IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1101 

Expressing support for the designation of September 2020 as ‘‘National 

Kinship Care Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 

Ms. BASS (for herself, Mr. BACON, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. MITCHELL, Mr. 

LANGEVIN, and Mrs. LESKO) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of September 2020 

as ‘‘National Kinship Care Month’’. 

Whereas, in September 2020, ‘‘National Kinship Care 

Month’’ is observed; 

Whereas, nationally, 2,800,000 children are living in kinship 

care with grandparents, other relatives, and family 

friends (also referred to as ‘‘fictive kin’’); 

Whereas, nationally, more than 133,405 kinship children in 

foster care are placed in kinship foster care, with more 

than 2,667,000 kinship children supported outside of the 

foster care system; 

Whereas grandparents and other relatives are increasingly 

providing caring homes for children because of the opioid 

crisis; 


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•HRES 1101 IH 

Whereas grandparents and other relatives residing in urban, 

rural, and suburban households in every county of the 

United States have stepped forward out of love and loyalty to care for children during times in which biological 

parents are unable to do so; 

Whereas kinship caregivers provide safety, promote wellbeing, and establish stable households for vulnerable children; 

Whereas kinship care enables a child— 

(1) to maintain family relationships and cultural 

heritage; and 

(2) to remain in the community of the child; 

Whereas kinship care is a national resource that provides loving homes for children at risk; 

Whereas kinship caregivers face daunting challenges to keep 

countless children from entering foster care; 

Whereas the House of Representatives is proud to recognize 

the many kinship care families in which a child is raised 

by grandparents or other relatives; 

Whereas the House of Representatives wishes to honor the 

many kinship caregivers who throughout the history of 

the United States have provided loving homes for 

parentless children; 

Whereas National Kinship Care Month provides an opportunity to urge people in every State to join in recognizing 

and celebrating kinship caregiving families and the tradition of families in the United States to help raise children; 

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; 


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•HRES 1101 IH 

Whereas, during the COVID–19 pandemic, kinship caregivers 

who are often older grandparents with health 

vulnerabilities are parenting children in their homes, 

often without supports; 

Whereas, since more that 40 States and the District of Columbia have over 300 laws related to kinship caregiving 

and there are many Federal child welfare laws, it is clear 

that kinship care is acknowledged as the nationally accepted term for grandparents, relatives, and fictive kin 

who are caring for children; 

Whereas over 40 States are implementing kinship navigator 

services that support kinship caregivers who are not foster parents; and 

Whereas States increasingly rely on kin as foster parents, 

and are working to increase the percentages of kinship 

foster care: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Kin3 ship Care Month’’; 

4 (2) encourages the Congress to implement poli5 cies to improve the lives of vulnerable children and 

6 families; 

7 (3) honors the commitment and dedication of 

8 kinship caregivers and the advocates and allies who 

9 work tirelessly to provide assistance and services to 

10 kinship caregiving families; and 

11 (4) reaffirms the need to continue working to 

12 improve the outcomes of all vulnerable children 


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•HRES 1101 IH 

1 through parts B and E of title IV of the Social Se2 curity Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), and other pro3 grams designed— 

4 (A) to support vulnerable families; 

5 (B) to invest in prevention and reunifica6 tion services; and 

7 (C) to ensure that extended family mem8 bers who take on the role of kinship caregivers 

9 receive the necessary support. 

Æ 


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