III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 218 

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 policies to improve the lives of children 

in the foster care system. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 17, 2021 

Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. KAINE, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, 

Mr. WARNOCK, Ms. ERNST, Ms. ROSEN, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. WYDEN, Mrs. 

CAPITO, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. CASEY, Mr. BROWN, Mr. SCOTT of South 

Carolina, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. BLUNT, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. COONS, and Mr. YOUNG) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

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 policies to improve the lives of children in 

the foster care system. 

Whereas National Foster Care Month was established more 

than 30 years ago— 

(1) to bring foster care issues to the forefront of the 

national focus; 

(2) to highlight the importance of permanency for 

every child; and 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 218 ATS 

(3) to 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 424,000 children living in 

foster care; 

Whereas there were approximately 251,000 youth that entered the foster care system in 2019, while more than 

122,000 youth were awaiting adoption at the end of 

2019; 

Whereas more than 86,000 children entered foster care in 

2019 due to parental drug abuse; 

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— 

(1) are the front-line caregivers for children who 

cannot safely remain with their biological parents; 

(2) provide physical care, emotional support, and 

education advocacy; and 

(3) are the largest single source of families providing 

permanent homes for children leaving foster care to adoption; 

Whereas, compared to children in foster care who are placed 

with nonrelatives, children in foster care who are placed 

with relatives have more stability, including fewer 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 218 ATS 

changes in placements, have more positive perceptions of 

their placements, are more likely to be placed with their 

siblings, and demonstrate fewer behavioral problems; 

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

Whereas an increased emphasis on prevention and reunification services is necessary to reduce the number of children that enter or re-enter the foster care system; 

Whereas the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic 

has created additional challenges for youth and families 

in the child welfare system, including delays in permanency, economic hardship, and disruptions in education; 

Whereas over 20,000 youth ‘‘aged out’’ of foster care in 2019 

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, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 35 

percent of children in foster care experience more than 2 

placements while in foster care, 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 1 study showing that 75 perVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 May 17, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR218.ATS SR218

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 218 ATS 

cent of foster youth experienced an unscheduled school 

change during a school year, compared to 21 percent of 

youth not in foster 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; 

Whereas 30 percent of children in foster care are taking at 

least 1 anti-psychotic medication, and 34 percent of those 

children are not receiving adequate treatment planning or 

medication monitoring; 

Whereas, according to a 2018 study, due to heavy caseloads 

and limited resources, the average annual turnover rate 

for child welfare workers is between 14 percent and 22 

percent; 

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, in 2018, Congress passed the Family First Prevention Services Act (Public Law 115–123; 132 Stat. 232), 

which provided new investments in prevention and family 

reunification services to help more families stay together 

and ensure that more children are in safe, loving, and 

permanent homes; 

Whereas Federal legislation over the 3 decades preceding the 

date of adoption of this resolution, including the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (Public 

Law 96–272; 94 Stat. 500), the Adoption and Safe FamVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 May 17, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR218.ATS SR218

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 218 ATS 

ilies Act of 1997 (Public Law 105–89; 111 Stat. 2115), 

the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing 

Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–351; 122 Stat. 

3949), the Child and Family Services Improvement and 

Innovation Act (Public Law 112–34; 125 Stat. 369), and 

the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (Public Law 113–183; 128 Stat. 1919), provided 

new investments and services to improve the outcomes of 

children in the foster care system; 

Whereas May 2021 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, the advocacy community, and 

mentors for their dedication and accomplishments and 

the 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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the designation of May 2021 as 

3 National Foster 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 policies 

8 to improve the lives of children in the foster care 

9 system; 

10 (4) acknowledges the unique needs of children 

11 in the foster care system; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
6 

•SRES 218 ATS 

1 (5) recognizes foster youth throughout the 

2 United States for their ongoing tenacity, courage, 

3 and resilience while facing life challenges; 

4 (6) acknowledges the exceptional alumni of the 

5 foster care system who serve as advocates and role 

6 models for youth who remain in foster care; 

7 (7) honors the commitment and dedication of 

8 the individuals who work tirelessly to provide assist9 ance and services to children in the foster care sys10 tem; 

11 (8) supports the designation of May 31, 2021, 

12 as National Foster Parent Appreciation Day; 

13 (9) recognizes National Foster Parent Appre14 ciation Day as an opportunity— 

15 (A) to recognize the efforts of foster par16 ents to provide safe and loving care for children 

17 in need; and 

18 (B) to raise awareness about the increas19 ing need for foster parents to serve in their 

20 communities; and 

21 (10) reaffirms the need to continue working to 

22 improve the outcomes of all children in the foster 

23 care system through parts B and E of title IV of the 

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

25 other programs designed— 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
7 

•SRES 218 ATS 

1 (A) to support vulnerable families; 

2 (B) to invest in prevention and reunifica3 tion services; 

4 (C) to promote adoption in cases where re5 unification is not in the best interests of the 

6 child; 

7 (D) to adequately serve children brought 

8 into the foster care system; and 

9 (E) to facilitate the successful transition 

10 into adulthood for children that ‘‘age out’’ of 

11 the foster care system. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS