Increasing Opportunity for Former Foster Youth Act

To establish innovation grants under the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood to improve adulthood outcomes for youth aging out of foster care, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Increasing Opportunity for Former Foster Youth Act 2. Chafee innovation grants (a) In general Section 477 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 677 (k) Innovation grants To improve adulthood outcomes for transition-Age foster youth (1) Purpose The purpose of this subsection is to support the development of programs that improve outcomes for transition-age foster youth, specifically by identifying programs with evidence of effectiveness, determining if they can be replicated with fidelity and demonstrate results, and scaling up successful programs so more youth receive effective services that help them to transition successfully to adulthood. (2) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Adulthood outcomes The term adulthood outcomes (B) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (i) a State child welfare agency; (ii) a local child welfare agency; (iii) a tribal child welfare agency of an Indian tribe or tribal organization operating a program under this part (including as part of a tribal consortium), in accordance with section 479B; or (iv) a non-governmental organization that has experience working with transition-age foster youth. (C) Moderate evidence of effectiveness The term moderate evidence of effectiveness (D) Preliminary evidence of effectiveness The term preliminary evidence of effectiveness (E) Strong evidence of effectiveness The term strong evidence of effectiveness (F) Transition-age foster youth The term transition-age foster youth (3) Innovation grants (A) Authority to award grants The Secretary shall award the following types of innovation grants to eligible entities to improve adulthood outcomes for transition-age foster youth through the development, validation, and dissemination of evidence-based effective programs for improving adulthood outcomes for transition-age foster youth: (i) Development grants Development grants to carry out programs with preliminary evidence of effectiveness in improving adulthood outcomes for transition-age foster youth. (ii) Validation grants Validation grants to carry out programs with moderate evidence of effectiveness in improving adulthood outcomes for transition-age foster youth. (iii) Replication grants Replication grants to carry out programs with strong evidence of effectiveness in improving adulthood outcomes for transition-age foster youth. (B) Proportion of different types of grants awarded To the extent feasible and practicable, the Secretary shall award development, validation, and replication grants in equal proportion, but shall award validation and replication grants only to the extent the programs proposed to be carried out with such grants meet the evidence requirements for the applicable type of grant to be awarded. (C) Number of grants The Secretary shall award at least 10, but not more than 15, innovation grants under this subsection. (D) Tribal child welfare agency At least 1 innovation grant shall be reserved for awarding to an eligible entity described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii), unless no such eligible entity meets the application requirements. (4) Duration Each innovation grant awarded under this subsection shall be awarded for a period of not less than 5 years. (5) Amount of grant The amount of an innovation grant awarded under this subsection shall be proportional to the level of funding necessary to implement and evaluate the proposed program at a scale that can be evaluated rigorously, as described in paragraph (5)(F). (6) Application requirements In order to be eligible for an innovation grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application containing the following: (A) Program design A description of the proposed program to be carried out using amounts awarded under the grant, including the target population of transition-age foster youth to be served by the program, which may be 1 or more of the following populations: (i) Transition-age foster youth who are homeless or at high risk of homelessness. (ii) Transition-age foster youth with emotional or behavioral challenges. (iii) Transition-age foster youth who are not engaged in employment, education, or training. (iv) Transition-age foster youth who are expectant or parenting. (v) Transition-age foster youth experiencing financial instability. (vi) Transition-age foster youth with a history of juvenile justice or criminal involvement or who are at risk of criminal involvement. (vii) Transition-age foster youth placed in another planned permanent living arrangement subject to section 475A(a). (viii) Transition-age foster youth who exited foster care without permanency. (ix) Transition-age foster youth at risk of experiencing negative outcomes in adulthood not described in a preceding clause of this subparagraph. (B) Adulthood outcomes measured A description of the adulthood outcomes that would be measured under the program. (C) Program model The logic model for the proposed program and whether the program has strong, moderate, or preliminary evidence. (D) Collaborative partnership An assurance that— (i) if the eligible entity is a State, county, or tribal child welfare agency, the eligible entity will establish 1 or more partnerships with non-governmental organizations or entities for purposes of collaborating on the implementation and evaluation of the program funded under the grant; and (ii) if the eligible entity is a non-governmental organization, the eligible entity will establish a partnership with the State, or a county or tribal child welfare agency on the implementation and evaluation of the program funded under the grant. (E) Funding assurance (i) In general Subject to clause (ii), an assurance that not less than 50 percent of the amounts expended by the eligible entity to carry out the program funded under the innovation grant shall be provided from non-Federal sources (which may be in cash or in kind) composed of the following: (I) Not less than 20 percent of the amounts expended by the eligible entity shall be derived from State expenditures