III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 156 

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 policy to improve the lives of children 

in the foster-care system. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 4, 2017 

Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. WARNER, Mr. 

KAINE, Mr. KING, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. 

SCOTT, Mr. DAINES, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. PETERS, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. 

WYDEN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. BROWN, and Ms. KLOBUCHAR) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, 

Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

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 policy to improve the lives of children in the 

foster-care system. 

Whereas National Foster Care Month was established more 

than 20 years ago to— 

(1) bring foster-care issues to the forefront; 

(2) highlight the importance of permanency for 

every child; and 


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•SRES 156 IS 

(3) 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 428,000 children living in 

foster care; 

Whereas there were approximately 269,509 youth that entered the foster-care system in 2015, while over 62,000 

youth were eligible and awaiting adoption at the end of 

2015; 

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 are the front-line caregivers for children who cannot safely remain with their biological parents and provide physical care, emotional support, education advocacy, and are the largest single source of families providing permanent homes for children leaving foster care to adoption; 

Whereas children in foster care who are placed with relatives, 

compared to children placed with nonrelatives, 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; 


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Whereas some relative caregivers receive less financial assistance and support services than do foster caregivers; 

Whereas an increased emphasis on prevention and reunification services is necessary to reduce the number of children that are forced to remain in the foster-care system; 

Whereas more than 20,000 youth ‘‘aged out’’ of foster care 

in 2015 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 children in foster care experience an average of 3 

different placements, 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 65 percent of former foster 

children experiencing at least 7 school changes while in 

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; 


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Whereas recent studies show foster children enrolled in Medicaid were prescribed antipsychotic medications at 3 to 9 

times the rate of other children receiving Medicaid; 

Whereas due to heavy caseloads and limited resources, the 

average tenure for a worker in child protection services 

is just 3 years; 

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 Federal legislation over the past 3 decades, including the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 

1980 (Public Law 96–272), the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (Public Law 105–89), the Fostering 

Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 

2008 (Public Law 110–351), the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Public Law 112– 

34), and the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (Public Law 113–183) provided new 

investments and services to improve the outcomes of children in the foster-care system; 

Whereas May 2017 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, advocacy community, and mentors for their dedication, accomplishments, and 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 


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1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the designation of National Foster 

3 Care Month; 

4 (2) recognizes National Foster Care Month as 

5 an opportunity to raise awareness about the chal6 lenges that children face in the foster-care system; 

7 (3) encourages Congress to implement policy to 

8 improve the lives of children in the foster-care sys9 tem; 

10 (4) acknowledges the unique needs of children 

11 in the foster-care system; 

12 (5) recognizes foster youth throughout the 

13 United States for their ongoing tenacity, courage, 

14 and resilience while facing life challenges; 

15 (6) acknowledges the exceptional alumni of the 

16 foster-care system who serve as advocates and role 

17 models for youth who remain in care; 

18 (7) honors the commitment and dedication of 

19 the individuals who work tirelessly to provide assist20 ance and services to children in the foster-care sys21 tem; and 

22 (8) reaffirms the need to continue working to 

23 improve the outcomes of all children in the foster24 care system through parts B and E of title IV of the 


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1 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and 

2 other programs designed to— 

3 (A) support vulnerable families; 

4 (B) invest in prevention and reunification 

5 services; 

6 (C) promote adoption in cases where reuni7 fication is not in the best interests of the child; 

8 (D) adequately serve those children 

9 brought into the foster-care system; and 

10 (E) facilitate the successful transition into 

11 adulthood for children that ‘‘age out’’ of the 

12 foster-care system. 

Æ 


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