I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8643 

To amend subpart 1 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to 

strengthen State plan requirements to include comprehensive mental 

health and well-being for children and youth in foster care to ensure 

their thriving and success. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 5, 2024 

Mrs. STEEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Ways and Means 

A BILL 

To amend subpart 1 of part B of title IV of the Social 

Security Act to strengthen State plan requirements to 

include comprehensive mental health and well-being for 

children and youth in foster care to ensure their thriving 

and success. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Foster Youth Mental 

5 Health Support Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. STRENGTHENING OF STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS 

2 TO INCLUDE COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL 

3 HEALTH AND WELL-BEING FOR CHILDREN 

4 AND YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE TO ENSURE 

5 THEIR THRIVING AND SUCCESS. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 422(b)(15)(A) of the So7 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 622(b)(15) is amended— 

8 (1) in the matter preceding clause (i)— 

9 (A) by inserting ‘‘and, if applicable, the 

10 State agency responsible for mental health serv11 ices,’’ before ‘‘and in consultation’’; and 

12 (B) by inserting ‘‘mental health pro13 viders,’’ before ‘‘other experts’’; 

14 (2) in clause (ii), by inserting ‘‘a list of services 

15 provided to support the physical and’’ before ‘‘emo16 tional’’; 

17 (3) in clause (iv), by inserting ‘‘an mental 

18 health’’ before ‘‘services’’; 

19 (4) in clause (v), by inserting ‘‘, informed con20 sent of youth, and compliance with professional 

21 practice guidelines’’ before the semicolon; and 

22 (5) in clause (vi), by inserting ‘‘, mental health 

23 providers,’’ before ‘‘or other’’. 

24 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

25 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by 

26 this section shall take effect on October 1, 2026, 


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1 and shall apply to payments under subpart 1 of part 

2 B of title IV of the Social Security Act for calendar 

3 quarters beginning on or after such date. 

4 (2) DELAY PERMITTED IF STATE LEGISLATION

5 REQUIRED.—If the Secretary of Health and Human 

6 Services determines that State legislation (other 

7 than legislation appropriating funds) is required in 

8 order for a State plan developed pursuant to subpart 

9 1 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to 

10 meet the additional requirements imposed by the 

11 amendments made by this section, the plan shall not 

12 be regarded as failing to meet any of the additional 

13 requirements before the 1st day of the 1st calendar 

14 quarter beginning after the first regular session of 

15 the State legislature that begins after the date of the 

16 enactment of this Act. For purposes of the preceding 

17 sentence, if the State has a 2-year legislative session, 

18 each year of the session is deemed to be a separate 

19 regular session of the State legislature. 

Æ 


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