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(b) ELIMINATION OF OPT-OUT.—Section 471(a)(20) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)(20)), as amended by sub-
section (a) of this section, is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (A)—
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by 
striking ‘‘unless an election provided for in sub-
paragraph (B) is made with respect to the 
State,’’; and 
(B) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause 
(ii); and 
(2) by striking subparagraph (B) and redesig-
nating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B). 
SEC. 6. COURTS ALLOWED ACCESS TO THE FEDERAL PAR-
ENT LOCATOR SERVICE TO LOCATE PARENTS 
IN FOSTER CARE OR ADOPTIVE PLACEMENT 
CASES. 
Section 453(c) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
653(c)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(3); 
(2) by striking the period and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) any court which has authority with respect 
to the placement of a child in foster care or for
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adoption, but only for the purpose of locating a par-
ent of the child.’’. 
SEC. 7. CASEWORKER VISITS. 
(a) PURCHASE OF SERVICES IN INTERSTATE PLACE-
MENT CASES.—Section 475(5)(A)(ii) of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 675(5)(A)(ii)) is amended by striking 
‘‘or of the State in which the child has been placed’’ and 
inserting ‘‘of the State in which the child has been placed, 
or of a private agency under contract with either such 
State’’. 
(b) INCREASED VISITS.—Section 475(5)(A)(ii) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 675(5)(A)(ii)) is amended by striking 
‘‘12’’ and inserting ‘‘6’’. 
SEC. 8. HEALTH AND EDUCATION RECORDS. 
Section 475 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
675) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)(C)—
(A) by striking ‘‘To the extent available 
and accessible, the’’ and inserting ‘‘The’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘the most recent informa-
tion available regarding’’ after ‘‘including’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (5)(D)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘a copy of the record is’’ 
before ‘‘supplied’’; and
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(B) by inserting ‘‘, and is supplied to the 
child at no cost at the time the child leaves fos-
ter care if the child is leaving foster care by 
reason of having attained the age of majority 
under State law’’ before the semicolon. 
SEC. 9. RIGHT TO BE HEARD IN FOSTER CARE PRO-
CEEDINGS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 475(5)(G) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 675(5)(G)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘an opportunity’’ and inserting 
‘‘a right’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘and opportunity’’ and inserting 
‘‘and right’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘review or hearing’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘proceeding’’. 
(b) NOTICE
OF PROCEEDING.—Section 438(b) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 638(b)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘shall have in effect a rule requiring State courts to notify 
foster parents, pre-adoptive parents, and relative care-
givers of a child in foster care under the responsibility of 
the State of any proceeding to be held with respect to the 
child, and’’ after ‘‘highest State court’’. 
SEC. 10. COURT IMPROVEMENT. 
Section 438(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 629h(a)(1)) is amended—
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(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (C); and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) that determine the best strategy to 
use to expedite the interstate placement of chil-
dren, including—
‘‘(i) requiring courts in different 
States to cooperate in the sharing of infor-
mation; 
‘‘(ii) authorizing courts to obtain in-
formation and testimony from agencies 
and parties in other States without requir-
ing interstate travel by the agencies and 
parties; and 
‘‘(iii) permitting the participation of 
parents, children, other necessary parties, 
and attorneys in cases involving interstate 
placement without requiring their inter-
state travel; and’’. 
SEC. 11. REASONABLE EFFORTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 471(a)(15)(C) of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)(15)(C)) is amended 
by inserting ‘‘(including, if appropriate, through an inter-
state placement)’’ after ‘‘accordance with the permanency 
plan’’.
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(b) 
PERMANENCY
HEARING.—Section 
471(a)(15)(E)(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)(15)(E)(i)) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘, which considers in-State and 
out-of-State permanent placement options for the child,’’ 
before ‘‘shall’’. 
(c) 
CONCURRENT
PLANNING.—Section 
471(a)(15)(F) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)(15)(F)) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘, including identifying appropriate 
out-of-State relatives and placements’’ before ‘‘may’’. 
SEC. 12. CASE PLANS. 
Section 475(1)(E) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 675(1)(E)) is amended by inserting ‘‘to facilitate 
orderly and timely in-State and interstate placements’’ be-
fore the period. 
SEC. 13. CASE REVIEW SYSTEM. 
Section 475(5)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 675(5)(C) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘, in the case of a child who 
will not be returned to the parent, the hearing shall 
consider in-State and out-of-State placement op-
tions,’’ after ‘‘living arrangement’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘the hearing shall determine’’ 
before ‘‘whether the’’.