that are not from amounts made available to the State by the Federal Government or amounts expended as a condition of receiving Federal funds (other than under this subsection). (II) Not less than 30 percent of amounts expended by the eligible entity shall be derived from expenditures made by a collaborative partner of the eligible entity that are not from amounts made available to the partner by the Federal Government or amounts expended as a condition of receiving Federal funds (other than under this subsection). (ii) Exception Clause (i) shall be applied to an eligible entity described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii) by substituting 30 percent 50 percent (F) Program evaluation Assurances that the eligible entity will (in accordance with guidelines proscribed by the Secretary in coordination with the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Research and Evaluation) use such amounts of the innovation grant awarded to the entity as is adequate to— (i) have a rigorous, third-party evaluation of the program that employs experimental designs, using random assignment whenever feasible, and other research methodologies that allow for the strongest possible causal inferences when random assignment is not feasible; (ii) conduct an analysis of costs and benefits of the program; and (iii) adhere to an evaluation plan that is developed with 1 or more collaborative partners of the eligible entity. (G) Other information or assurances Such other information or assurances as the Secretary may require. (7) Preference in awarding grants In awarding innovation grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give preference to grant applications to carry out proposed interventions that have prior evidence of meaningfully improving the greatest number of outcomes. (8) Technical assistance; dissemination of findings The Secretary shall (directly, or by contract or a cooperative agreement with 1 or more organizations with relevant expertise)— (A) provide technical assistance to eligible entities awarded innovation grants under this subsection to ensure that— (i) implementation of the programs funded under such grants adheres faithfully to the key elements of the program models; and (ii) the third-party evaluations of such programs are designed and implemented with scientific rigor, as described in paragraph (6)(F); and (B) ensure that findings from such evaluations are disseminated to support broad implementation and scaling up of successful approaches. (9) Funding (A) In general In addition to the amounts made available for a fiscal year under subsection (h) to carry out this section and paid to States under section 474(a)(4), out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025 to carry out this subsection. (B) Technical assistance Not more than 5 percent of the amount appropriated under subparagraph (A) to carry out this subsection for a fiscal year may be used to provide technical assistance and disseminate findings under paragraph (8). . (b) Report Not later than October 1, 2022, and periodically thereafter, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a report on the innovation grants awarded under section 477(k) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 677(k) (c) Technical assistance and other activities Subsection (g) of section 477 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 677 (g) Technical assistance and other activities The Secretary shall reserve 1 percent of the amount specified in subsection (h) for a fiscal year to carry out, during the fiscal year, evaluation, technical assistance, performance measurement, and data collection activities related to this section, directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements with appropriate entities. . (d) Conforming amendments Section 479B(f) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 679c(f) (1) by striking section 477(j) subsections (j) and (k) of section 477 (2) by inserting or 477(k) 474(e) 3. Increasing Child Support Payments to Families (a) Reporting of nonemployees to Directories of New Hires Section 453A of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 653a (1) in subsection (a)(1)(A), by striking by employers on each newly hired employee (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in the subsection heading, by striking Employer Reported (B) in paragraph (1)— (i) in subparagraph (A)— (I) by striking Except as provided (i) Employees Except as provided ; (II) by striking identifying number employer identification number (III) by inserting (in this section referred to as the employer identification number under section 6109 (IV) by adding at the end the following new clause: (ii) Nonemployees Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), if a service-recipient is required to make a return in accordance with section 6041A(a) identifying number ; (ii) in subparagraph (B)— (I) in the subparagraph heading, by striking employers reporting (II) by striking An employer (i) Employees An employer that has employees ; (III) by inserting (i) subparagraph (A) (IV) by striking the second sentence; and (V) by adding at the end the following: (ii) Nonemployees A service-recipient required to make returns in accordance with section 6041A(a) of the Internal Revenue Code with respect to nonemployees located in 2 or more States and that transmits reports magnetically or electronically may comply with subparagraph (A)(ii) by designating 1 State in which any such nonemployee is located to which the service-recipient will transmit the report described in subparagraph (A)(ii), and transmitting such report to such State. (iii) Designation Any employer or service-recipient that transmits reports pursuant to this subparagraph shall notify the Secretary in writing as to which State such employer or service-recipient designates for the purpose of sending reports. ; and (iii) in subparagraph (C)— (I) in the subparagraph heading, by striking employers (II) by striking report reports (C) in paragraph (2)— (i) in the matter that precedes subparagraph (A), by striking with respect to an employee (ii) in subparagraph (A)— (I) by inserting with respect to an employee, not later than 20 days (II) by striking or (iii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); (iv) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph: (B) with respect to a nonemployee, not later than 20 days after the earlier of— (i) first making payments as a consequence of which a return in accordance with section 6041A(a) (ii) entering into a contract providing for such payments; or ; and (v) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated by clause (iii), by striking in the case of an employer transmitting reports in the case of reports transmitted (3) in subsection (c), by inserting or service-recipient at the option of the employer (4) in subsection (d)— (A) in the heading, by inserting and Service-Recipients Employers (B) in paragraph (1), by inserting or nonemployee employee (C) in paragraph (2)— (i) by inserting or service-recipient employer (ii) by inserting or nonemployee, respectively, employee (5) in subsection (e)— (A) in the subsection heading, by striking Employer (B) by striking from an employer (6) in subsection (f)— (A) in paragraph (1); (i) by inserting and identifying numbers social security numbers (ii) by striking by employers pursuant to subsection (b) (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) by inserting or identifying number social security number (ii) by striking employee individual (iii) by striking and the name and address of, and identifying number assigned under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Act of 1986 to, the employer and the name, address, and employer identification number of the employer or service-recipient (7) in subsection (g)(2)(A), by inserting or nonemployee newly hired employee (8) in subsection (h), by striking by employers (b) Assisting in identifying assets across State lines (1) Duties of the secretary Subsection (l) of section 452 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 652 (l) Assets held by financial institutions (1) In general The Secretary, through the Federal Parent Locator Service, is authorized— (A) to assist State agencies operating programs under this part and financial institutions (as defined in section 469A(d)(1)) in reaching agreements regarding the receipt from such institutions, and the transfer to the State agencies, of information that may be provided pursuant to section 466(a)(17)(A)(i) or 469A(a); (B) to perform data matches comparing information from such State agencies and financial institutions entering into such agreements with respect to individuals owing past due support; and (C) upon State request, using formats prescribed by the Secretary, to send a notice of lien on assets, held by such financial institutions, of individuals identified through such data matches who owe past-due support. (2) Liability A financial institution shall not be liable under any Federal law to any person— (A) for encumbering any assets held by such financial institution in response to a notice of lien sent by the Secretary as provided for in paragraph (1)(C); or (B) for any other action taken in good faith to comply with paragraph (1). (3) Treatment of disclosures For purposes of section 1113(d) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978, a disclosure pursuant to this subsection shall be considered a disclosure pursuant to a Federal statute. . (2) State duties (A) Liens on bank accounts Section 466(a)(4)(A) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(4)(A) , including bank accounts, personal property (B) Liens arising in another state Section 466(a)(4)(B) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(4)(B) , when the State agency, party, or other entity (C) Federal notices of lien Section 466(a)(17)(A) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(17)(A) (i) in clause (i), by striking and (ii) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following new clause: (iii) in response to a notice of lien sent by the Secretary, to encumber assets held by such institution on behalf of any noncustodial parent who is subject to a child support lien pursuant to paragraph (4). . (D) Uniform notices of lien Section 466(a)(17)(A)(ii) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(17)(A)(ii) in such format and containing such information as the Secretary may require, notice of lien or levy, (E) Reimbursement of Federal costs Paragraph (3) of section 453(k) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 653(k)(3) (i) in the heading, by inserting and enforcement services information (ii) by inserting or enforcement services that receives information (iii) by striking or section 452(m) or subsection (l) or (m) of sections 452 (iv) by striking in furnishing the information in furnishing such information or enforcement services (3) Conforming amendment Section 469A(a) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 669a(a) section 452(l) or section 466(a)(17)(A) (c) Allowing single-State financial institutions To participate in the financial institution data match Section 466(a)(17)(A)(i) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(17)(A)(i) in the case of financial institutions doing business in two or more States (d) Report on withholding practices for independent contractors Not later than December 30, 2020, the Comptroller General of the United States shall issue a report on State rules and practices in relation to income withholding for nonemployees and how they are similar to or different from those applicable to employees under the Consumer Credit Protection Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1601 (e) Effective date (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section take effect on January 1, 2021. (2) Delay if State legislation required In the case of a State plan under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 651

Summary: Increasing Opportunity for Former Foster Youth Act This bill establishes and funds grants to provide services to youth aging out of the foster care system. Such grants must be awarded based on specified degrees of evidence-based effectiveness. Grant applications must specify the target population for the grant, such as foster youth who (1) are at risk of homelessness; (2) have, or are expecting, a child; (3) lack financial stability; or (4) have been involved with the juvenile justice system. The bill also modifies child welfare programs to facilitate the enforcement of child support orders.