
Regards,
Patrick Lawler,
CEO, Youth Villages.
____
Voice for Adoption,
Washington, DC, September 14, 2011.
Hon. Max Baucus,
Hart Senate Office Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Longworth House Office Building, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Orrin Hatch,
Hart Senate Office Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Cannon House Office Building, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairmen Baucus and Davis and Ranking Members Hatch
and Doggett: On behalf of Voice for Adoption's members I am
writing to thank you for your leadership and your bipartisan
and bicameral effort to introduce the Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act (S. 1542/H.R. 2883).
Voice for Adoption (VFA) is a membership advocacy
organization; we speak out for our nation's 107,000 waiting
children in foster care. Our members, who are spread across
the country, recruit families to adopt children and youth
with special needs. VFA members also provide vital support
services both before and after adoption finalization to
[[Page H6302]]
help adoptive families through the challenges they often face
raising children with painful pasts.
Voice for Adoption supports this legislation, which acts to
reauthorize two major child welfare programs, the Stephanie
Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program and the Promoting
Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program. Under the PSSF
program the adoption promotion and support services category
provides funding to recruit and support families for children
who are waiting to be adopted.
We commend the authors of this bill for not only acting in
a bipartisan/bicameral manner, but also for making
potentially impacting improvements in the reauthorization of
these programs. We applaud the strengthening of language that
requires states to document the use of dollars saved from the
federal adoption assistance de-link, created under the
Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act
of 2008 (P.L. 110-351). Voice for Adoption hopes that through
future guidance States are encouraged to spend a portion of
these adoption de-link funds on post-adoption support
services. VFA also supports other important improvements made
in the bill including: the requirement for better reporting
on post-adoption services spending and transparency to access
this data, the requirement of States to address the
developmental needs of young children and reducing their
amount of time spent in foster care, the requirement of
States to address emotional trauma and the clarification of
educational protections for children in foster care, the
requirement for state protocols and procedures relating to
the use of psychotropic medications, ID theft issues for
foster youth, inclusion of state waivers and measures that
include quality of care improvements for foster children.
Voice for Adoption is proud to support this bipartisan/
bicameral legislation, as it exists to reauthorize programs
that protect children and families and promote both
permanency and support for children in foster care. We are
also happy to inform and encourage our members to support
this bill.
Sincerely,
Nicole Dobbins,
Executive Director.
____
Association on
American Indian Affairs,
Rockville, MD, September 14, 2011.
Re H.R. 2883 and S. 1542.
Hon. Max Baucus, Chair,
Hon. Orrin Hatch, Ranking Member,
Senate Finance Committee.
Hon. Geoff Davis, Chair,
Hon. Lloyd Doggett, Ranking Member,
House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Human
Resources.
Dear Senators Baucus and Hatch and Representatives Davis
and Doggett: Thank you for your introduction of H.R. 2883 and
S. 1542, the Child and Family Services Improvement and
Innovation Act. The Association on American Indian Affairs
(AAIA) strongly supports this legislation.
AAIA is an 89 year old Indian advocacy organization located
in South Dakota and Maryland and governed by an all-Native
American Board of Directors. We have been involved with
Indian child welfare issues for decades, including working
closely with the House and Senate on tribal provisions in the
Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 and the
Fostering Connections to Success and Promoting Adoptions Act
of 2008.
We are particularly supportive of the provisions in both
bills that would allocate $1 million for competitive Court
Improvement Program grants to Indian tribal courts and allow
tribes operating Title IV-E programs to apply for waivers for
child welfare demonstration projects. We also appreciate and
support the language that would make the definition of Indian
tribes consistent in both Parts 1 and 2 of Title 1V-B.
Once again, thank you for your support of this legislation
and these tribal issues and to the House and Senate staff
(Sonja Nesbit, Ryan Wilson, Diedra Henry-Spires and Becky
Shipp) that have been so helpful in this process.
Sincerely,
Jack F. Trope,
Executive Director.
____
American Humane Association,
September 14, 2011.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources, House of
Representatives.
