[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 85 (Monday, May 17, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2545-S2546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 218--RECOGNIZING NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH AS AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF CHILDREN IN THE 
 FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, AND ENCOURAGING CONGRESS TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES TO 
        IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM

  Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Van Hollen, 
Mr. Warnock, Ms. Ernst, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Capito, 
Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Casey, Mr. Brown, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. 
Marshall, Mr. Blunt, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Coons, and Mr. 
Young) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                              S. Res. 218

       Whereas National Foster Care Month was established more 
     than 30 years ago--
       (1) to bring foster care issues to the forefront of the 
     national focus;
       (2) to highlight the importance of permanency for every 
     child; and
       (3) to recognize the essential role that foster parents, 
     social workers, and advocates have in the lives of children 
     in foster care throughout the United States;
       Whereas all children deserve a safe, loving, and permanent 
     home;
       Whereas the primary goal of the foster care system is to 
     ensure the safety and well-being of children while working to 
     provide a safe, loving, and permanent home for each child;
       Whereas there are approximately 424,000 children living in 
     foster care;
       Whereas there were approximately 251,000 youth that entered 
     the foster care system in 2019, while more than 122,000 youth 
     were awaiting adoption at the end of 2019;
       Whereas more than 86,000 children entered foster care in 
     2019 due to parental drug abuse;
       Whereas children of color are more likely to stay in the 
     foster care system for longer periods of time and are less 
     likely to be reunited with their biological families;
       Whereas foster parents--
       (1) are the front-line caregivers for children who cannot 
     safely remain with their biological parents;

[[Page S2546]]

       (2) provide physical care, emotional support, and education 
     advocacy; and
       (3) are the largest single source of families providing 
     permanent homes for children leaving foster care to adoption;

       Whereas, compared to children in foster care who are placed 
     with nonrelatives, children in foster care who are placed 
     with relatives have more stability, including fewer changes 
     in placements, have more positive perceptions of their 
     placements, are more likely to be placed with their siblings, 
     and demonstrate fewer behavioral problems;
       Whereas some relative caregivers receive less financial 
     assistance and fewer support services than do foster 
     caregivers;
       Whereas an increased emphasis on prevention and 
     reunification services is necessary to reduce the number of 
     children that enter or re-enter the foster care system;
       Whereas the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic 
     has created additional challenges for youth and families in 
     the child welfare system, including delays in permanency, 
     economic hardship, and disruptions in education;
       Whereas over 20,000 youth ``aged out'' of foster care in 
     2019 without a legal permanent connection to an adult or 
     family;
       Whereas children who age out of foster care lack the 
     security or support of a biological or adoptive family and 
     frequently struggle to secure affordable housing, obtain 
     health insurance, pursue higher education, and acquire 
     adequate employment;
       Whereas foster care is intended to be a temporary 
     placement, but children remain in the foster care system for 
     an average of 19 months;
       Whereas, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 35 
     percent of children in foster care experience more than 2 
     placements while in foster care, which often leads to 
     disruption of routines and the need to change schools and 
     move away from siblings, extended families, and familiar 
     surroundings;
       Whereas youth in foster care are much more likely to face 
     educational instability, with 1 study showing that 75 percent 
     of foster youth experienced an unscheduled school change 
     during a school year, compared to 21 percent of youth not in 
     foster care;
       Whereas children entering foster care often confront the 
     widespread misperception that children in foster care are 
     disruptive, unruly, and dangerous, even though placement in 
     foster care is based on the actions of a parent or guardian, 
     not the child;
       Whereas 30 percent of children in foster care are taking at 
     least 1 anti-psychotic medication, and 34 percent of those 
     children are not receiving adequate treatment planning or 
     medication monitoring;
       Whereas, according to a 2018 study, due to heavy caseloads 
     and limited resources, the average annual turnover rate for 
     child welfare workers is between 14 percent and 22 percent;
       Whereas States, localities, and communities should be 
     encouraged to invest resources in preventative and 
     reunification services and postpermanency programs to ensure 
     that more children in foster care are provided with safe, 
     loving, and permanent placements;
       Whereas, in 2018, Congress passed the Family First 
     Prevention Services Act (Public Law 115-123; 132 Stat. 232), 
     which provided new investments in prevention and family 
     reunification services to help more families stay together 
     and ensure that more children are in safe, loving, and 
     permanent homes;
       Whereas Federal legislation over the 3 decades preceding 
     the date of adoption of this resolution, including the 
     Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (Public Law 
     96-272; 94 Stat. 500), the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 
     1997 (Public Law 105-89; 111 Stat. 2115), the Fostering 
     Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 
     (Public Law 110-351; 122 Stat. 3949), the Child and Family 
     Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Public Law 112-34; 
     125 Stat. 369), and the Preventing Sex Trafficking and 
     Strengthening Families Act (Public Law 113-183; 128 Stat. 
     1919), provided new investments and services to improve the 
     outcomes of children in the foster care system;
       Whereas May 2021 is an appropriate month to designate as 
     National Foster Care Month to provide an opportunity to 
     acknowledge the accomplishments of the child welfare 
     workforce, foster parents, the advocacy community, and 
     mentors for their dedication and accomplishments and the 
     positive impact they have on the lives of children; and
       Whereas much remains to be done to ensure that all children 
     have a safe, loving, nurturing, and permanent family, 
     regardless of age or special needs: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of May 2021 as National Foster 
     Care Month;
       (2) recognizes National Foster Care Month as an opportunity 
     to raise awareness about the challenges that children face in 
     the foster care system;
       (3) encourages Congress to implement policies to improve 
     the lives of children in the foster care system;
       (4) acknowledges the unique needs of children in the foster 
     care system;
       (5) recognizes foster youth throughout the United States 
     for their ongoing tenacity, courage, and resilience while 
     facing life challenges;
       (6) acknowledges the exceptional alumni of the foster care 
     system who serve as advocates and role models for youth who 
     remain in foster care;
       (7) honors the commitment and dedication of the individuals 
     who work tirelessly to provide assistance and services to 
     children in the foster care system;
       (8) supports the designation of May 31, 2021, as National 
     Foster Parent Appreciation Day;
       (9) recognizes National Foster Parent Appreciation Day as 
     an opportunity--
       (A) to recognize the efforts of foster parents to provide 
     safe and loving care for children in need; and
       (B) to raise awareness about the increasing need for foster 
     parents to serve in their communities; and
       (10) reaffirms the need to continue working to improve the 
     outcomes of all children in the foster care system through 
     parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and other programs designed--
       (A) to support vulnerable families;
       (B) to invest in prevention and reunification services;
       (C) to promote adoption in cases where reunification is not 
     in the best interests of the child;
       (D) to adequately serve children brought into the foster 
     care system; and
       (E) to facilitate the successful transition into adulthood 
     for children that ``age out'' of the foster care system.

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