I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8443 

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

to provide for the placement of a foster child in a cottage home, and 

to make a child so placed eligible for foster care maintenance payments. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 

Mr. DUNN (for himself and Mr. HASTINGS) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 

A BILL 

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

to require States to provide for the placement of a foster 

child in a cottage home, and to make a child so placed 

eligible for foster care maintenance payments. 

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 ‘‘Cottage Homes to Im5 prove Lives for Dependents (CHILD) Act’’. 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 8443 IH

1 SEC. 2. PLACEMENT OF FOSTER CHILDREN IN COTTAGE 

2 HOMES. 

3 (a) STATE PLAN REQUIREMENT.—Section 471(a) of 

4 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)) is amended— 

5 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 

6 (36); 

7 (2) by striking the period at the end of para8 graph (37) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

9 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(38) provides that, with respect to a child who 

11 has attained 6 years of age and who is removed 

12 from the child’s home, if a suitable relative or other 

13 designated caregiver is not available as a placement 

14 for the child, placing the child in a foster family 

15 home or a cottage home shall be considered the least 

16 restrictive setting for the child.’’. 

17 (b) ELIGIBILITY FOR FOSTER CARE MAINTENANCE

18 PAYMENTS OF CERTAIN CHILDREN PLACED IN A COT19 TAGE HOME.—Section 472(a)(2)(C) of such Act (42 

20 U.S.C. 672(a)(2)(C)) is amended— 

21 (1) by striking ‘‘or’’; and 

22 (2) by inserting ‘‘, or (if the child has attained 

23 6 years of age and a suitable relative or other des24 ignated caregiver is not available as a placement for 

25 the child) in a cottage home that is not a foster fam26 ily home or child-care institution’’ before the period. 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 8443 IH

1 (c) DEFINITION OF COTTAGE HOME.—Section 

2 472(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 672(c)) is amended by add3 ing at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(3) COTTAGE HOME.—The term ‘cottage 

5 home’ means a residential operation— 

6 ‘‘(A) in which not more than 12 children 

7 reside; 

8 ‘‘(B) that has and implements a trauma9 informed care plan for its residents; 

10 ‘‘(C) that involves family members of a 

11 child in the plan of service for the child, and 

12 maintains contact with the family of the child, 

13 if available and if the involvement supports the 

14 well-being of the child; and 

15 ‘‘(D) that is licensed by the State in which 

16 it is situated or has been approved, by the 

17 agency of the State responsible for licensing or 

18 approval of institutions of this type.’’. 

19 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

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

21 this section shall take effect on the date of the en22 actment of this Act, and shall apply to payments 

23 under part E of title IV of the Social Security Act 

24 for calendar quarters beginning on or after such 

25 date. 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 8443 IH

1 (2) DELAY PERMITTED IF STATE LEGISLATION

2 REQUIRED.—If the Secretary of Health and Human 

3 Services determines that State legislation (other 

4 than legislation appropriating funds) is required in 

5 order for a State plan under part E of title IV of 

6 the Social Security Act to meet the additional re7 quirements imposed by the amendments made by 

8 this section, the plan shall not be regarded as failing 

9 to meet any of the additional requirements before 

10 the first day of the first calendar quarter beginning 

11 after the first regular session of the State legislature 

12 that begins after the date of the enactment of this 

13 Act. For purposes of the preceding sentence, if the 

14 State has a 2-year legislative session, each year of 

15 the session is deemed to be a separate regular ses16 sion of the State legislature. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS