provide the services or programs, including 
a description of— 
‘‘(I) the services or programs and 
whether the practices used are prom-
ising, supported, or well-supported; 
‘‘(II) how the State plans to im-
plement the services or programs, in-
cluding how implementation of the 
services or programs will be continu-
ously monitored to ensure fidelity to 
the practice model and to determine 
outcomes achieved and how informa-
tion learned from the monitoring will 
be used to refine and improve prac-
tices; 
‘‘(III) how the State selected the 
services or programs; 
‘‘(IV) the target population for the 
services or programs; and 
‘‘(V) how each service or program 
provided will be evaluated through a 
well-designed and rigorous process, 
which may consist of an ongoing, 
cross-site evaluation approved by the 
Secretary. 
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‘‘(iv) A description of the consultation 
that the State agencies responsible for ad-
ministering the State plans under this part 
and part B engage in with other State 
agencies 
responsible 
for 
administering 
health programs, including mental health 
and substance abuse prevention and treat-
ment services, and with other public and 
private agencies with experience in admin-
istering child and family services, including 
community-based organizations, in order to 
foster a continuum of care for children de-
scribed in paragraph (2) and their parents 
or kin caregivers. 
‘‘(v) A description of how the State 
shall assess children and their parents or 
kin caregivers to determine eligibility for 
services or programs specified in paragraph 
(1). 
‘‘(vi) A description of how the services 
or programs specified in paragraph (1) that 
are provided for or on behalf of a child and 
the parents or kin caregivers of the child 
will be coordinated with other child and 
family services provided to the child and the 
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parents or kin caregivers of the child under 
the State plan under part B. 
‘‘(vii) Descriptions of steps the State is 
taking to support and enhance a competent, 
skilled, and professional child welfare work-
force to deliver trauma-informed and evi-
dence-based services, including— 
‘‘(I) ensuring that staff is quali-
fied to provide services or programs 
that are consistent with the promising, 
supported, or well-supported practice 
models selected; and 
‘‘(II) developing appropriate pre-
vention plans, and conducting the risk 
assessments required under clause (iii). 
‘‘(viii) A description of how the State 
will provide training and support for case-
workers in assessing what children and 
their families need, connecting to the fami-
lies served, knowing how to access and de-
liver the needed trauma-informed and evi-
dence-based services, and overseeing and 
evaluating the continuing appropriateness 
of the services. 
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‘‘(ix) A description of how caseload size 
and type for prevention caseworkers will be 
determined, managed, and overseen. 
‘‘(x) An assurance that the State will 
report to the Secretary such information 
and data as the Secretary may require with 
respect to the provision of services and pro-
grams specified in paragraph (1), including 
information and data necessary to deter-
mine the performance measures for the 
State under paragraph (6) and compliance 
with paragraph (7). 
‘‘(C) 
REIMBURSEMENT
FOR
SERVICES 
UNDER THE PREVENTION PLAN COMPONENT.— 
‘‘(i) LIMITATION.—Except as provided 
in subclause (ii), a State may not receive a 
Federal payment under this part for a 
given promising, supported, or well-sup-
ported practice unless (in accordance with 
subparagraph (B)(iii)(V)) the plan includes 
a well-designed and rigorous evaluation 
strategy for that practice. 
‘‘(ii) WAIVER
OF
LIMITATION.—The 
Secretary may waive the requirement for a 
well-designed and rigorous evaluation of 
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any well-supported practice if the Secretary 
deems the evidence of the effectiveness of the 
practice to be compelling and the State 
meets the continuous quality improvement 
requirements included in subparagraph 
(B)(iii)(II) with regard to the practice. 
‘‘(6) PREVENTION SERVICES MEASURES.— 
‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT; ANNUAL UPDATES.— 
Beginning with fiscal year 2021, and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary shall establish the fol-
lowing prevention services measures based on in-
formation and data reported by States that elect 
to provide services and programs specified in 
paragraph (1): 
‘‘(i) PERCENTAGE OF CANDIDATES FOR 
FOSTER CARE WHO DO NOT ENTER FOSTER 
CARE.—The percentage of candidates for 
foster care for whom, or on whose behalf, the 
services or programs are provided who do 
not enter foster care, including those placed 
with a kin caregiver outside of foster care, 
during the 12-month period in which the 
services or programs are provided and 
through the end of the succeeding 12-month- 
period. 
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‘‘(ii) PER-CHILD SPENDING.—The total 
amount of expenditures made for mental 
health and substance abuse prevention and 
treatment services or in-home parent skill- 
based programs, respectively, for, or on be-
half of, each child described in paragraph 
(2). 
‘‘(B) DATA.—The Secretary shall establish 
and annually update the prevention services 
measures— 
‘‘(i) based on the median State values 
of the information reported under each 
clause of subparagraph (A) for the 3 then 
most recent years; and 
‘‘(ii) taking into account State dif-
ferences in the price levels of consumption 
goods and services using the most recent re-
gional price parities published by the Bu-
reau of Economic Analysis of the Depart-
ment of Commerce or such other data as the 
Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(C) PUBLICATION OF STATE PREVENTION 
SERVICES MEASURES.—The Secretary shall an-
nually make available to the public the preven-
tion services measures of each State. 
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‘‘(7) MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT FOR STATE FOS-
TER CARE PREVENTION EXPENDITURES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—If a State elects to pro-
vide services and programs specified in para-
graph (1) for a fiscal year, the State foster care 
prevention expenditures for the fiscal year shall 
not be less than the amount of the expenditures 
for fiscal year 2014. 
‘‘(B) STATE FOSTER CARE PREVENTION EX-
PENDITURES.—The term ‘State foster care pre-
vention expenditures’ means the following: 
‘‘(i) TANF; IV–B; SSBG.—State ex-
penditures for foster care prevention services 
and activities under the State program 
funded under part A (including from 
amounts made available by the Federal 
Government), under the State plan devel-
oped under part B (including any such 
amounts), or under the Social Services 
Block Grant Programs under subtitle A of 
title XX (including any such amounts). 
‘‘(ii) OTHER STATE PROGRAMS.—State 
expenditures for foster care prevention serv-
ices and activities under any State program 
that is not described in clause (i) (other 
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than any State expenditures for foster care 
prevention services and activities under the 
State program under this part (including 
under a waiver of the program)). 
‘‘(C) STATE
EXPENDITURES.—The term 
‘State expenditures’ means all State or local 
funds that are expended by the State or a local 
agency including State or local funds that are 
matched or reimbursed by the Federal Govern-
ment and State or local funds that are not 
matched or reimbursed by the Federal Govern-
ment. 
‘‘(D) 
DETERMINATION
OF
PREVENTION 
SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary shall 
require each State that elects to provide services 
and programs specified in paragraph (1) to re-
port the expenditures specified in subparagraph 
(B) for fiscal year 2014 and for such fiscal years 
thereafter as are necessary to determine whether 
the State is complying with the maintenance of 
effort requirement in subparagraph (A). The Sec-
retary shall specify the specific services and ac-
tivities under each program referred to in sub-
paragraph (B) that are ‘prevention services and 
activities’ for purposes of the reports. 
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‘‘(8) PROHIBITION AGAINST USE OF STATE FOS-
TER CARE PREVENTION EXPENDITURES AND FEDERAL 
IV-E PREVENTION FUNDS FOR MATCHING OR EXPENDI-
TURE REQUIREMENT.—A State that elects to provide 
services and programs specified in paragraph (1) 
shall not use any State foster care prevention expend-
itures for a fiscal year for the State share of expendi-
tures under section 474(a)(6) for a fiscal year. 
‘‘(9) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Expenditures de-
scribed in section 474(a)(6)(B)— 
‘‘(A) shall not be eligible for payment under 
subparagraph (A), (B), or (E) of section 
474(a)(3); and 
‘‘(B) shall be eligible for payment under sec-
tion 474(a)(6)(B) without regard to whether the 
expenditures are incurred on behalf of a child 
who is, or is potentially, eligible for foster care 
maintenance payments under this part. 
‘‘(10) APPLICATION.—The provision of services 
or programs under this subsection to or on behalf of 
a child described in paragraph (2) shall not be con-
sidered to be receipt of aid or assistance under the 
State plan under this part for purposes of eligibility 
for any other program established under this Act.’’. 
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(b) DEFINITION.—Section 475 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
675) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(13) The term ‘child who is a candidate for fos-
ter care’ means, a child who is identified in a preven-
tion plan under section 471(e)(4)(A) as being at im-
minent risk of entering foster care (without regard to 
whether the child would be eligible for foster care 
maintenance payments under section 472 or is or 
would be eligible for adoption assistance or kinship 
guardianship assistance payments under section 473) 
but who can remain safely in the child’s home or in 
a kinship placement as long as services or programs 
specified in section 471(e)(1) that are necessary to 
prevent the entry of the child into foster care are pro-
vided. The term includes a child whose adoption or 
guardianship arrangement is at risk of a disruption 
or dissolution that would result in a foster care place-
ment.’’. 