Hon. Max Baucus,
Chairman, Finance Committee, U.S. Senate.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Human Resources, House of
Representatives.
Hon. Orrin Hatch,
Ranking Member, Finance Committee, U.S. Senate.
Dear Chairman Davis, Congressman Doggett, Chairman Baucus
and Senator Hatch: American Humane Association extends its
support to the reforms made through the Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act.
Through the joint efforts of the House and Senate and the
leadership of both parties, we believe you have written a
strong bill to reauthorize the Child Welfare Services and
Promoting Safe and Stable Families programs (Title IV-B part
1 and part 2).
In testifying last June in the United States House of
Representatives, the American Humane Association outlined a
number of important changes that could be made through this
reauthorization. We appreciate and support the inclusion of
many of those recommendations as well as several other
provisions in this legislation that we believe will assist
children and families touched by the child welfare system.
Some of the key provisions of this bill that we see as
particularly important include:
The greater attention placed on the care and the
development of infants and toddlers who come into contact
with the child welfare system;
The continuation of the substance abuse grants and that
these grants will have a broader substance abuse focus;
The bill's continued funding for child welfare workforce
development, the stronger language on workforce support and
the accompanying requirements on monthly visits to children
in foster care;
The clarification on the state tracking and reporting of
the adoption maintenance-of-effort provisions as enacted by
PL 110-351 (Fostering Connections Act);
The clarification on access to education for children in
foster care;
The continuation of court improvement funding; and
The attention paid to the problem of identity theft for
children and youth in foster care.
In addition there are several other improvements in this
legislation in regard to reports by the Department of Health
and Human Services and the extension of waiver authority
which we have also talked positively of in past statements to
both the House and Senate Committees.
Once again we restate our appreciation of your efforts to
move this forward in a bipartisan fashion with all due speed.
Please feel free to reach out to the American Humane
Association for any additional assistance in moving forward
with this legislation and other matters before your
committees.
Sincerely,
John Sciamanna,
Director, Policy and Government Affairs,
Child Welfare.
____
North American Council
on Adoptable Children,
St. Paul, MN, September 16, 2011.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Longworth House Office Building, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Cannon House Office Building, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representatives Davis and Doggett: On behalf of the
North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC), I am
writing to express our support for the Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act (H.R. 2883). We are
grateful for your leadership in introducing this important
legislation and strongly believe it will improve the lives of
vulnerable children and their families.
NACAC is an adoption support and advocacy organization with
more than 1,000 members nationwide. We represent adoptive and
foster parents, adoptees, adoption professionals, parent
support groups, and adoption agencies and organizations.
Since 1974, we have supported the right of every child to
have a permanent, loving family and advocated for adoptive
families to receive necessary supportive services.
NACAC strongly supports the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child
Welfare Services Program and the Promoting Safe and Stable
Families (PSSF) program. In particular, we are happy that the
PSSF program has required states to designate at least 20
percent of the funds to adoption support and promotion
services. These funds have been used across the country to
recruit families for foster children who cannot return home
and to support families raising these children with special
needs.
We were pleased that H.R. 2883 will continue these valuable
efforts while also adding several enhancements. We strongly
support requiring states to document how they spend the funds
reinvested as a result of the maintenance of effort provision
of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing
Adoptions Act of 2008, which expanded federal eligibility for
Title IV-E adoption assistance. In addition, however, NACAC
would recommend that the legislation require states to spend
a portion of these reinvestment funds on post-adoption
services. Since special needs adoptions generate this
additional revenue for states, it is reasonable to request
that a specific portion of the funds be invested in post-
adoption services. As you well know, the majority of children
adopted from foster care have significant special needs, and
post-adoption services ensure these children have the best
chance of being adopted and for living successfully in safe
and stable families.
Again, we thank you for your commitment to children and
families through your introduction of the Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act.
Sincerely,
Joe Kroll,
Ececutive Director.
[[Page H6303]]
____
American Public
Human Services Association,
September 16, 2011.
Hon. Max Baucus,
Chairman, Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senate, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. Orrin Hatch,
Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Human Resources, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Baucus, Ranking Member Hatch, Chairman Davis
and Ranking Member Doggett: On behalf of the American Public
Human Services Association (APHSA), I write to thank you for
your leadership in introducing the Child and Family Services
Improvement and Innovation Act of 2011. This legislation
addresses the importance of prevention programs and support
of community-based services for children and families at risk
or in crisis, including through extending grant authority to
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for new
child welfare waivers through 2014. This legislation also
reinforces Congress's recognition of the need for state
flexibility and accountability to enable public agencies to
be good stewards of public funds and to manage performance,
self-correct, innovate and enhance their ability to achieve
positive outcomes.
The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation
Act reauthorizes two essential prevention and family support
programs and outlines key improvements to child welfare
practices designed to improve outcomes for at-risk children,
youth and families. APHSA members appreciate the changes to
the current methodology for calculating monthly caseworker
visits. These provisions are closely linked with the
recommendations that APHSA and The National Association of
Public Child Welfare Administrators (NAPCWA) presented before
the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources
during the ``Hearing on Protecting At-Risk Youth.'' The
change in calculation will not only better reflect states'
performance on this indicator, but also highlight the
diligent efforts made by casework staff.
APHSA and our member agencies fully support the efforts to
address children's emotional and behavioral health needs and
welcome stronger, more collaborative partnerships with other
agencies across the human service continuum to meet the
enhanced data and tracking provisions outlined in the bill.
APHSA also fully supports the renewal and expansion of the
HHS Secretary's authority to grant waivers for states to
flexibly use IV-E funds to test innovative strategies in
child welfare programs. Earlier this year, APHSA provided
comments, concerns and recommendations to the previous House
and Senate proposed waiver bills (H.R 1194 and S. 1013) and
are pleased to see that the current bill includes provisions
consistent with our member states' practices, as well as new
provisions that conform to our member states' views.
APHSA members are pleased to see the time period to operate
a waiver expanded to five years. We are also pleased to see
that states can apply for a waiver by implementing two
program improvement areas and that only one of them needs to
be a new program. APHSA also appreciates the clarification
that states currently operating waivers and successfully
achieving outcomes will be allowed to continue those
improvements as this bill expands the program to 10 new
demonstration projects. In these current budgetary times, it
is critical for new waiver states to innovate their practices
and service array, while current waiver states increase the
knowledge and evidentiary base for programs and practices
that work.
APHSA also fully supports reauthorization of the Court
Improvement Program. The Court Improvement Program allows our
member agencies to work in close partnership with their state
and local judicial system to meet the safety, permanency and
well-being needs of children in a timely and complete manner.
This program also supports the essential cross-system
training of judges, attorneys and other legal representatives
in child welfare cases.
Once again, we look forward to continuing the work of
improving services and outcomes for at risk children. We
continue to be available as a resource as regulations and
guidance is developed to meet the provisions of the Child and
Family Services Improvement and Innovations Act of 2011.
Sincerely,
Tracy L. Wareing,
Executive Director.
____
American Institute of CPAs,
Washington, DC, September 20, 2011.
Re The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation
Act, H.R. 2883.
Hon. Geoff Davis,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources of the Committee on
Ways and Means, House of Representatives Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Human Resources of the
Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Doggett: On behalf
of the 377,000 members of the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants (AICPA), I am writing in support of your
legislation, H.R. 2883, the ``Child and Family Services
Improvement and Innovation Act.'' The bill calls for grantees
of Federal funds under the Child Welfare Services program and
the Safe and Stable program to report certain data to the
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and for DHHS
to develop a rule designating standard data elements and data
reporting requirements for the information to be reported.
The legislation specifies that DHHS ``shall, to the extent
practicable, incorporate existing nonproprietary standards,
such as eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL).''
The use of data tagging to enhance both the transparency
and the ability to analyze financial and other data has been
proved time and time again. XBRL provides a detailed yet
customizable approach to gathering data and will provide
significant transparency to the Federal government and the
American people regarding the use of taxpayer funds.
XBRL has been used for a number of years by the Federal
government in areas such as Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation call reports and public company financial
reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Importantly, such standardized business reporting is also
expanding in both the United States by state governmental
agencies and worldwide, where data standards are being
leveraged to significantly reduce the compliance reporting
burden and, at the same time, enhance the usability and
transparency of reported information. Including provisions to
require reporting of information under the Child and Family
Services Improvement and Innovation Act will make the
reporting process more efficient and enhance comparability of
such information for DHHS, the Congress, and other
stakeholders who need to monitor and analyze the use of these
funds.
Thank you again for your leadership on this important
issue. We are also happy to discuss with you additional areas
where implementation of data standards can further enhance
reporting and make it more valuable to all types of
stakeholders of data. If you have any questions, or if we can
be of any further assistance, please contact Diana Huntress
Deem.
Sincerely,
Barry C. Melancon, CPA,
President and CEO.
____
Conference of Chief Justices, Conference of State Court
Administrators,
Washington, DC.
Re Child and Family Services Act (HR 2883).
Hon. Geoff Davis,
House of Representatives, Longworth House Office Building,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Lloyd Doggett,
House of Representatives, Cannon House Office Building,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Doggett: On behalf
of the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of
State Court Administrators, we write to support the Child and
Family Services Act that includes reauthorization of the
three Court Improvement Program (CIP) grant programs through
FY 2016 at the current $30 million level. The three Court
Improvement Program (CIP) grant programs are critical for
state courts as they provide the only federal funds to state
courts for the purpose of improving state court oversight of
abuse and neglect cases; and have been invaluable in
assisting courts to improve and expedite our processes and
procedures. These funds have resulted in abused and neglected
children moving more expeditiously to safe and permanent
homes and improved outcomes for children in need of
protection. Our work, however, is not complete, so the
reauthorization of these funds will allow us to continue our
work to improve results for these children.
We appreciate the new purpose which would allow CIP funds
to be used ``to increase and improve engagement of the entire
family in court processes relating to child welfare, family
preservation, family reunification, and adoption''. This new
purpose provides state courts with greater flexibility in the
use of the funds. We also support the provision that would
allow state courts to submit a single application for the
three CIP grants. This will allow state courts to eliminate
duplicative paperwork and reporting, which will free up time
for reform efforts. While the legislation reduces the amount
of funds available to state courts, we do understand the need
to also provide financial assistance to tribal courts.
Thank you again for your efforts on behalf of state courts.
If we can provide you with additional information, please do
not hesitate to contact us or Kay Farley, who is with the
Government Relations Office of the National Center for State
Courts.
Sincerely,
Chief Judge Eric T. Washington,
President, Conference of Chief Justices.
Rosalyn W. Frierson,
President, Conference of State Court Administrators.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Child and Family
Services Improvement
[[Page H6304]]
and Innovation Act (H.R. 2883). This legislation shows that we can work
together across the aisle to improve our child welfare system. Yet this
bill is just one step in our ongoing efforts to fix the foster care
system. In this time of unacceptable poverty and inequality, we must
continue to support families in order to prevent kids from being
neglected or abused. As we debate how to shrink our debt, we must also
ensure that preserving and improving the safety net that protects our
children is a higher priority than protecting special interest tax
breaks.
Despite the fact that I am not on the Human Resources Subcommittee
for the first time in many years, I am pleased that my colleagues still
listen to some of my ideas. Last year, Congressman Langevin and I
introduced a bill to reduce the high number of foster youth who are
victims of identity theft and are unable to secure student loans or
even get a credit card. Today's legislation includes a provision from
our bill that will provide youth who are about to age out of foster
care with a copy of their credit report as well as resources to help
clear up any credit issues. This provision is what I hope is the first
movement toward ensuring that foster youth leave the system with a
clean financial slate and a chance to succeed.
There are many important provisions in today's bill: maintaining a
set-aside to support caseworker visits with foster children; decreasing
the overuse of psychotropic drugs on foster youth, and improving
education stability for children in care.
