II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1439 

To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to allow States 

that provide foster care for children up to age 21 to serve former 

foster youths through age 23 under the John H. Chafee Foster Care 

Independence Program. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 21, 2015 

Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself and Mr. REED) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act 

to allow States that provide foster care for children up 

to age 21 to serve former foster youths through age 

23 under the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence 

Program. 

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 Inde5 pendence Act of 2015’’. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

2 

•S 1439 IS

1 SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN STATES TO SERVE 

2 FORMER FOSTER YOUTHS UP TO AGE 23 

3 UNDER THE JOHN H. CHAFEE FOSTER CARE 

4 INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 477(b)(3) of the Social 

6 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677(b)(3)) is amended— 

7 (1) in subparagraph (A)— 

8 (A) by inserting ‘‘(i)’’ before ‘‘A certifi9 cation’’; 

10 (B) by striking ‘‘children who have left fos11 ter care’’ and all that follows through the pe12 riod and inserting ‘‘youths who have aged out 

13 of foster care and have not attained age 21.’’; 

14 and 

15 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

16 ‘‘(ii) If the State has elected under section 

17 475(8)(B) to extend eligibility for foster care up 

18 to age 21, or if the Secretary determines that 

19 the State agency responsible for administering 

20 the State plans under this part and part B uses 

21 State funds or any other funds not provided 

22 under this part to provide services and assist23 ance for youths who have aged out of foster 

24 care that are comparable to the services and as25 sistance such youths would receive if the State 

26 had made such an election, the certification remstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

3 

•S 1439 IS

1 quired under clause (i) may provide that the 

2 State will provide assistance and services to 

3 youths who have aged out of foster care and 

4 have not attained age 23.’’; and 

5 (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘children 

6 who have left foster care’’ and all that follows 

7 through the period and inserting ‘‘youths who have 

8 aged out of foster care and have not attained age 21 

9 (age 23, in the case of a State with a certification 

10 under clause (i) of subparagraph (A) to provide as11 sistance and services to youths who have aged out 

12 of foster care up to such age, in accordance with 

13 clause (ii) of subparagraph (A)).’’. 

14 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 477(a)(5) 

15 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 677(a)(5)) is amended by inserting 

16 ‘‘(23 years of age in the case of a State with a certification 

17 under clause (i) of subsection (b)(3)(A) to provide assist18 ance and services to youths who have aged out of foster 

19 care up to such age, in accordance with clause (ii) of such 

20 subsection)’’ after ‘‘21 years of age’’. 

21 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

22 this section take effect on October 1, 2015. 

Æ 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS