1. Federal Updates on Kinship Care
2015 ABA Kinship Pre-Conference
Washington, DC
July 23, 2015

2. About Us
The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a non-profit child advocacy organization that has worked for more than 40 years to ensure a level playing field for all children. We champion policies and programs that lift children out of poverty; protect them from abuse and neglect; and ensure their access to health care, quality education and a moral and spiritual foundation.  
For more information, visit
ChildFocus is a national child welfare consulting firm that brings together innovative people, programs and policies to help non- profit organizations, foundations and government agencies support America’s children and families.
For more information, visit:

3. Key Legislation

4. Recent Legislation Relevant to Kinship Families
Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008:
Federal support to states for kinship guardianship assistance
Identifying and providing notice to relatives when a child is about to enter care
Keeping siblings together
Clarifies that states may waive non-safety related licensing standards for relative homes on a case-by-case basis
Grants for kinship navigator programs and other activities to engage families members
Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act of 2011
Stefanie

5. Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
On September 29, 2014, President Obama signed the bipartisan Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 4980) into law (P.L ).
The provisions in the new law:
Help states identify, track and develop services for children who are believed to be in danger of being trafficked
Make many broader improvements to the child welfare system that support permanency and empower youth in care
Stefanie

6. Key Provisions Related to Kinship in the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
Promoting Permanency:
Expanding incentivizes to encourage guardianship placements
Improvements to Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA)
Collecting data on adoption and guardianship disruption and dissolution
Supporting Families:
Ensuring continued guardianship assistance for successor guardians
Reinvesting savings for post-permanency supports
Extending Family Connection Grants for an additional year (FY2014)
Stefanie

7. Key Provisions Related to Kinship in the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
Prioritizing Relative Care:
Encouraging the placement of children in foster care with siblings
Empowering Youth and Caregiver Voices:
Implementing a “Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard”
Empowering youth in case planning and providing a list of rights
Providing key documents for youth aging out of care
Stefanie

8. Additional Resources on the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
Summary of the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
“Implementing the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (P.L ) To Benefit Children and Youth”
Generation’s United “Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act: Implications for Grandfamilies”
Stefanie

9. New Federal Opportunities for Kinship Care
Rebecca

10. Current Waiver Demonstration Projects With Kinship Component
Waivers give states the opportunity to use Title IV-E funds more flexibly to pursue innovative approaches to child welfare service delivery
2011 Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act extended waiver authority for up to 10 projects in each of three years (FY )
Waiver projects that include a focus on kinship care include:
Colorado (kinship care selected as intervention)
Montana (kinship care as intervention)
Ohio (kinship care as intervention)
Indiana (placement with relatives is metric for success)
New York (family finding as intervention)

11. The Administration is Invested in Supporting Kinship Families
The President’s FY2016 Budget proposal:
Increases investments in prevention, including supports for children from the system and placed with kin
Promotes family-based care as alternative to congregate care
Proposes to collect more data on kinship placements through AFCARS

12. Congress Understands the Importance of Kin Connections
Recent signs of Congressional commitment to strengthening kinship connections:
Congressional briefing on promoting kinship for foster youth
Senate Finance Committee hearing on reducing congregate care and supporting kinship families
Senator Grassley’s interest in strategies to promote kinship care
Senator Ron Wyden’s proposal for increased investments in prevention

13. Senator Wyden’s Proposal
The proposal would:
Allow states and tribes to seek reimbursement for family services on behalf of children identified as “candidates” for foster care (at imminent risk of entry) or who are in foster care, as well as to their family members. Provides reimbursement regardless of parents’ income
Establish national benchmark measures and outcomes-based reimbursement rates to help target federal dollars to cost-effective programs and services
Increases funding for community-based prevention and intervention services (PSSF program) and requires that funds be used on evidence-based programs
Funding for research and technical assistance for states and tribes
Services and supports could be provided for kinship families in addition to biological parents

14. Questions ?

15. Rebecca Robuck, ChildFocus Stefanie Sprow, Children’s Defense Fund
Contact Information
Rebecca Robuck, ChildFocus
Stefanie Sprow, Children’s Defense Fund