(c) PAYMENTS UNDER TITLE IV–E.—Section 474(a) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 674(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; plus’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) subject to section 471(e)— 
‘‘(A) for each quarter— 
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‘‘(i) subject to clause (ii)— 
‘‘(I) beginning after September 
30, 2019, and before October 1, 2025, 
an amount equal to 50 percent of the 
total amount expended during the 
quarter for the provision of services or 
programs specified in subparagraph 
(A) or (B) of section 471(e)(1) that are 
provided in accordance with prom-
ising, supported, or well-supported 
practices that meet the applicable cri-
teria specified for the practices in sec-
tion 471(e)(4)(C); and 
‘‘(II) beginning after September 
30, 2025, an amount equal to the Fed-
eral 
medical 
assistance 
percentage 
(which shall be as defined in section 
1905(b), in the case of a State other 
than the District of Columbia, or 70 
percent, in the case of the District of 
Columbia) of the total amount ex-
pended during the quarter for the pro-
vision of services or programs specified 
in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 
471(e)(1) that are provided in accord-
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ance with promising, supported, or 
well-supported practices that meet the 
applicable criteria specified for the 
practices in section 471(e)(4)(C) (or, 
with respect to the payments made 
during the quarter under a cooperative 
agreement or contract entered into by 
the State and an Indian tribe, tribal 
organization, or tribal consortium for 
the administration or payment of 
funds under this part, an amount 
equal to the Federal medical assistance 
percentage that would apply under sec-
tion 479B(d) (in this paragraph re-
ferred to as the ‘tribal FMAP’) if the 
Indian tribe, tribal organization, or 
tribal consortium made the payments 
under a program operated under that 
section, unless the tribal FMAP is less 
than the Federal medical assistance 
percentage that applies to the State); 
except that 
‘‘(ii) not less than 50 percent of the 
total amount payable to a State under 
clause (i) for a fiscal year shall be for the 
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provision of services or programs specified 
in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 
471(e)(1) that are provided in accordance 
with well-supported practices; plus 
‘‘(B) for each quarter specified in subpara-
graph (A), an amount equal to the sum of the 
following proportions of the total amount ex-
pended during the quarter: 
‘‘(i) 50 percent of so much of the ex-
penditures as are found necessary by the 
Secretary for the proper and efficient ad-
ministration of the State plan for the provi-
sion of services or programs specified in sec-
tion 471(e)(1), including expenditures for 
activities approved by the Secretary that 
promote the development of necessary proc-
esses and procedures to establish and imple-
ment the provision of the services and pro-
grams for individuals who are eligible for 
the services and programs and expenditures 
attributable to data collection and report-
ing; and 
‘‘(ii) 50 percent of so much of the ex-
penditures with respect to the provision of 
services and programs specified in section 
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471(e)(1) as are for training of personnel 
employed or preparing for employment by 
the State agency or by the local agency ad-
ministering the plan in the political sub-
division and of the members of the staff of 
State-licensed or State-approved child wel-
fare agencies providing services to children 
described in section 471(e)(2) and their par-
ents or kin caregivers, including on how to 
determine who are individuals eligible for 
the services or programs, how to identify 
and provide appropriate services and pro-
grams, and how to oversee and evaluate the 
ongoing appropriateness of the services and 
programs.’’. 
(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND BEST PRACTICES, 
CLEARINGHOUSE, AND DATA COLLECTION AND EVALUA-
TIONS.—Section 476 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 676) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND BEST PRACTICES, 
CLEARINGHOUSE, DATA COLLECTION, AND EVALUATIONS 
RELATING TO PREVENTION SERVICES AND PROGRAMS.— 
‘‘(1) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND BEST PRAC-
TICES.—The Secretary shall provide to States and, as 
applicable, to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and 
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tribal consortia, technical assistance regarding the 
provision of services and programs described in sec-
tion 471(e)(1) and shall disseminate best practices 
with respect to the provision of the services and pro-
grams, including how to plan and implement a well- 
designed and rigorous evaluation of a promising, sup-
ported, or well-supported practice. 
‘‘(2) CLEARINGHOUSE
OF
PROMISING, 
SUP-
PORTED, 
AND
WELL-SUPPORTED
PRACTICES.—The 
Secretary shall, directly or through grants, contracts, 
or interagency agreements, evaluate research on the 
practices specified in clauses (iii), (iv), and (v), re-
spectively, of section 471(e)(4)(C), and programs that 
meet the requirements described in section 427(a)(1), 
including culturally specific, or location- or popu-
lation-based adaptations of the practices, to identify 
and establish a public clearinghouse of the practices 
that satisfy each category described by such clauses. 
In addition, the clearinghouse shall include informa-
tion on the specific outcomes associated with each 
practice, including whether the practice has been 
shown to prevent child abuse and neglect and reduce 
the likelihood of foster care placement by supporting 
birth families and kinship families and improving 
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targeted supports for pregnant and parenting youth 
and their children. 
‘‘(3) DATA COLLECTION AND EVALUATIONS.—The 
Secretary, directly or through grants, contracts, or 
interagency agreements, may collect data and conduct 
evaluations with respect to the provision of services 
and programs described in section 471(e)(1) for pur-
poses of assessing the extent to which the provision of 
the services and programs— 
‘‘(A) reduces the likelihood of foster care 
placement; 
‘‘(B) increases use of kinship care arrange-
ments; or 
‘‘(C) improves child well-being. 
‘‘(4) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Finance of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Ways and Means of 
the House of Representatives periodic reports 
based on the provision of services and programs 
described in section 471(e)(1) and the activities 
carried out under this subsection. 
‘‘(B) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary 
shall make the reports to Congress submitted 
under this paragraph publicly available. 
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‘‘(5) APPROPRIATION.—Out of any money in the 
Treasury of the United States not otherwise appro-
priated, there is appropriated to the Secretary 
$1,000,000 for fiscal year 2016 and each fiscal year 
thereafter to carry out this subsection.’’. 
(e) APPLICATION TO PROGRAMS OPERATED BY INDIAN 
TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 479B of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 679c) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (c)(1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (C)(i)— 
(I) in subclause (II), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; 
(II) in subclause (III), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(III) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(IV) at the option of the tribe, 
organization, or consortium, services 
and programs specified in section 
471(e)(1) to children described in sec-
tion 471(e)(2) and their parents or kin 
caregivers, in accordance with section 
471(e) and subparagraph (E).’’; and 
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(ii) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) PREVENTION
SERVICES
AND
PRO-
GRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS AND 
KIN CAREGIVERS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a 
tribe, organization, or consortium that 
elects to provide services and programs spec-
ified in section 471(e)(1) to children de-
scribed in section 471(e)(2) and their par-
ents or kin caregivers under the plan, the 
Secretary shall specify the requirements ap-
plicable to the provision of the services and 
programs. The requirements shall, to the 
greatest extent practicable, be consistent 
with the requirements applicable to States 
under section 471(e) and shall permit the 
provision of the services and programs in 
the form of services and programs that are 
adapted to the culture and context of the 
tribal communities served. 
‘‘(ii) PERFORMANCE MEASURES.—The 
Secretary shall establish specific perform-
ance measures for each tribe, organization, 
or consortium that elects to provide services 
and programs specified in section 471(e)(1). 
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The performance measures shall, to the 
greatest extent practicable, be consistent 
with the prevention services measures re-
quired for States under section 471(e)(6) 
but shall allow for consideration of factors 
unique to the provision of the services by 
tribes, organizations, or consortia.’’; and 
(B) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ‘‘and 
(5)’’ and inserting ‘‘(5), and (6)(A)’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The heading for 
subsection (d) of section 479B of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
679c) is amended by striking ‘‘FOR FOSTER CARE 
MAINTENANCE
AND
ADOPTION
ASSISTANCE
PAY-
MENTS’’. 
SEC. 112. FOSTER CARE MAINTENANCE PAYMENTS FOR 
CHILDREN WITH PARENTS IN A LICENSED 
RESIDENTIAL FAMILY-BASED TREATMENT FA-
CILITY FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 472 of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 672) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(C), by striking ‘‘or’’ and 
inserting ‘‘, with a parent residing in a licensed resi-
dential family-based treatment facility, but only to 
the extent permitted under subsection (j), or in a’’; 
and 
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(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) CHILDREN PLACED WITH A PARENT RESIDING IN 
A LICENSED RESIDENTIAL FAMILY-BASED TREATMENT FA-
CILITY FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the pre-
ceding provisions of this section, a child who is eligi-
ble for foster care maintenance payments under this 
section, or who would be eligible for the payments if 
the eligibility were determined without regard to 
paragraphs (1)(B) and (3) of subsection (a), shall be 
eligible for the payments for a period of not more 
than 12 months during which the child is placed with 
a parent who is in a licensed residential family-based 
treatment facility for substance abuse, but only if— 
‘‘(A) the recommendation for the placement 
is specified in the child’s case plan before the 
placement; 
‘‘(B) the treatment facility provides, as part 
of the treatment for substance abuse, parenting 
skills training, parent education, and individual 
and family counseling; and 
‘‘(C) the substance abuse treatment, par-
enting skills training, parent education, and in-
dividual and family counseling is provided 
under an organizational structure and treatment 
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framework that involves understanding, recog-
nizing, and responding to the effects of all types 
of trauma and in accordance with recognized 
principles of a trauma-informed approach and 
trauma-specific interventions to address the con-
sequences of trauma and facilitate healing. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION.—With respect to children for 
whom foster care maintenance payments are made 
under paragraph (1), only the children who satisfy 
the requirements of paragraphs (1)(B) and (3) of sub-
section (a) shall be considered to be children with re-
spect to whom foster care maintenance payments are 
made under this section for purposes of subsection (h) 
or section 473(b)(3)(B).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 474(a)(1) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 674(a)(1)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘subject to section 472(j),’’ before ‘‘an amount equal to the 
Federal’’ the 1st place it appears. 
SEC. 113. TITLE IV–E PAYMENTS FOR EVIDENCE-BASED KIN-
SHIP NAVIGATOR PROGRAMS. 