Children in foster care are our collective responsibility. The
reforms made in this bill will make children safer. I thank the
Chairman, the ranking Member, and all the staff involved in crafting
this legislation and I urge my colleagues to support it today.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of
H.R. 2883, ``The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation
Act,'' which reauthorize Title IV-B of the Social Security Act,
including the Promoting Safe and Stable Families and Child Welfare
Services programs, while also reinstating the authority of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services to authorize States to
implement innovative demonstration programs through Title IV-E waivers.
As Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I have been a
stalwart supporter of protecting the health and welfare of children and
families. Today there are more than 463,000 children and youth that are
in out-of-home care. Every day, more than a half million U.S. children
are in the foster care system with over 120,000 waiting to be adopted.
With no permanent legal guardians, they are our Nation's children, and
we have a responsibility to ensure a bright future for those who are
handed a rough start in life. Foster children like all children deserve
a safe environment to grow and nourish in. This piece of legislation is
a step in the right direction in addressing the needs of our Nation's
children when they need our help the most. There are many silent heroes
who have opened their homes and taken on the role of foster parents,
social workers, mentors, caregivers and volunteers to the children in
this Nation. These young kids need to know someone is looking out for
them and supporting legislation like the Child and Family Services
Improvement and Innovation Act provides these silent heroes with
additional resources and requirements to meet the needs of children in
care.
There are an estimated 12 million foster care alumni in the U.S.
representing all walks of life. Each and every one of the 12 million
alumni has a story of their struggles, challenges and success. The
Foster care system is supposed to ensure that children are cared for by
members of our communities on a full-time or temporary basis when their
parents are unable to provide adequate care. Often the natural parents
cannot provide for a child's care for a variety of reasons such as due
to incarceration, physical or mental illness, behavioral difficulties,
or problems within the family environment. These issues may include
child abuse, alcoholism, extreme poverty, or crime. These children
often become wards of the State and we have the responsibility to
protect their interests and to ensure they are provided with the care
they need.
If even a single child continues to be abused or neglected while
under state supervision then that is one child too many. This
legislation, although not ideal, is a valid attempt to address the
needs of families in crisis. In 2001, an estimated 903,000 U.S.
children were found to be victims of abuse or neglect. This number is
above the estimated 879,000 child maltreatment victims in 2000 but
below the annual estimated highs of more than 1 million child
maltreatment victims recorded through the mid-1990s. For the year 2001,
States reported 59 percent of these victims experienced neglect,
compared to 63 percent in 2000 and 58 percent in 1999. The percentage
of physical abuse and sexual abuse victims has declined over the past 5
years but held constant between 2000 and 2001. These children need our
protection. There are over 500,000 children in foster care and with
this economic downturn I hope this number does not keep on rising. But
hope is not enough, we need to continue to fund programs to help these
children and their families.
The size of the foster care caseload rises or falls depending upon
both the number of entries to foster care--children who are removed
from their homes in a given year--and the number of exits in that same
year--children reunited with their families, adopted, emancipated, or
placed in another permanent setting. The number of entries to foster
care has outpaced the number of exits for two decades.
Accountability is key, children who received ``services from Child
Protective Services died as a result of abuse 16 times more often than
children in the general population 16.3 percent of all fatalities were
children who had received services or were 'known to the system'. These
children were already in a high risk category however, we must do our
best to transform these numbers and ensure their safety. Currently at
least 716 thousand children received ``services'' (28 States reporting)
or 1 percent of the general population. If CPS intervention had no
effect, 1 percent of this group would have suffered a fatality; if CPS
intervention had made an improvement, the percentage would be less than
1 percent. However, it is 16.3 times that amount. (18 States reporting)
At this time children are again bearing the brunt of families in
crisis. When a household falls into poverty, children are exposed to
increased parental distress, inadequate childcare arrangements, and
poor nutrition. This will lead to an increase of families needing child
welfare services. For these reasons I support this legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2883, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
____________________