Section 474(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
674(a)), as amended by section 111(c), is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; plus’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(7) an amount equal to 50 percent of the 
amounts expended by the State during the quarter as 
the Secretary determines are for kinship navigator 
programs that meet the requirements described in sec-
tion 427(a)(1) and that the Secretary determines are 
operated in accordance with promising, supported, or 
well-supported practices that meet the applicable cri-
teria 
specified 
for 
the 
practices 
in 
section 
471(e)(4)(C), without regard to whether the expendi-
tures are incurred on behalf of children who are, or 
are potentially, eligible for foster care maintenance 
payments under this part.’’. 
Subtitle B—Enhanced Support 
Under Title IV–B 
SEC. 121. ELIMINATION OF TIME LIMIT FOR FAMILY REUNI-
FICATION SERVICES WHILE IN FOSTER CARE 
AND PERMITTING TIME-LIMITED FAMILY RE-
UNIFICATION SERVICES WHEN A CHILD RE-
TURNS HOME FROM FOSTER CARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 431(a)(7) of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 629a(a)(7)) is amended— 
(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
‘‘TIME-LIMITED
FAMILY’’ and inserting ‘‘FAMILY’’; 
and 
(2) in subparagraph (A)— 
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(A) by striking ‘‘time-limited family’’ and 
inserting ‘‘family’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘or a child who has been 
returned home’’ after ‘‘child care institution’’; 
and 
(C) by striking ‘‘, but only during the 15- 
month period that begins on the date that the 
child, pursuant to section 475(5)(F), is consid-
ered to have entered foster care’’ and inserting 
‘‘and to ensure the strength and stability of the 
reunification. In the case of a child who has been 
returned home, the services and activities shall 
only be provided during the 15-month period 
that begins on the date that the child returns 
home’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 430 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629) is 
amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘time-limited’’. 
(2) Subsections (a)(4), (a)(5)(A), and (b)(1) of 
section 432 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629b) are amended 
by striking ‘‘time-limited’’ each place it appears. 
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SEC. 122. REDUCING BUREAUCRACY AND UNNECESSARY 
DELAYS WHEN PLACING CHILDREN IN HOMES 
ACROSS STATE LINES. 
(a) STATE PLAN REQUIREMENT.—Section 471(a)(25) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)(25)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking ‘‘provide’’ and insert ‘‘provides’’; 
and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘, which, not later than October 
1, 2026, shall include the use of an electronic inter-
state case-processing system’’ before the 1st semicolon. 
(b) GRANTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ELEC-
TRONIC INTERSTATE CASE-PROCESSING SYSTEM TO EXPE-
DITE THE INTERSTATE PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN IN FOS-
TER CARE OR GUARDIANSHIP, OR FOR ADOPTION.—Section 
437 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629g) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) GRANTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ELEC-
TRONIC INTERSTATE CASE-PROCESSING SYSTEM TO EXPE-
DITE THE INTERSTATE PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN IN FOS-
TER CARE OR GUARDIANSHIP, OR FOR ADOPTION.— 
‘‘(1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this subsection 
is to facilitate the development of an electronic inter-
state case-processing system for the exchange of data 
and documents to expedite the placements of children 
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in foster, guardianship, or adoptive homes across 
State lines. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION
REQUIREMENTS.—A State 
that desires a grant under this subsection shall submit 
to the Secretary an application containing the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) A description of the goals and out-
comes to be achieved during the period for which 
grant funds are sought, which goals and out-
comes must result in— 
‘‘(i) reducing the time it takes for a 
child to be provided with a safe and appro-
priate permanent living arrangement across 
State lines; 
‘‘(ii) improving administrative proc-
esses and reducing costs in the foster care 
system; and 
‘‘(iii) the secure exchange of relevant 
case files and other necessary materials in 
real time, and timely communications and 
placement decisions regarding interstate 
placements of children. 
‘‘(B) A description of the activities to be 
funded in whole or in part with the grant funds, 
including the sequencing of the activities. 
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‘‘(C) A description of the strategies for inte-
grating programs and services for children who 
are placed across State lines. 
‘‘(D) Such other information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
‘‘(3) GRANT
AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may 
make a grant to a State that complies with para-
graph (2). 
‘‘(4) USE OF FUNDS.—A State to which a grant 
is made under this subsection shall use the grant to 
support the State in connecting with the electronic 
interstate case-processing system described in para-
graph (1). 
‘‘(5) EVALUATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after 
the final year in which grants are awarded under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress, 
and make available to the general public by posting 
on a website, a report that contains the following in-
formation: 
‘‘(A) How using the electronic interstate 
case-processing system developed pursuant to 
paragraph (4) has changed the time it takes for 
children to be placed across State lines. 
‘‘(B) The number of cases subject to the 
Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children 
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that were processed through the electronic inter-
state case-processing system, and the number of 
interstate child placement cases that were proc-
essed outside the electronic interstate case-proc-
essing system, by each State in each year. 
‘‘(C) The progress made by States in imple-
menting the electronic interstate case-processing 
system. 
‘‘(D) How using the electronic interstate 
case-processing system has affected various 
metrics related to child safety and well-being, in-
cluding the time it takes for children to be placed 
across State lines. 
‘‘(E) How using the electronic interstate 
case-processing system has affected administra-
tive costs and caseworker time spent on placing 
children across State lines. 
‘‘(6) DATA
INTEGRATION.—The Secretary, in 
consultation with the Secretariat for the Interstate 
Compact on the Placement of Children and the States, 
shall assess how the electronic interstate case-proc-
essing system developed pursuant to paragraph (4) 
could be used to better serve and protect children that 
come to the attention of the child welfare system, by— 
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‘‘(A) connecting the system with other data 
systems (such as systems operated by State law 
enforcement and judicial agencies, systems oper-
ated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 
the purposes of the Innocence Lost National Ini-
tiative, and other systems); 
‘‘(B) simplifying and improving reporting 
related to paragraphs (34) and (35) of section 
471(a) regarding children or youth who have 
been identified as being a sex trafficking victim 
or children missing from foster care; and 
‘‘(C) improving the ability of States to 
quickly comply with background check require-
ments of section 471(a)(20), including checks of 
child abuse and neglect registries as required by 
section 471(a)(20)(B).’’. 
(c) RESERVATION OF FUNDS TO IMPROVE THE INTER-
STATE PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN.—Section 437(b) of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 629g(b)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(4) IMPROVING
THE
INTERSTATE
PLACEMENT 
OF
CHILDREN.—The 
Secretary 
shall 
reserve 
$5,000,000 of the amount made available for fiscal 
year 2017 for grants under subsection (g), and the 
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amount so reserved shall remain available through 
fiscal year 2021.’’. 
SEC. 123. ENHANCEMENTS TO GRANTS TO IMPROVE WELL- 
BEING 
OF 
FAMILIES 
AFFECTED 
BY 
SUB-
STANCE ABUSE. 
Section 437(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
629g(f)) is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘IN-
CREASE THE WELL-BEING OF, AND TO IMPROVE THE 
PERMANENCY OUTCOMES FOR, CHILDREN AFFECTED 
BY’’ and inserting ‘‘IMPLEMENT IV-E PREVENTION 
SERVICES, AND IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF, AND 
IMPROVE PERMANENCY OUTCOMES FOR, CHILDREN 
AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY HEROIN, OPIOIDS, AND 
OTHER’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(2) REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP DEFINED.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘regional partnership’ means a 
collaborative agreement (which may be established on 
an interstate, State, or intrastate basis) entered into 
by the following: 
‘‘(A) MANDATORY PARTNERS FOR ALL PART-
NERSHIP GRANTS.— 
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‘‘(i) The State child welfare agency 
that is responsible for the administration of 
the State plan under this part and part E. 
‘‘(ii) The State agency responsible for 
administering the substance abuse preven-
tion and treatment block grant provided 
under subpart II of part B of title XIX of 
the Public Health Service Act. 
‘‘(B) MANDATORY PARTNERS FOR PARTNER-
SHIP GRANTS PROPOSING TO SERVE CHILDREN 
IN OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENTS.—If the partner-
ship proposes to serve children in out-of-home 
placements, the Juvenile Court or Administrative 
Office of the Court that is most appropriate to 
oversee the administration of court programs in 
the region to address the population of families 
who come to the attention of the court due to 
child abuse or neglect. 
‘‘(C) OPTIONAL PARTNERS.—At the option 
of the partnership, any of the following: 
‘‘(i) An Indian tribe or tribal consor-
tium. 
‘‘(ii) Nonprofit child welfare service 
providers. 
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‘‘(iii) For-profit child welfare service 
providers. 
‘‘(iv) Community health service pro-
viders, including substance abuse treatment 
providers. 
‘‘(v) Community mental health pro-
viders. 
‘‘(vi) Local law enforcement agencies. 
‘‘(vii) School personnel. 
‘‘(viii) Tribal child welfare agencies 
(or a consortia of the agencies). 
‘‘(ix) Any other providers, agencies, 
personnel, officials, or entities that are re-
lated to the provision of child and family 
services under a State plan approved under 
this subpart. 
‘‘(D) EXCEPTION FOR REGIONAL PARTNER-
SHIPS WHERE THE LEAD APPLICANT IS AN IN-
DIAN TRIBE OR TRIBAL CONSORTIA.—If an In-
dian tribe or tribal consortium enters into a re-
gional partnership for purposes of this sub-
section, the Indian tribe or tribal consortium— 
‘‘(i) may (but is not required to) in-
clude the State child welfare agency as a 
partner in the collaborative agreement; 
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‘‘(ii) may not enter into a collaborative 
agreement only with tribal child welfare 
agencies (or a consortium of the agencies); 
and 
‘‘(iii) if the condition described in 
paragraph (2)(B) applies, may include trib-
al court organizations in lieu of other judi-
cial partners.’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘2012 through 2016’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2017 through 2021’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘$500,000 and not 
more 
than 
$1,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$250,000 and not more than $1,000,000’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) in the subparagraph heading, by 
inserting ‘‘; PLANNING’’ after ‘‘APPROVAL’’; 
(ii) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘clause 
(ii)’’ and inserting ‘‘clauses (ii) and (iii)’’; 
and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(iii) SUFFICIENT PLANNING.—A grant 
awarded under this subsection shall be dis-
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bursed in 2 phases: a planning phase (not 
to exceed 2 years); and an implementation 
phase. The total disbursement to a grantee 
for the planning phase may not exceed 
$250,000, and may not exceed the total an-
ticipated funding for the implementation 
phase.’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) LIMITATION ON PAYMENT FOR A FIS-
CAL YEAR.—No payment shall be made under 
subparagraph (A) or (C) for a fiscal year until 
the Secretary determines that the eligible part-
nership has made sufficient progress in meeting 
the goals of the grant and that the members of 
the eligible partnership are coordinating to a 
reasonable degree with the other members of the 
eligible partnership.’’; 
(4) in paragraph (4)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘, par-
ents, and families’’ after ‘‘children’’; 
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘safety 
and permanence for such children; and’’ 
and inserting ‘‘safe, permanent caregiving 
relationships for the children;’’; 
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(iii) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘or’’ 
and inserting ‘‘increase reunification rates 
for children who have been placed in out of 
home care, or decrease’’; and 
(iv) by redesignating clause (iii) as 
clause (v) and inserting after clause (ii) the 
following: 
‘‘(iii) improve the substance abuse 
treatment outcomes for parents including 
retention in treatment and successful com-
pletion of treatment; 
‘‘(iv) facilitate the implementation, de-
livery, and effectiveness of prevention serv-
ices and programs under section 471(e); 
and’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
‘‘where appropriate,’’; and 
(C) by striking subparagraphs (E) and (F) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(E) A description of a plan for sustaining 
the services provided by or activities funded 
under the grant after the conclusion of the grant 
period, including through the use of prevention 
services and programs under section 471(e) and 
other funds provided to the State for child wel-
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fare and substance abuse prevention and treat-
ment services. 
‘‘(F) Additional information needed by the 
Secretary to determine that the proposed activi-
ties and implementation will be consistent with 
research or evaluations showing which practices 
and approaches are most effective.’’; 
(5) in paragraph (5)(A), by striking ‘‘abuse 
treatment’’ and inserting ‘‘use disorder treatment in-
cluding medication assisted treatment and in-home 
substance abuse disorder treatment and recovery’’; 
(6) in paragraph (7)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (C); and 
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 
subparagraph (E) and inserting after subpara-
graph (C) the following: 
‘‘(D) demonstrate a track record of success-
ful collaboration among child welfare, substance 
abuse disorder treatment and mental health 
agencies; and’’; 
(7) in paragraph (8)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
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(i) by striking ‘‘establish indicators 
that will be’’ and inserting ‘‘review indica-
tors that are’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘in using funds made 
available under such grants to achieve the 
purpose of this subsection’’ and inserting 
‘‘and establish a set of core indicators re-
lated to child safety, parental recovery, par-
enting capacity, and family well-being. In 
developing the core indicators, to the extent 
possible, indicators shall be made consistent 
with the outcome measures described in sec-
tion 471(e)(6)’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) in the matter preceding clause (i), 
by inserting ‘‘base the performance meas-
ures on lessons learned from prior rounds of 
regional partnership grants under this sub-
section, and’’ before ‘‘consult’’; and 
(ii) by striking clauses (iii) and (iv) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(iii) Other stakeholders or constitu-
encies as determined by the Secretary.’’; 
(8) in paragraph (9)(A), by striking clause (i) 
and inserting the following: 
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‘‘(i) SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later 
than September 30 of each fiscal year in 
which a recipient of a grant under this sub-
section is paid funds under the grant, and 
every 6 months thereafter, the grant recipi-
ent shall submit to the Secretary a report 
on the services provided and activities car-
ried out during the reporting period, 
progress made in achieving the goals of the 
program, the number of children, adults, 
and families receiving services, and such 
additional information as the Secretary de-
termines is necessary. The report due not 
later than September 30 of the last such fis-
cal year shall include, at a minimum, data 
on each of the performance indicators in-
cluded in the evaluation of the regional 
partnership.’’; and 
(9) in paragraph (10), by striking ‘‘2012 
through 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017 through 2021’’. 
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Subtitle C—Miscellaneous 
SEC. 131. REVIEWING AND IMPROVING LICENSING STAND-
ARDS FOR PLACEMENT IN A RELATIVE FOS-
TER FAMILY HOME. 
(a) IDENTIFICATION OF REPUTABLE MODEL LICENS-
ING STANDARDS.—Not later than October 1, 2017, the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services shall identify rep-
utable model licensing standards with respect to the licens-
ing of foster family homes (as defined in section 472(c)(1) 
of the Social Security Act). 
(b) STATE PLAN REQUIREMENT.—Section 471(a) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (34)(B), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(2) in paragraph (35)(B), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(36) provides that, not later than April 1, 2018, 
the State shall submit to the Secretary information 
addressing— 
‘‘(A) whether the State licensing standards 
are in accord with model standards identified by 
the Secretary, and if not, the reason for the spe-
cific deviation and a description as to why hav-
ing a standard that is reasonably in accord with 
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the corresponding national model standards is 
not appropriate for the State; 
‘‘(B) whether the State has elected to waive 
standards established in 471(a)(10)(A) for rel-
ative foster family homes (pursuant to waiver 
authority provided by 471(a)(10)(D)), a descrip-
tion of which standards the State most com-
monly waives, and if the State has not elected to 
waive the standards, the reason for not waiving 
these standards; 
‘‘(C) if the State has elected to waive stand-
ards specified in subparagraph (B), how case-
workers are trained to use the waiver authority 
and whether the State has developed a process or 
provided tools to assist caseworkers in waiving 
nonsafety standards per the authority provided 
in 471(a)(10)(D) to quickly place children with 
relatives; and 
‘‘(D) a description of the steps the State is 
taking to improve caseworker training or the 
process, if any; and’’. 
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SEC. 132. DEVELOPMENT OF A STATEWIDE PLAN TO PRE-
VENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT FATALI-
TIES. 
Section 422(b)(19) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 622(b)(19)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(19) document steps taken to track and prevent 
child maltreatment deaths by including— 
‘‘(A) a description of the steps the State is 
taking to compile complete and accurate infor-
mation on the deaths required by Federal law to 
be reported by the State agency referred to in 
paragraph (1), including gathering relevant in-
formation on the deaths from the relevant orga-
nizations in the State including entities such as 
State vital statistics department, child death re-
view teams, law enforcement agencies, offices of 
medical examiners or coroners; and 
‘‘(B) a description of the steps the state is 
taking to develop and implement of a com-
prehensive, statewide plan to prevent the fatali-
ties that involves and engages relevant public 
and private agency partners, including those in 
public health, law enforcement, and the courts.’’. 
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SEC. 133. MODERNIZING THE TITLE AND PURPOSE OF 
TITLE IV–E. 
(a) PART HEADING.—The heading for part E of title 
IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et seq.) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘PART E—FEDERAL PAYMENTS FOR FOSTER 
CARE, PREVENTION, AND PERMANENCY’’. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The 1st sentence of section 470 of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 670) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘1995) and’’ and inserting 
‘‘1995),’’; 
(2) by inserting ‘‘kinship guardianship assist-
ance, and prevention services or programs specified in 
section 471(e)(1),’’ after ‘‘needs,’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘(commencing with the fiscal 
year which begins October 1, 1980)’’. 
SEC. 134. EFFECTIVE DATES. 
(a) EFFECTIVE DATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), subject to subsection (b), the amendments 
made by this title shall take effect on October 1, 2016. 
(2) EXCEPTIONS.—The amendments made by 
sections 131 and 133 shall take effect on the date of 
enactment of this Act. 
(b) TRANSITION RULE.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a State plan 
under part B or E of title IV of the Social Security 
Act which the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices determines requires State legislation (other than 
legislation appropriating funds) in order for the plan 
to meet the additional requirements imposed by the 
amendments made by this title, the State plan shall 
not be regarded as failing to comply with the require-
ments of such part solely on the basis of the failure 
of the plan to meet such additional requirements be-
fore the first day of the first calendar quarter begin-
ning after the close of the first regular session of the 
State legislature that begins after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. For purposes of the previous sen-
tence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year legisla-
tive session, each year of the session shall be deemed 
to be a separate regular session of the State legisla-
ture. 
(2) APPLICATION TO PROGRAMS OPERATED BY 
INDIAN TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS.—In the case of an 
Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium 
which the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
determines requires time to take action necessary to 
comply with the additional requirements imposed by 
the amendments made by this title (whether the tribe, 
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organization, or tribal consortium has a plan under 
section 479B of the Social Security Act or a coopera-
tive agreement or contract entered into with a State), 
the Secretary shall provide the tribe, organization, or 
tribal consortium with such additional time as the 
Secretary determines is necessary for the tribe, orga-
nization, or tribal consortium to take the action to 
comply with the additional requirements before being 
regarded as failing to comply with the requirements. 
TITLE II—ENSURING THE NE-
CESSITY OF A PLACEMENT 
THAT IS NOT IN A FOSTER 
FAMILY HOME 
SEC. 201. LIMITATION ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL PARTICIPA-
TION FOR PLACEMENTS THAT ARE NOT IN 
FOSTER FAMILY HOMES. 
(a) LIMITATION ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL PARTICIPA-
TION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 472 of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 672), as amended by section 
112, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(2)(C), by inserting ‘‘, 
but only to the extent permitted under subsection 
(k)’’ after ‘‘institution’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(k) LIMITATION ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL PARTICIPA-
TION.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Beginning with the third 
week for which foster care maintenance payments are 
made under this section on behalf of a child placed 
in a child-care institution, no Federal payment shall 
be made to the State under section 474(a)(1) for 
amounts expended for foster care maintenance pay-
ments on behalf of the child unless— 
‘‘(A) the child is placed in a child-care in-
stitution that is a setting specified in paragraph 
(2) (or is placed in a licensed residential family- 
based treatment facility consistent with sub-
section (j)); and 
‘‘(B) in the case of a child placed in a 
qualified residential treatment program (as de-
fined in paragraph (4)), the requirements speci-
fied in paragraph (3) and section 475A(c) are 
met. 
‘‘(2) SPECIFIED
SETTINGS
FOR
PLACEMENT.— 
The settings for placement specified in this paragraph 
are the following: 
‘‘(A) A qualified residential treatment pro-
gram (as defined in paragraph (4)). 
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‘‘(B) A setting specializing in providing 
prenatal, post-partum, or parenting supports for 
youth. 
‘‘(C) In the case of a child who has attained 
18 years of age, a supervised setting in which the 
child is living independently. 
‘‘(3) ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE APPROPRIATE-
NESS OF PLACEMENT IN A QUALIFIED RESIDENTIAL 
TREATMENT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(A) DEADLINE FOR ASSESSMENT.—In the 
case of a child who is placed in a qualified resi-
dential treatment program, if the assessment re-
quired under section 475A(c)(1) is not completed 
within 30 days after the placement is made, no 
Federal payment shall be made to the State 
under section 474(a)(1) for any amounts ex-
pended for foster care maintenance payments on 
behalf of the child during the placement. 
‘‘(B) DEADLINE FOR TRANSITION OUT OF 
PLACEMENT.—If the assessment required under 
section 475A(c)(1) determines that the placement 
of a child in a qualified residential treatment 
program is not appropriate, a court disapproves 
such a placement under section 475A(c)(2), or a 
child who has been in an approved placement in 
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a qualified residential treatment program is 
going to return home or be placed with a fit and 
willing relative, a legal guardian, or an adoptive 
parent, or in a foster family home, Federal pay-
ments shall be made to the State under section 
474(a)(1) for amounts expended for foster care 
maintenance payments on behalf of the child 
while the child remains in the qualified residen-
tial treatment program only during the period 
necessary for the child to transition home or to 
such a placement. In no event shall a State re-
ceive Federal payments under section 474(a)(1) 
for amounts expended for foster care mainte-
nance payments on behalf of a child who re-
mains placed in a qualified residential treat-
ment program after the end of the 30-day period 
that begins on the date a determination is made 
that the placement is no longer the recommended 
or approved placement for the child. 
‘‘(4) QUALIFIED RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PRO-
GRAM.—For purposes of this part, the term ‘qualified 
residential treatment program’ means a program 
that— 
‘‘(A) has a trauma-informed treatment 
model that is designed to address the needs, in-
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cluding clinical needs as appropriate, of children 
with serious emotional or behavioral disorders or 
disturbances and, with respect to a child, is able 
to implement the treatment identified for the 
child by the assessment of the child required 
under section 475A(c); 
‘‘(B) has registered or licensed nursing staff 
and other licensed clinical staff who— 
‘‘(i) provide care within the scope of 
their practice as defined by State law; 
‘‘(ii) are on-site during business hours; 
and 
‘‘(iii) are available 24 hours a day and 
7 days a week; 
‘‘(C) to extent appropriate, and in accord-
ance with the child’s best interests, facilitates 
participation of family members in the child’s 
treatment program; 
‘‘(D) facilitates outreach to the family mem-
bers of the child, including siblings, documents 
how the outreach is made (including contact in-
formation), and maintains contact information 
for any known biological family and fictive kin 
of the child; 
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‘‘(E) documents how family members are 
integrated into the treatment process for the 
child, including post-discharge, and how sibling 
connections are maintained; 
‘‘(F) provides discharge planning and fam-
ily-based aftercare support for at least 6 months 
post-discharge; and 
‘‘(G) is licensed in accordance with section 
471(a)(10) and is accredited by any of the fol-
lowing independent, not-for-profit organizations: 
‘‘(i) The Commission on Accreditation 
of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). 
‘‘(ii) The Joint Commission on Accred-
itation 
of 
Healthcare 
Organizations 
(JCAHO). 
‘‘(iii) The Council on Accreditation 
(COA). 
‘‘(iv) Any other independent, not-for- 
profit accrediting organization approved by 
the Secretary.’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
474(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
674(a)(1)), as amended by section 112(b), is amended 
by striking ‘‘section 472(j)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
sections (j) and (k) of section 472’’. 
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(b) DEFINITION OF FOSTER FAMILY HOME, CHILD- 
CARE INSTITUTION.—Section 472(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
672(c)(1)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this part: 
‘‘(1) FOSTER FAMILY HOME.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘foster family 
home’ means the home of an individual or fam-
ily— 
‘‘(i) that is licensed or approved by the 
State in which it is situated as a foster 
family home that meets the standards estab-
lished for the licensing or approval; and 
‘‘(ii) in which a child in foster care 
has been placed in the care of an indi-
vidual, who resides with the child and who 
has been licensed or approved by the State 
to be a foster parent— 
‘‘(I) that the State deems capable 
of adhering to the reasonable and pru-
dent parent standard; 
‘‘(II) that provides 24-hour sub-
stitute care for children placed away 
from their parents or other caretakers; 
and 
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‘‘(III) that provides the care for 
not more than 6 children in foster care. 
‘‘(B) STATE FLEXIBILITY.—The number of 
foster children that may be cared for in a home 
under subparagraph (A) may exceed the numer-
ical limitation in subparagraph (A)(ii)(III), at 
the option of the State, for any of the following 
reasons: 
‘‘(i) To allow a parenting youth in fos-
ter care to remain with the child of the par-
enting youth. 
‘‘(ii) To allow siblings to remain to-
gether. 
‘‘(iii) To allow a child with an estab-
lished meaningful relationship with the 
family to remain with the family. 
‘‘(iv) To allow a family with special 
training or skills to provide care to a child 
who has a severe disability. 
‘‘(C) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Subpara-
graph (A) shall not be construed as prohibiting 
a foster parent from renting the home in which 
the parent cares for a foster child placed in the 
parent’s care. 
‘‘(2) CHILD-CARE INSTITUTION.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘child-care in-
stitution’ means a private child-care institution, 
or a public child-care institution which accom-
modates no more than 25 children, which is li-
censed by the State in which it is situated or has 
been approved by the agency of the State respon-
sible for licensing or approval of institutions of 
this type as meeting the standards established for 
the licensing. 
‘‘(B) SUPERVISED SETTINGS.—In the case 
of a child who has attained 18 years of age, the 
term shall include a supervised setting in which 
the individual is living independently, in ac-
cordance with such conditions as the Secretary 
shall establish in regulations. 
‘‘(C) EXCLUSIONS.—The term shall not in-
clude detention facilities, forestry camps, train-
ing schools, or any other facility operated pri-
marily for the detention of children who are de-
termined to be delinquent.’’. 
(c) TRAINING FOR STATE JUDGES, ATTORNEYS, AND 
OTHER LEGAL PERSONNEL IN CHILD WELFARE CASES.— 
Section 438(b)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629h(b)(1)) is 
amended in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by in-
serting ‘‘shall provide for the training of judges, attorneys, 
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and other legal personnel in child welfare cases on Federal 
child welfare policies and payment limitations with respect 
to children in foster care who are placed in settings that 
are not a foster family home,’’ after ‘‘with respect to the 
child,’’. 
(d) ASSURANCE OF NONIMPACT ON JUVENILE JUSTICE 
SYSTEM.— 
(1) STATE PLAN REQUIREMENT.—Section 471(a) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)), as amended by section 
131, is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(37) includes a certification that, in response to 
the limitation imposed under section 472(k) with re-
spect to foster care maintenance payments made on 
behalf of any child who is placed in a setting that is 
not a foster family home, the State will not enact or 
advance policies or practices that would result in a 
significant increase in the population of youth in the 
State’s juvenile justice system.’’. 
(2) GAO STUDY AND REPORT.—The Comptroller 
General of the United States shall evaluate the im-
pact, if any, on State juvenile justice systems of the 
limitation imposed under section 472(k) of the Social 
Security Act (as added by section 201(a)(1)) on foster 
care maintenance payments made on behalf of any 
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child who is placed in a setting that is not a foster 
family home, in accordance with the amendments 
made by subsections (a) and (b) of this section. In 
particular, the Comptroller General shall evaluate the 
extent to which children in foster care who also are 
subject to the juvenile justice system of the State are 
placed in a facility under the jurisdiction of the juve-
nile justice system and whether the lack of available 
congregate care placements under the jurisdiction of 
the child welfare systems is a contributing factor to 
that result. Not later than December 31, 2023, the 
Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report 
on the results of the evaluation. 
SEC. 202. ASSESSMENT AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE 
NEED FOR PLACEMENT IN A QUALIFIED RESI-
DENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM. 
Section 475A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
675a) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) ASSESSMENT, DOCUMENTATION, AND JUDICIAL 
DETERMINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PLACEMENT IN A 
QUALIFIED RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM.—In the 
case of any child who is placed in a qualified residential 
treatment program (as defined in section 472(k)(4)), the fol-
lowing requirements shall apply for purposes of approving 
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the case plan for the child and the case system review proce-
dure for the child: 
‘‘(1)(A) Within 30 days of the start of each 
placement in such a setting, a qualified individual 
(as defined in subparagraph (D)) shall— 
‘‘(i) assess the strengths and needs of the 
child using an age-appropriate, evidence-based, 
validated, functional assessment tool approved by 
the Secretary; 
‘‘(ii) determine whether the needs of the 
child can be met with family members or 
through placement in a foster family home or, if 
not, which setting from among the settings speci-
fied in section 472(k)(2) would provide the most 
effective and appropriate level of care for the 
child in the least restrictive environment and be 
consistent with the short- and long-term goals for 
the child, as specified in the permanency plan 
for the child; and 
‘‘(iii) develop a list of child-specific short- 
and long-term mental and behavioral health 
goals. 
‘‘(B)(i) The State shall assemble a family and 
permanency team for the child in accordance with the 
requirements of clauses (ii) and (iii). The qualified 
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individual conducting the assessment required under 
subparagraph (A) shall work in conjunction with the 
family of, and permanency team for, the child while 
conducting and making the assessment. 
‘‘(ii) The family and permanency team shall 
consist of all appropriate biological family members, 
relative, and fictive kin of the child, as well as, as ap-
propriate, professionals who are a resource to the 
family of the child, such as teachers, medical or men-
tal health providers who have treated the child, or 
clergy. In the case of a child who has attained age 14, 
the family and permanency team shall include the 
members of the permanency planning team for the 
child that are selected by the child in accordance with 
section 475(5)(C)(iv). 
‘‘(iii) The State shall document in the child’s 
case plan— 
‘‘(I) the reasonable and good faith effort of 
the State to identify and include all such indi-
viduals on the family of, and permanency team 
for, the child; 
‘‘(II) all contact information for members of 
the family and permanency team, as well as con-
tact information for other family members and 
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fictive kin who are not part of the family and 
permanency team; 
‘‘(III) evidence that meetings of the family 
and permanency team, including meetings relat-
ing to the assessment required under subpara-
graph (A), are held at a time and place conven-
ient for family; 
‘‘(IV) if reunification is the goal, evidence 
demonstrating that the parent from whom the 
child was removed provided input on the mem-
bers of the family and permanency team; 
‘‘(V) evidence that the assessment required 
under subparagraph (A) is determined in con-
junction with the family and permanency team; 
and 
‘‘(VI) the placement preferences of the fam-
ily and permanency team relative to the assess-
ment and, if the placement preferences of the 
family and permanency team and child are not 
the placement setting recommended by the quali-
fied individual conducting the assessment under 
subparagraph (A), the reasons why the pref-
erences of the team and of the child were not rec-
ommended. 
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‘‘(C) In the case of a child who the qualified in-
dividual conducting the assessment under subpara-
graph (A) determines should not be placed in a foster 
family home, the qualified individual shall specify in 
writing the reasons why the needs of the child cannot 
be met by the family of the child or in a foster family 
home. A shortage or lack of foster family homes shall 
not be an acceptable reason for determining that a 
needs of the child cannot be met in a foster family 
home. The qualified individual also shall specify in 
writing why the recommended placement in a quali-
fied residential treatment program is the setting that 
will provide the child with the most effective and ap-
propriate level of care in the least restrictive environ-
ment and how that placement is consistent with the 
short- and long-term goals for the child, as specified 
in the permanency plan for the child. 
‘‘(D)(i) Subject to clause (ii), in this subsection, 
the term ‘qualified individual’ means a trained pro-
fessional or licensed clinician who is not an employee 
of the State agency and who is not connected to, or 
affiliated with, any placement setting in which chil-
dren are placed by the State. 
‘‘(ii) The Secretary may approve a request of a 
State to waive any requirement in clause (i) upon a 
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submission by the State, in accordance with criteria 
established by the Secretary, that certifies that the 
trained professionals or licensed clinicians with re-
sponsibility for performing the assessments described 
in subparagraph (A) shall maintain objectivity with 
respect to determining the most effective and appro-
priate placement for a child. 
‘‘(2) Within 60 days of the start of each place-
ment in a qualified residential treatment program, a 
family or juvenile court or another court (including 
a tribal court) of competent jurisdiction, or an ad-
ministrative body appointed or approved by the 
court, independently, shall— 
‘‘(A) consider the assessment, determination, 
and documentation made by the qualified indi-
vidual conducting the assessment under para-
graph (1); 
‘‘(B) determine whether the needs of the 
child can be met through placement in a foster 
family home or, if not, whether placement of the 
child in a qualified residential treatment pro-
gram provides the most effective and appropriate 
level of care for the child in the least restrictive 
environment and whether that placement is con-
sistent with the short- and long-term goals for 
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the child, as specified in the permanency plan 
for the child; and 
‘‘(C) approve or disapprove the placement. 
‘‘(3) The written documentation made under 
paragraph (1)(C) and documentation of the deter-
mination and approval or disapproval of the place-
ment in a qualified residential treatment program by 
a court or administrative body under paragraph (2) 
shall be included in and made part of the case plan 
for the child. 
‘‘(4) As long as a child remains placed in a 
qualified residential treatment program, the State 
agency shall submit evidence at each status review 
and each permanency hearing held with respect to the 
child— 
‘‘(A) demonstrating that ongoing assessment 
of the strengths and needs of the child continues 
to support the determination that the needs of 
the child cannot be met through placement in a 
foster family home, that the placement in a 
qualified residential treatment program provides 
the most effective and appropriate level of care 
for the child in the least restrictive environment, 
and that the placement is consistent with the 
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short- and long-term goals for the child, as speci-
fied in the permanency plan for the child; 
‘‘(B) documenting the specific treatment or 
service needs that will be met for the child in the 
placement and the length of time the child is ex-
pected to need the treatment or services; and 
‘‘(C) documenting the efforts made by the 
State agency to prepare the child to return home 
or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, 
a legal guardian, or an adoptive parent, or in 
a foster family home. 
‘‘(5) In the case of any child who is placed in 
a qualified residential treatment program for more 
than 12 consecutive months or 18 nonconsecutive 
months (or, in the case of a child who has not at-
tained age 13, for more than 6 consecutive or non-
consecutive months), the State agency shall submit to 
the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) the most recent versions of the evidence 
and documentation specified in paragraph (4); 
and 
‘‘(B) the signed approval of the head of the 
State agency for the continued placement of the 
child in that setting.’’. 
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SEC. 203. PROTOCOLS TO PREVENT INAPPROPRIATE DIAG-
NOSES. 
(a) 
STATE
PLAN
REQUIREMENT.—Section 
422(b)(15)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
622(b)(15)(A)) is amended— 
(1) in clause (vi), by striking ‘‘and’’ after the 
semicolon; 
(2) by redesignating clause (vii) as clause (viii); 
and 
(3) by inserting after clause (vi) the following: 
‘‘(vii) the procedures and protocols the 
State has established to ensure that children 
in foster care placements are not inappro-
priately diagnosed with mental illness, 
other emotional or behavioral disorders, 
medically fragile conditions, or develop-
mental disabilities, and placed in settings 
that are not foster family homes as a result 
of the inappropriate diagnoses; and’’. 
(b) EVALUATION.—Section 476 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
676), as amended by section 111(d), is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) EVALUATION OF STATE PROCEDURES AND PRO-
TOCOLS TO PREVENT INAPPROPRIATE DIAGNOSES OF MEN-
TAL ILLNESS OR OTHER CONDITIONS.—The Secretary shall 
conduct an evaluation of the procedures and protocols estab-
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lished by States in accordance with the requirements of sec-
tion 422(b)(15)(A)(vii). The evaluation shall analyze the ex-
tent to which States comply with and enforce the procedures 
and protocols and the effectiveness of various State proce-
dures and protocols and shall identify best practices. Not 
later than January 1, 2019, the Secretary shall submit a 
report on the results of the evaluation to Congress.’’. 
SEC. 204. ADDITIONAL DATA AND REPORTS REGARDING 
CHILDREN PLACED IN A SETTING THAT IS 
NOT A FOSTER FAMILY HOME. 
Section 479A(a)(7)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 679b(a)(7)(A)) is amended by striking clauses (i) 
through (vi) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) with respect to each such place-
ment— 
‘‘(I) the type of the placement set-
ting, including whether the placement 
is shelter care, a group home and if so, 
the range of the child population in the 
home, a residential treatment facility, 
a hospital or institution providing 
medical, rehabilitative, or psychiatric 
care, a setting specializing in pro-
viding prenatal, post-partum or par-
enting supports, or some other kind of 
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child-care institution and if so, what 
kind; 
‘‘(II) the number of children in 
the placement setting and the age, race, 
ethnicity, and gender of each of the 
children; 
‘‘(III) for each child in the place-
ment setting, the length of the place-
ment of the child in the setting, wheth-
er the placement of the child in the set-
ting is the first placement of the child 
and if not, the number and type of 
previous placements of the child, and 
whether the child has special needs or 
another diagnosed mental or physical 
illness or condition; and 
‘‘(IV) the extent of any specialized 
education, treatment, counseling, or 
other services provided in the setting; 
and 
‘‘(ii) separately, the number and ages 
of children in the placements who have a 
permanency plan of another planned per-
manent living arrangement; and’’. 
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SEC. 205. EFFECTIVE DATES; APPLICATION TO WAIVERS. 
(a) EFFECTIVE DATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2) and 
subsections (b) and (c), the amendments made by this 
title shall take effect on October 1, 2016. 
(2) TRANSITION RULE.—In the case of a State 
plan under part B or E of title IV of the Social Secu-
rity Act which the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services determines requires State legislation (other 
than legislation appropriating funds) in order for the 
plan to meet the additional requirements imposed by 
the amendments made by this title, the State plan 
shall not be regarded as failing to comply with the re-
quirements of such part solely on the basis of the fail-
ure of the plan to meet the additional requirements 
before the first day of the first calendar quarter begin-
ning after the close of the first regular session of the 
State legislature that begins after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. For purposes of the previous sen-
tence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year legisla-
tive session, each year of the session shall be deemed 
to be a separate regular session of the State legisla-
ture. 
(b) LIMITATION ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL PARTICIPA-
TION FOR PLACEMENTS THAT ARE NOT IN FOSTER FAMILY 
HOMES
AND RELATED PROVISIONS.—The amendments 
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made by sections 201(a), 201(b), 201(d), and 202 shall take 
effect on October 1, 2019. 
(c) APPLICATION TO STATES WITH WAIVERS.—In the 
case of a State that, on the date of enactment of this Act, 
has in effect a waiver approved under section 1130 of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-9), the amendments 
made by this title shall not apply with respect to the State 
before the expiration (determined without regard to any ex-
tensions) of the waiver to the extent the amendments are 
inconsistent with the terms of the waiver. 
TITLE 
III—CONTINUING 
SUP-
PORT FOR CHILD AND FAMILY 
SERVICES 
SEC. 301. SUPPORTING AND RETAINING FOSTER FAMILIES 
FOR CHILDREN. 
(a) SUPPORTING AND RETAINING FOSTER PARENTS AS 
A FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICE.—Section 431(a)(2)(B) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 631(a)(2)(B)) is amended 
by redesignating clauses (iii) through (vi) as clauses (iv) 
through (vii), respectively, and inserting after clause (ii) 
the following: 
‘‘(iii) To support and retain foster 
families so they can provide quality family- 
based settings for children in foster care.’’. 
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(b) SUPPORT FOR FOSTER FAMILY HOMES.—Section 
436 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629f) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) SUPPORT FOR FOSTER FAMILY HOMES.—Out of 
any money in the Treasury of the United States not other-
wise appropriated, there are appropriated to the Secretary 
for fiscal year 2018, $8,000,000 for the Secretary to make 
competitive grants to States, Indian tribes, or tribal con-
sortia to support the recruitment and retention of high- 
quality foster families to increase their capacity to place 
more children in family settings, focused on States, Indian 
tribes, or tribal consortia with the highest percentage of 
children in non-family settings. The amount appropriated 
under this subparagraph shall remain available through fis-
cal year 2022.’’. 
SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES 
PROGRAMS. 
(a) EXTENSION OF STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES CHILD 
WELFARE SERVICES PROGRAM.—Section 425 of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 625) is amended by striking ‘‘2012 
through 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017 through 2021’’. 
(b) EXTENSION OF PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE 
FAMILIES PROGRAM AUTHORIZATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 436(a) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 629f(a)) is amended by striking all that 
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follows ‘‘$345,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘for each of fis-
cal years 2017 through 2021.’’. 
(2) DISCRETIONARY GRANTS.—Section 437(a) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 629g(a)) is amended by striking 
‘‘2012 through 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017 through 
2021’’. 
(c) EXTENSION
OF FUNDING RESERVATIONS
FOR 
MONTHLY CASEWORKER VISITS AND REGIONAL PARTNER-
SHIP GRANTS.—Section 436(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
629f(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ‘‘2012 
through 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017 through 2021’’; 
and 
(2) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘2012 through 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017 through 2021’’. 
(d) REAUTHORIZATION
OF
FUNDING
FOR
STATE 
COURTS.— 
(1) EXTENSION OF PROGRAM.—Section 438(c)(1) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629h(c)(1)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2012 through 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017 
through 2021’’. 
(2) EXTENSION
OF
FEDERAL
SHARE.—Section 
438(d) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629h(d)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2012 through 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017 
through 2021’’. 
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(e) REPEAL OF EXPIRED PROVISIONS.—Section 438(e) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 629h(e)) is repealed. 
SEC. 303. IMPROVEMENTS TO THE JOHN H. CHAFEE FOS-
TER CARE INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM AND 
RELATED PROVISIONS. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO SERVE FORMER FOSTER YOUTH 
UP TO AGE 23.—Section 477 of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 677) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(5), by inserting ‘‘(or 23 
years of age, in the case of a State with a certifi-
cation under subsection (b)(3)(A)(ii) to provide assist-
ance and services to youths who have aged out of fos-
ter care and have not attained such age, in accord-
ance with such subsection)’’ after ‘‘21 years of age’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(3)(A)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(i)’’ before ‘‘A certifi-
cation’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘children who have left fos-
ter care’’ and all that follows through the period 
and inserting ‘‘youths who have aged out of fos-
ter care and have not attained 21 years of age.’’; 
and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) If the State has elected under section 
475(8)(B) to extend eligibility for foster care to 
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all children who have not attained 21 years of 
age, or if the Secretary determines that the State 
agency responsible for administering the State 
plans under this part and part B uses State 
funds or any other funds not provided under this 
part to provide services and assistance for youths 
who have aged out of foster care that are com-
parable to the services and assistance the youths 
would receive if the State had made such an elec-
tion, the certification required under clause (i) 
may provide that the State will provide assist-
ance and services to youths who have aged out 
of foster care and have not attained 23 years of 
age.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (b)(3)(B), by striking ‘‘children 
who have left foster care’’ and all that follows through 
the period and inserting ‘‘youths who have aged out 
of foster care and have not attained 21 years of age 
(or 23 years of age, in the case of a State with a cer-
tification under subparagraph (A)(i) to provide as-
sistance and services to youths who have aged out of 
foster care and have not attained such age, in accord-
ance with subparagraph (A)(ii)).’’. 
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(b) 
AUTHORITY
TO
REDISTRIBUTE
UNSPENT 
FUNDS.—Section 477(d) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 677(d)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘or does not 
expend allocated funds within the time period speci-
fied under section 477(d)(3)’’ after ‘‘provided by the 
Secretary’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) 
REDISTRIBUTION
OF
UNEXPENDED 
AMOUNTS.— 
‘‘(A) AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS.—To the 
extent that amounts paid to States under this 
section in a fiscal year remain unexpended by 
the States at the end of the succeeding fiscal 
year, the Secretary may make the amounts 
available for redistribution in the 2nd succeeding 
fiscal year among the States that apply for addi-
tional funds under this section for that 2nd suc-
ceeding fiscal year. 
‘‘(B) REDISTRIBUTION.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
redistribute the amounts made available 
under subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year 
among eligible applicant States. In this 
subparagraph, the term ‘eligible applicant 
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State’ means a State that has applied for 
additional funds for the fiscal year under 
subparagraph (A) if the Secretary deter-
mines that the State will use the funds for 
the purpose for which originally allotted 
under this section. 
‘‘(ii) AMOUNT
TO
BE
REDISTRIB-
UTED.—The amount to be redistributed to 
each eligible applicant State shall be the 
amount so made available multiplied by the 
State foster care ratio, (as defined in sub-
section (c)(4), except that, in such sub-
section, ‘all eligible applicant States (as de-
fined in subsection (d)(5)(B)(i))’ shall be 
substituted for ‘all States’). 
‘‘(iii) TREATMENT OF REDISTRIBUTED 
AMOUNT.—Any amount made available to a 
State under this paragraph shall be re-
garded as part of the allotment of the State 
under this section for the fiscal year in 
which the redistribution is made. 
‘‘(C) TRIBES.—For purposes of this para-
graph, the term ‘State’ includes an Indian tribe, 
tribal organization, or tribal consortium that re-
ceives an allotment under this section.’’. 
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(c) EXPANDING AND CLARIFYING THE USE OF EDU-
CATION AND TRAINING VOUCHERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 477(i)(3) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 677(i)(3)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘on the date’’ and all that 
follows through ‘‘23’’ and inserting ‘‘to remain 
eligible until they attain 26’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘, but in no event may a 
youth participate in the program for more than 
5 years (whether or not consecutive)’’ before the 
period. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
477(i)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 677(i)(1)) is amend-
ed by inserting ‘‘who have attained 14 years of age’’ 
before the period. 
(d) OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.—Section 477 of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 677), as amended by subsections (a), (b), and 
(c), is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘INDE-
PENDENCE PROGRAM’’ and inserting ‘‘PROGRAM 
FOR
SUCCESSFUL
TRANSITION
TO
ADULT-
HOOD’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
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(i) by striking ‘‘identify children who 
are likely to remain in foster care until 18 
years of age and to help these children make 
the transition to self-sufficiency by pro-
viding services’’ and inserting ‘‘support all 
youth who have experienced foster care at 
age 14 or older in their transition to adult-
hood through transitional services’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and post-secondary 
education’’ after ‘‘high school diploma’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘training in daily liv-
ing skills, training in budgeting and finan-
cial management skills’’ and inserting 
‘‘training and opportunities to practice 
daily living skills (such as financial lit-
eracy training and driving instruction)’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘who are 
likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of 
age receive the education, training, and services 
necessary to obtain employment’’ and inserting 
‘‘who have experienced foster care at age 14 or 
older achieve meaningful, permanent connections 
with a caring adult’’; 
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘who are 
likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of 
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age prepare for and enter postsecondary training 
and education institutions’’ and inserting ‘‘who 
have experienced foster care at age 14 or older 
engage in age or developmentally appropriate 
activities, positive youth development, and expe-
riential learning that reflects what their peers in 
intact families experience’’; and 
(D) by striking paragraph (4) and redesig-
nating paragraphs (5) through (8) as para-
graphs (4) through (7); 
(3) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)(D), by striking ‘‘ado-
lescents’’ and inserting ‘‘youth’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) in subparagraph (D)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘including train-
ing on youth development’’ after ‘‘to 
provide training’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘adolescents pre-
paring for independent living’’ and all 
that follows through the period and in-
serting ‘‘youth preparing for a success-
ful transition to adulthood and making 
a permanent connection with a caring 
adult.’’; 
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(ii) in subparagraph (H), by striking 
‘‘adolescents’’ each place it appears and in-
serting ‘‘youth’’; and 
(iii) in subparagraph (K)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘an adolescent’’ 
and inserting ‘‘a youth’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘the adolescent’’ 
each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘the youth’’; and 
(4) in subsection (f), by striking paragraph (2) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than Oc-
tober 1, 2017, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means of the House of Represent-
atives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a 
report on the National Youth in Transition Database 
and any other databases in which States report out-
come measures relating to children in foster care and 
children who have aged out of foster care or left foster 
care for kinship guardianship or adoption. The report 
shall include the following: 
‘‘(A) A description of the reasons for entry 
into foster care and of the foster care experiences, 
such as length of stay, number of placement set-
tings, case goal, and discharge reason of 17-year- 
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olds who are surveyed by the National Youth in 
Transition Database and an analysis of the com-
parison of that description with the reasons for 
entry and foster care experiences of children of 
other ages who exit from foster care before at-
taining age 17. 
‘‘(B) A description of the characteristics of 
the individuals who report poor outcomes at ages 
19 and 21 to the National Youth in Transition 
Database. 
‘‘(C) Benchmarks for determining what con-
stitutes a poor outcome for youth who remain in 
or have exited from foster care and plans the Ex-
ecutive branch will take to incorporate these 
benchmarks in efforts to evaluate child welfare 
agency performance in providing services to chil-
dren transitioning from foster care. 
‘‘(D) An analysis of the association between 
types of placement, number of overall place-
ments, time spent in foster care, and other fac-
tors, and outcomes at ages 19 and 21. 
‘‘(E) An analysis of the differences in out-
comes for children in and formerly in foster care 
at age 19 and 21 among States.’’. 
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(e) CLARIFYING DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED TO FOS-
TER YOUTH LEAVING FOSTER CARE.—Section 475(5)(I) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 675(5)(I)) is amended by inserting 
after ‘‘REAL ID Act of 2005’’ the following: ‘‘, and any 
official documentation necessary to prove that the child was 
previously in foster care’’. 
TITLE IV—CONTINUING INCEN-
TIVES TO STATES TO PRO-
MOTE ADOPTION AND LEGAL 
GUARDIANSHIP 
SEC. 401. REAUTHORIZING ADOPTION AND LEGAL GUARD-
IANSHIP INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. 
Section 473A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
673b) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(4), by striking ‘‘2013 
through 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘2016 through 2020’’; 
(2) in subsection (h)(1)(D), by striking ‘‘2016’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2021’’; and 
(3) in subsection (h)(2), by striking ‘‘2016’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2021’’. 
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TITLE V—TECHNICAL 
CORRECTIONS 
SEC. 501. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO DATA EXCHANGE 
STANDARDS TO IMPROVE PROGRAM COORDI-
NATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 440 of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 629m) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 440. DATA EXCHANGE STANDARDS FOR IMPROVED 
INTEROPERABILITY. 
‘‘(a) DESIGNATION.—The Secretary shall, in consulta-
tion with an interagency work group established by the Of-
fice of Management and Budget and considering State gov-
ernment perspectives, by rule, designate data exchange 
standards to govern, under this part— 
‘‘(1) necessary categories of information that 
State agencies operating programs under State plans 
approved under this part are required under applica-
ble Federal law to electronically exchange with an-
other State agency; and 
‘‘(2) Federal reporting and data exchange re-
quired under applicable Federal law. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The data exchange standards 
required by paragraph (1) shall, to the extent practicable— 
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‘‘(1) incorporate a widely accepted, non-propri-
etary, searchable, computer-readable format, such as 
the eXtensible Markup Language; 
‘‘(2) contain interoperable standards developed 
and maintained by intergovernmental partnerships, 
such as the National Information Exchange Model; 
‘‘(3) incorporate interoperable standards devel-
oped and maintained by Federal entities with author-
ity over contracting and financial assistance; 
‘‘(4) be consistent with and implement applica-
ble accounting principles; 
‘‘(5) be implemented in a manner that is cost- 
effective and improves program efficiency and effec-
tiveness; and 
‘‘(6) be capable of being continually upgraded as 
necessary. 
‘‘(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sub-
section shall be construed to require a change to existing 
data exchange standards found to be effective and effi-
cient.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Not later than the date that 
is 24 months after the date of the enactment of this section, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue 
a proposed rule that— 
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(1) identifies federally required data exchanges, 
include specification and timing of exchanges to be 
standardized, and address the factors used in deter-
mining whether and when to standardize data ex-
changes; and 
(2) specifies State implementation options and 
describes future milestones. 
SEC. 502. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO STATE REQUIRE-
MENT TO ADDRESS THE DEVELOPMENTAL 
NEEDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN. 
Section 422(b)(18) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 622(b)(18)) is amended by striking ‘‘such children’’ 
and inserting ‘‘all vulnerable children under 5 years of 
age’’. 
TITLE 
VI—ENSURING 
STATES 
REINVEST SAVINGS RESULT-
ING 
FROM 
INCREASE 
IN 
ADOPTION ASSISTANCE 
SEC. 601. DELAY OF ADOPTION ASSISTANCE PHASE-IN. 
Section 473(e)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
673(e)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘fiscal 
year’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘period’’; 
and 
(2) in subparagraph (B)— 
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(A) in the matter preceding the table, by 
striking ‘‘fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘period’’; 
and 
(B) in the table— 
(i) by striking ‘‘of fiscal year:’’ and in-
serting ‘‘of:’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘2010’’ and inserting 
‘‘Fiscal year 2010’’; 
(iii) by striking ‘‘2011’’ and inserting 
‘‘Fiscal year 2011’’; 
(iv) by striking ‘‘2012’’ and inserting 
‘‘Fiscal year 2012’’; 
(v) by striking ‘‘2013’’ and inserting 
‘‘Fiscal year 2013’’; 
(vi) by striking ‘‘2014’’ and inserting 
‘‘Fiscal year 2014’’; 
(vii) by striking ‘‘2015’’ and inserting 
‘‘Fiscal year 2015’’; 
(viii) by striking ‘‘2016’’ and inserting 
‘‘October 1, 2015, through March 31, 2019’’; 
(ix) by striking ‘‘2017’’ and inserting 
‘‘April 1, 2019, through March 31, 2020’’; 
and 
(x) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘April 1, 2020,’’. 
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SEC. 602. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON STATE REINVEST-
MENT OF SAVINGS RESULTING FROM IN-
CREASE IN ADOPTION ASSISTANCE. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall study the extent to which States are complying 
with the requirements of section 473(a)(8) of the Social Se-
curity Act relating to the effects of phasing out the AFDC 
income eligibility requirements for adoption assistance pay-
ments under section 473 of the Social Security Act, as en-
acted by section 402 of the Fostering Connections to Success 
and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110– 
351; 122 Stat. 3975) and amended by section 206 of the 
Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act 
(Public Law 113–183; 128 Stat. 1919). In particular, the 
Comptroller General shall analyze the extent to which 
States are complying with the following requirements under 
section 473(a)(8)(D) of the Social Security Act: 
(1) The requirement to spend an amount equal 
to the amount of the savings (if any) in State expend-
itures under part E of title IV of the Social Security 
resulting from phasing out the AFDC income eligi-
bility requirements for adoption assistance payments 
under section 473 of such Act to provide to children 
of families any service that may be provided under 
part B or E of title IV of such Act. 
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100 
(2) The requirement that a State shall spend not 
less than 30 percent of the amount of any savings de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) on post-adoption serv-
ices, post-guardianship services, and services to sup-
port and sustain positive permanent outcomes for 
children who otherwise might enter into foster care 
under the responsibility of the State, with at least 2⁄3 
of the spending by the State to comply with the 30 
percent requirement being spent on post-adoption and 
post-guardianship services. 
(b) REPORT.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the Committee on Finance of the Sen-
ate, the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
Representatives, and the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services a report that contains the results of the study re-
quired by subsection (a), including recommendations to en-
sure compliance with laws referred to in subsection (a). 
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VerDate Sep 11 2014 
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Union Calendar No. 487 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5456 
[Report No. 114–628] 
A BILL 
To amend parts B and E of title IV of the Social 
Security Act to invest in funding prevention and 
family services to help keep children safe and 
supported at home, to ensure that children in 
foster care are placed in the least restrictive, 
most family-like, and appropriate settings, and 
for other purposes. 
JUNE 21, 2016 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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